Cesarean Birth (C-section) Scar Care
Information on engageptutah.com is meant for educational purposes only. The information provided is not meant to be diagnostic and does not replace thorough evaluation and treatment by a medical professional, including that of a physical therapist.
One of the challenges- physical, mental and emotional- of Cesarean Birth (C-section) recovery is the incision/scar itself.
Of course it has to physically heal (which we aren’t given much guidance on despite the fact that the muscles they cut through only work in, well, just about every single movement you do… but I digress, and will save that for another post). And the Cesarean birth incision is LARGE as far as incisions go, so we also have to acknowledge that it can be mentally and emotionally challenging for women to come to terms with this alteration to their bodies. So, I have put together this step by step guide from early recovery to the time when it is safe to start manipulating the tissue in the area. And, it is never too late to start taking care of the scar and surrounding areas. You might be surprised at some of the relief you get, even as far away as the hips and low back when you mobilize tissue which has become immobile over time due to the incision site.
In physical therapy and other practices, we advise women to do self-massage or mobilization to the scar in order to aide in healing, prevent adhesions and future pain, etc… but I have spoken to women who have a hard time even looking at their incision/scar, let alone touching it and moving it around.
Early days (0-6 to 8 weeks):
First things first, mama! Get to know your incision. Here are some first steps that may seem simple, but they are not always easy!
As soon as you possibly can, look at your incision.
That’s it, look at it, get to know it as part of you. You don’t have to love it, in fact, you can hate it or you can be neutral. Most important, I think, is to not judge your feelings about it, but rather just notice what they are today and move on.
Then, when you feel ready, wash your incision.
At first you may only feel comfortable letting water run over it in the shower. It might be scary to actually touch the area. But, when you are ready, this is one of the easiest and mellowest ways to get comfortable with touching your incision. Gently rub a soapy hand across the incision.
Again, simple, but not always easy. Below are some tips you’ll want to keep in mind:
Use a mirror to look at your incision- your healing belly is probably still in the way and moving that belly tissue out of the way will most definitely intensify the experience, so save that for later.
Be sure you are safe- sitting down or at least have a counter or side of the tub to hold onto in case you get dizzy or faint… if you can have someone else nearby, that is even better.
If you are super scared, use a time goal- today I will look/wash for 1 second, tomorrow 2-3 seconds, on so on.
Take long slow breaths in and out.
Remind yourself of the warrior you are and own that you gave birth to your baby… YOU DID IT, MAMA!
*Side note: I do not take this lightly. The first time I tried to look at my incision, I tried to move my belly tissue out of the way and started shaking and shivering uncontrollably, the same as I had on the operating table days before. It was scary!
Later in recovery* to forever:
*The timeline here is individual, based on your comfort and advice from your doctor or midwife based on your healing. But you might be able to start with the mellower of techniques to surrounding areas (abdominals, low back) pretty early on. More tips and what to look for below.
When you are ready for some deeper work to the c-section scar and surrounding areas, use these tips and video to guide you.
We want all those tissues-skin, muscle, fascia and scar tissue- to glide nicely on one another in order for our bodies to move and function optimally, decrease pain… and even look better! And these techniques are not only for the incision area, but throughout the abdomen and low back too! Below is a video of five c-section scar mobilization techniques and some tips to guide you.
Tips and what to watch for:
Each technique in the videos increases in intensity, start with technique 1, broad myofascial mobilization and work your way to technique 5, skin-rolling based on comfort.
Mild-moderate discomfort, burning or pulling is ok! If it is worse, such as severe burning or a “tearing” feeling, back off the pressure or go back to the previous technique for now.
Spend 3-5 min per day on these.
Work into abdomen and into low back, up to the ribs on both sides.
It is never too late to start moving those tissues!
Do you want some guidance with your postpartum recovery? We can help! Book an appointment or Free Discovery Call below!
At Engage Physical Therapy & Wellness, we help active women continue or return to doing what they love, and do it for the long term! Our Pelvic and Orthopedic Physical Therapists treat you one-on-one by looking at your body/mind/lifestyle as a whole and listening to your goals and expectations to give you the care you want and deserve that fits into your busy life. Our mission at Engage is to help guide you and ultimately empower you to be in tune with your body and manage your symptoms to do what you love with confidence.
