Does your incision hurt too?

[kakies]

Let's compare notes. I have been feeling soreness in my incision area (on the inside) since I was about 27wks pregnant. I usually feel the discomfort when I'm turning over in bed, when I'm struggling to get out of bed.

I wonder how common this is among us who want a VBAC. I have had two c-sections and I don't remember feeling this after my first c-sec.

Does this happen to you? Are you going for a VBAC, VBA2C, VBA3C,...? Did you feel the same every time? When do you feel the pain?

I know they say that it's ok to feel discomfort but how much discomfort is it okay to feel?

[KatWrangler]

My c-section incision has never hurt. My hernia incision DOES hurt. Ouch on that one.

[Emmy142]

The actual scar itself bothered me from time to time but never felt incision pain. I did feel pain when rolling over and getting out of bed, at times enough to double me over, but my MW said those were ligaments stretching.

[Emmy142]

Sorry I have no idea how this double posted. I would say ask your MW next time you see them or if you are concerned please call them. They will be more then happy to reassure you. I always go by the motto of better asking then not.

[crunchymomof2]

My stomach was sore along the bottom near where my incision was. I dont know that I was that far along. I ended up near the end have alot of pelvic issues. Bordering on spd. Chiropractic really helped. Do you know what position the baby is in? This was a vbac.

[kakies]

For the moment I still don't have an official midwife (not my fault). Anyway, I was speaking to one of my (maybe) future midwives and she was telling me that she would be looking out for signs of pain in my scar during labor and I mentioned to her that I have been feeling aches in that area and she just STOPPED and said "your not supposed to be feeling anything at all". She got worried and wants me to get some sort of ultrasound done in order to see if there are any dehiscences.

Her reaction has made me worried. Plus this might make her refuse taking me in as her client.

[stafl]

I had really really bad adhesions as a result of my cesarean. see www.adhesions.org During my subsequent pregnancy, I felt one pull and break loose, like a giant rubber band snapped inside me. It doubled me over in pain with tears in my eyes, and was a little bit sore for a few days, but after that adhesion pain did not bother me any more until post partum. When my vbac baby was one year old, I had surgery to remove the adhesions, it was so bad that I could not function as a proper mother. In the video of the procedure (laparoscopic surgery) you can't see any of my internal organs until doc started cutting through and removing the adhesions that were gunking my insides together. It was a terrible mess, most of it located on my bladder and ureters. Thank goodness I have a specialist, most docs would not have been able to do such delicate work on my insides.


anyway, don't be scared, and don't agree to any procedures you do not feel comfortable with. THe u/s will most likely not show anything wrong with your scar. What kind of midwife do you have that she has never heard of anyone experiencing pain around their incision? It's really very common experience, and usually nothing to worry about at all. It might not be a bad thing for her to refuse to take you on as a client, go find someone less medically-inclined who trusts your body and your scar to be able to handle labor and delivery!

[Emmy142]

For the moment I still don't have an official midwife (not my fault). Anyway, I was speaking to one of my (maybe) future midwives and she was telling me that she would be looking out for signs of pain in my scar during labor and I mentioned to her that I have been feeling aches in that area and she just STOPPED and said "your not supposed to be feeling anything at all". She got worried and wants me to get some sort of ultrasound done in order to see if there are any dehiscences.

Her reaction has made me worried. Plus this might make her refuse taking me in as her client.

I don't think that is true at all. Women feel aches and pains in that area all the time. I was thinking it could be adhesions also. I've heard that rubbing EPO on your scar can help with that.

[momnmidwife]

Normal....
I have had 4 VBAC's after 1 c/s and with each pregnancy I would feel something new and uncomfortable around my incision.

Pulling, a "tearing" sensation, sharp surprising pain...um let's see...aching, stretching and then getting punched there by the baby would some times catch me off guard. It came and went throughout pregnancy.

An US scan can see the integrity of the scar. And reassure you.

Rubbing evening primrose oil on the scar may help with discomfort and help make the scar tissue more pliable.

I wonder if you MW is new, inexperienced...or just paranoid?

[NCjen]

I am 5 months pregnant, I had a C/S a year ago this week. I had pain around my incision for a few months after birth and then it went away. Now that I am pregnant I am starting to feel a little discomfort off and on. I feel pressure around my scar when I sneeze and things like that. So are you all saying this is ok and not a sign of weakness? It worries me a little.

[juliema]

I have this exact issue. I've been having lots of pelvic and who ha pain. It's the worst at night when I roll from side to side as well. I never had it with my first child. Ive mentioned this a few times to both my chiro and my midwife. My chiro has done some adjustments to help it a bit and my midwife doesn't seem to be worried so I'm trying not to be. I'm hoping it's just dropping... it definately causes me a bit of worry but it's not stopping me from my plans to homebirth. :)

[kakies]

Thanks ladies. Just knowing that others feel or have felt the same is truly reasuring. Now I can continue focusing on giving birth instead of worrying about it. What a relief.

[mommyjamieof2]

I am due may 19th and I also have soreness around my scar but I never really thought to much about it just chopped it up to the baby streching it but I will be sure to ask next vist.

[pumpkinsmama]

I am so sick of hearing it is normal. If it is so normal why are so many women so hyped on how wonderful c-sections are? Ugh.

My scar has hurt since I was cut almost two years ago. It has gotten worse already with this pregnancy. I hate that they keep telling me it is "normal" to be in pain. I feel a sharp pain at the right side of the incision site 4-24 times a day. Bending stretching pulling pushing twisting coughing... It hurts right now as a matter of fact.

That said, I never heard of that adhesion site, I'm really interested in what it has to say.

I want to VBAC. I've been wondering if the scar pain intensifies during labor or is lost in the general pain?

[2Sweeties1Angel]

My incision didn't really *hurt* with my second pregnancy, but I couldn't wear those cute little low rise maternity jeans that hit right on it because they made it itch. I felt my uterus and skin stretching, so of course the scar was stretching right along with them. It just felt normal to me, I guess. I asked my doctor about that and she said as long as it wasn't like a shooting pain it was alright.

[liseux]

It sounds to me like that mw has maybe only heard about the people who have permanent numbness in their scar, maybe that`s why she`s nervous about it. Some of us didn`t get the numbness, my scar hurt when I leaned against it doing the dishes for a year. (not badly, just soreness)

[julie128]

My incision hurt during my second pregnancy. OTOH, I had pain in that area during my first pregnancy, too.

[hkjg]

I am 28 weeks, with my second and going for a VBAC this time. I don't have any pain on my scar now, but around 12 weeks, sometimes when I would move funny or sneeze, I would have pain right around my incision. I asked my Dr. about it and she said it was nothing to worry about, as long as there is no cramping. She said most women regardless of c-section or not, feel more pulling, and pain b/c your muscles are not as tight as they were during the first pregnancy.

[eleven]

What a reassuring thread. :) I am 16 weeks pregnant with my first VBAC and felt my first strange pulling pain along the right side of my scar area this morning while walking. Even though I knew scar pain was common, it made me nervous.

I never knew scar integrity could be confirmed by U/S! Good to know!!

[eleven]

For those of you experiencing pain when rolling over in bed, you may want to look into possible SPD. I had this with my first (didn't know it at the time - my midwife said it was normal :rolleyes). Here's a great website about pubic pain (http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/pubicpain.htm).

I am so sick of hearing it is normal. If it is so normal why are so many women so hyped on how wonderful c-sections are? Ugh.
I totally agree! Thanks for saying it.