Scar of Love ⠀

👼🏽 After your baby is born, your placenta is removed through your cesarean incision. ⠀

👼🏽 There are two main sets of stitches. The first set repairs the incision in the uterus and the second set of stitches cloves the skin and the abdomen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 Although a cesarean is often seen as a ‘pain free’ form of birth, it is major surgery, so you will be offered treatment for post surgical pain.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 The type of pain relief you will be offered may depend on the circumstances of your cesarean, your general health, the amount and type of drugs you have already been given. Most drugs used for pain relief following cesarean are compatible with breastfeeding but your midwife will be able to advise. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 If you are in pain after your operation, speak up. If you try to be brave, you may end up in more pain, be less mobile and so less able to look after your baby. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 The relaxations you practise in hypnobirthing can also be very useful with coping with any pain after a cesarean. ⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 Some women are surprised that they bleed after a caesarean, but in this respect they are no different from women who have given birth vaginally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 When washing the wound, pat it dry with a clean towel. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 The appearance of the scar can vary a great deal from woman to woman. To begin with, it is likely that it will look quite red, but this will fade over time to something nearer your skin colour that may be barely noticeable. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 A common complaint from cesarean mothers is the way their tummies over hang their scars, although some women do retain a flat tummy. There seems to be little that women can do about this. My advice is love the body that created your beautiful baby. Be proud. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

👼🏽 If you have an older child at home already it is likely to be very exhausting. Try picnic on the floor rather than lifting into a high chair.