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While it’s mostly aesthetic, it can affect the way you think about your body which can directly inform your mood. If it’s bothering you, don’t feel as if you need to dismiss your feelings. Acknowledge how you’re feeling about it and find comfort in the simple steps you can take to strengthen your core and work towards minimising your shelf, if that’s something you want.
During a caesarean birth, your obstetrician will make a 10 cm incision through seven layers of fat and tissue and then stitch them back together. It may be the most commonly performed major surgery in the world but it also requires significant healing with many perinatal professionals believing it takes up to a year for connective tissues to properly repair. A c-section shelf can’t be prevented but there are some practical steps you can take to reduce its appearance and lessen its severity.
Also known as a ‘c-section shelf’, a ‘mum pouch’, or an ‘overhang’, the bulge over your caesarean scar is a protrusion or swelling around the incision area, a combination of scar tissue, body fat and excess abdominal skin. For some it’s barely noticeable while for others it is very pronounced and can present as a flap (also known as an apron) which may affect the clothing you wear as waistbands can cause discomfort.
Changes in your abdominal muscles and your healing process can cause your incision to bulge. Your abdominal muscles stretch in pregnancy to make space for your baby. If you carried your baby over 35 weeks gestation, your abdominal muscles would have separated, a normal pregnancy condition known as diastasis recti. During a caesarean birth, the muscles may be partially or wholly stretched which can contribute to both weak muscles and the formation of scar tissue. And remember, your scar tissue is several layers deep so skin restrictions or tightness in any layer can contribute to an overhang or shelf-like appearance
Your c-section shelf may only last a few weeks or months before it goes away but for some women, the bulge remains for years.
There are some really practical things you can do to assist recovery and promote healing. Your whole body takes time to recover from birth and if you’ve had a caesarean, you’re also recovering from major abdominal surgery. Horizontal rest is vital for healing and strengthening your core and pelvic floor which, in turn, assists wound healing. You can also do the following:
The best professional to see is a pelvic floor physiotherapist (women’s health physiotherapist) who can assist you with every element of birth recovery, healing and strengthening, including:
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If you’re recovering from a caesarean birth (c-section) it’s helpful to remember that your body needs to heal after major abdominal surgery. Caesarean births are common (roughly one in three in Australia) but significant surgery requires adequate recovery time. Here's what you can expect in your caesarean recovery.
There is so much talk about baby sleep - ‘is he a good sleeper?’ ‘How many naps does he have during the day?’ ‘Is she sleeping through the night?’ but we’re missing the conversations about maternal sleep.
If you had a caesarean birth and you’ve noticed an overhang or a bulge over your scar, we want you to know that it’s completely normal and a natural part of birth recovery. It’s not dependent on whether you had a planned or emergency caesarean nor is it a result of a bad incision or hindered healing process; it’s simply a common side-effect of wound healing.
If you’re in the third trimester you’re no doubt thinking about all that’s to come; labour, birth, and a precious newborn baby. There is so much to look forward to and prepare for. But often, we spend so much time thinking of what our baby needs that we rarely think about ourselves. So, we’re here to gently encourage you (read: implore you!) to start thinking about your post-birth recovery. It’s generally quite a slow process and for many women, especially first-time mothers, it can be quite confronting. We don’t want to scare you but research shows that realistic expectations pave the way for a positive postpartum experience
Typically occurring between day 3-5 after birth, breast engorgement is a common symptom in early postpartum when your milk comes. It can also occur later in your breastfeeding journey if your baby sleeps for longer and misses a feed, or drops a feed during the day or night. It can cause your breasts to be full and hard and this can cause pain and make it tricky for your baby to latch. Essentially, your breasts can feel like they’re about to explode which is quite disconcerting.
You may have heard some nightmarish stories about mastitis and frankly, it’s not something you want to contend with at any stage of your breastfeeding journey. It’s most common in the first three months postpartum but it can strike at any time, particularly if your baby has reduced their feeds, is starting to sleep for longer periods at night or you’re weaning.
In early postpartum, breastfeeding and sleep challenges are common and can contribute to anxiety and overwhelm. Unless you have a private midwife, there’s a distinct void of health services in postpartum which makes it challenging to access professional support. It’s definitely beneficial to be aware of this in pregnancy so you can adequately prepare for postpartum.
Firstly, if you’ve recently birthed your baby and your bleeding has increased, don’t delay in seeking medical attention. It’s recommended to present to the emergency department at your local hospital and explain that you’ve recently given birth and you’re concerned about your blood loss. You may be experiencing a postpartum haemorrhage.