No muscles in the abdominal wall are actually cut. In fact the Obstetrician goes between the muscles. Some people are concerned about the pain relief during a caesarean. Less than 1% of caesarean sections are performed under a general anaesthetic in a private hospital.
The uterus consists of the serosal outer layer (perimetrium), the muscle layer (myometrium), and the inside mucosal layer (endometrium). All three of these layers are incised to make the uterine incision or hysterotomy.
This is called diastasis recti, or divarication. The amount of separation can vary. It happens because your growing womb (uterus) pushes the muscles apart, making them longer and weaker. The separation between your stomach muscles will usually go back to normal by the time your baby is 8 weeks old.
A C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision. After the abdominal incision, the health care provider will make an incision in the uterus. Low transverse incisions are the most common (top left).
Both vaginal and c section delivery affect the abdominal muscles and can cause postpartum diastasis recti. Some research has found that the condition is more common in women who have given birth by c section. The nature of c section delivery and recovery can weaken the core, resulting in diastasis recti.
Impacts of a c-section on the body
It's possible to experience losses in abdominal strength and muscle tone. This has a knock-on effect on your spinal health and stability and can also negatively affect your hips and balance.
Some women do experience symptoms related to their C-section scar long after the operation. Some women feel pain, restriction, or a pulling sensation on or around their scar months or even years after surgery. This is normally due to the build-up of scar tissue which can stick to muscles or even organs and cause pain.
Swelling after a C-section is completely normal, and gas pains can be excruciating. They should pass within a week, once your bowels are moving normally again (abdominal surgery causes them to "shut down" temporarily, so pooping after a C-section might not come easy).
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
A caesarean is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.
Sometimes all your C-section pooch needs is time and regular massage of the scar. After 6-12 months, if that C-section shelf is still there, chances are high that it will always be there unless we treat it.
A C-section pouch is actually caused by scar tissue left behind by your C-section scar. In some cases, the way your body recovers after surgery can cause excess fat to find itself in your lower belly area.
This is because a c-section scar creates an effect akin to a tight band being placed at the bottom of the abdomen. This forces the lax abdominal skin and muscles to hang over the tightness of the scar.
“So, every patient is different and every case is unique. However, from the current medical evidence, most medical authorities do state that if multiple C-sections are planned, the expert recommendation is to adhere to the maximum number of three.”
Pain intensity, wish for more analgesics and most interference outcomes were significantly worse after CS compared with hysterectomies.
Physiotherapy is also important following a caesarean section because is minimises the risk of low back pain by improving posture and the support to the lower back. This then prepares the body for any pregnancies in the future.
Overall, infants born by caesarean section lost more weight than those born vaginally, but due to the small number of studies included, more are needed to look at this difference and why it may occur.
Shorter duration of labor
According to March of Dimes Org, during vaginal delivery, on average, mothers are under labor for over six to eight hours. Vaginal delivery is painful, exhausting, and physically grueling. C-section, on the other hand, is pain-free and less time-consuming.
Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.
Walking after c-section is encouraged and should be your go to for the first few weeks. You'll start to notice day to day movement getting easier and less discomfort lifting baby or moving around.
“Sometimes, after a C-section, the bowels can take some time to wake up since you've just gone through a major surgery,” explains Dr. Newlin. “It can take three or four days for your first poop after delivery.” That same timeframe holds true if you're taking opioid pain medications.
After birth, you may feel pain in your joints, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Your shoulder may feel sore because you are changing your body posture for feeding. Your lower back or pelvis may also feel tender. Your womb stretched a lot during your pregnancy as your baby was growing.
In some cases, a c-section can cause nerve damage which can impair some motor function and cause nerve pain around the edges of your c-section incision, depending on which nerves have been damaged. This type of pain is usually described as hypersensitivity, burning sensation or an electric shock type feeling.
If you have had a C-section and are experiencing a superficial pain around the edges of the scar, it is likely the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, and/or genitofemoral nerves have been affected.