Birth is this amazing, complex journey that might have brought along a few souvenirs after nine months. When I talk to my kids about their births, we briefly highlight a couple of things that catch their attention, one being the lovely C-section scar as evidence of their entry into this world.
I admit, it’s a much easier explanation to a seven- and four-year-old that they came from mama’s belly rather than delving into the intricacies of vaginal birth. (I’m a pelvic health physiotherapist, but even I think it’s a little too soon for the complexities of birth!) However, as easy an explanation as it is, the scar remains.
I joke to friends that the surgeon gutted me like a fish and sent me on my way… not that far off! My husband and I weren’t given a care manual with our babies, and I didn’t get a user’s guide sent home with my postpartum body.
Of the 1.27 million C-sections performed in the United States every year, most mothers are taught little about how to care for their body after birth, much less their incision site. OB-GYNs often clear moms for return to activity after six weeks, and we assume all is well if the incision is closed and well healed — not necessarily! Between 6 and 18 percent of the 1.27 million women may have chronic scar pain related to their Cesarean surgery, resulting in difficulty and pain with daily activities including childcare. It’s major surgery, so why don’t we get a little more guidance?
What Happens During a C-Section… and After?If you recall, arms gently strapped down, body flopping around like a flounder (because it’s freezing in the surgical suite, and that anesthesia, whoa…), our baby is safely born and we’re reassured that our tummies are perfectly flat and will heal nicely once repaired (gravity is much more kind to your abdominal contents when you’re flat on your back.) We’ll have a cute “bikini line” scar, and it will be like we were never pregnant, right?
Voila, you’re good to go! Just don’t lift anything for six weeks and you’re all set — which isn’t so easy if you have another kid who hangs onto you like a monkey!
Let’s break the procedure down a little so you can understand the layers of repair, and thus, your scar.
First, an incision is made in your skin. The rectus sheath (the fascia that blends all your abs together at the center of your belly) is pulled apart, and then incisions are made in the peritoneum (the lining of your abdominal cavity) and the uterus. The baby and placenta are birthed, and then the uterus, rectus sheath, and skin are sutured back together again.
Scars are your body’s way of forming a bandage, and you want a scar to heal well and be mobile. Here’s a simple analogy: It’s like you have several layers of waxed paper that someone pushed a curling iron through. All the layers sort of blend and melt together. The tissues from your skin down to your uterus, although sealed closed, become somewhat adhered, though they used to glide on each other.
Collagen, a building block for tissues and scars, is laid down in multiple different directions (kind of like when your kid dumps their crayons all over the floor). Collagen is influenced by tension and can be re-organized to be more aligned and mobile.
Depending on your surgeon, the uterine scar may be horizontal or vertical, but there are still a lot of layers of tissue that were repaired. It’s for this reason that when mobilizing your scar, you need to think about massaging in every direction you can think of.
With scar massage, we apply gentle force to the collagen, encouraging it to redirect. This helps the tissues become more mobile, less restrictive, and less painful.
This is a technique that has been shown to improve pain and mobility restrictions associated with C-section scars. A small 2018 study published in the Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy looked at the effectiveness of superficial and deep massage techniques and found that both result in improved pain and function after just four sessions of skilled physical therapy.1
That’s not to say you can’t try getting your own scar moving! It’s never too late to try to mobilize a scar that’s painful, restricted, or has little sensation. That said, it can be too early to massage a scar. Even though a wound may appear to be closed, it’s important to wait until after at least six weeks postpartum to start self-massage. Tissues may be closer to full healing at that time and less likely to disrupt or open the incision site. Full healing of the tissues should be achieved by eight to twelve weeks.
Prior to the six-week mark, moms can work on returning sensitivity to areas that feel numb. Brushing the area lightly with a cotton ball or washcloth can introduce a slightly rough texture to the tissues and the healing nerves, working to improve sensitivity to the area. Adding massage cream, such as cocoa butter, can be helpful in improving the scar texture and aesthetics, but may only be applied only after the incision site is fully closed.
How to Perform a C-Section Scar MassageAfter six to eight weeks of healing, more aggressive tissue massage can be applied. You can stretch the tissues by sinking the pads of your fingers down into the tissue above, below, and adjacent to the healed incision and pulling or pushing in a direction that feels restricted for a brief time. Remember to work in every direction to get the full benefits.
Other helpful techniques can include massaging in a circle and skin rolling, where you take the tissue and roll it in a multi-directional way between your fingers (this may be uncomfortable and feel a bit like a rug burn, so work your way up to it).
There should never be any bleeding, long-lasting redness (of more than a few hours), or opening of the incision site after self-treatment.
Many of these techniques can be applied three to five minutes per day but can be challenging to do on your own since we’re often reluctant to knowingly perform activities that cause pain. Furthermore, it may also be difficult to get at some of the angles. If you’re ever worried that you may be doing the wrong thing, most pelvic physical therapists can assess your technique and give you recommendations as well as treatment that can help you with your scar!
Remember, even though you weren’t sent home with a user’s guide to your C-section scar, it’s important to understand it’s not too late to get it moving!
Note from GGS: To find a pelvic health physical therapist in your area, search one of the following websites.
If nothing comes up in your area, try a general Internet search using the name of your city and one of the following terms: pelvic health, pelvic floor, women’s health physical therapist, or women’s health physiotherapist. In the U.S., use the term physical therapist. Outside of the U.S., use the term physiotherapist.
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