What is my stomach going to look like after a c-section?

Question

I'm 13 years old and 16 weeks pregnant. My doc says she recommends a c-section at 38 weeks. I'm just wandering what the scar is going to look like and if you recommend a vertical or horizontal incision and is the scar going to heal completely and fade? I'm keeping the baby and I'm naming him Andre.

Answer 1

I'm with the people wondering why your doctor would say she recommends a c-section. Unless there is a medical need for it, don't do it. If you have a c-section, you probably won't get to choose which way they cut you. The best cut is for both the outer cut, and the cut on your uterus to be horizontal. The outside scar will be about 4 inches long, and it will most likely be in the crease between your stomach and pubic area. You will probably have a few dots the same color as the scare from where they put staples to hold the insision together afterwards, It will be in a place that is not visable when you are wearing panties or a bikini. When it heals it will be a whitish color, but it's barley noticable. You want the cut on your uterus to be horizontal, so if in the future you want to try to have children naturaly it will be possible. If the cut is vertical on your uterus, and you where to try to have a natural childbirth latter on, you would have a high risk of your uterus rupturing, and that is very bad. But most likely if you have one c-section, that will probably be the way you allways have your deliveries if you have anymore children. And it can be common for women who have alot of c-sections to eventually have a hysterectomy. This is where they remove your uterus, and you would not be able to have more children. ( but this only usually happens with women who have alot of c-sections, and it doesn't always happen.)

If your stomach doesn't look normal after childbirth, it will be because of streching, and streach marks. Not the scar from a c-section
Since your young your skin has more elasticity, so you probably wont have a problem. Just keep your stomach moisturized. (get palmer's cocoa butter it's good) and make sure your getting good nutrition, alot of water, and take your prenatal vitamines.

I had a c-section. I was lucky I had very little pain afterwards, but most women have a lot of pain. It's hard to move around for couple weeks or more after a c-section, because of pain, and also because you worry about pulling your stiches out if you move the wrong way. You will also have a hard time picking up and carrying your baby around while you still have pain. Even after my scar healed I still had slight pains and uncomfortable feelings when I have sex. The doctors say that it is probably from internal scaring, and may never go away. They also say that this can be a normal occurance for women with c-sections. If you have more than one c-section, you will have more internal scarring.

Also a baby should grow inside you for as long as possible. If you have a scheduled c-section they will do it a little before your due date, so the baby won't have as much time inside you as it would with a normal delivery, and it wont have the contractions, and squeezing through the cervix, which both help to squeez the fluid out of the babies lungs. This can possibly cause problems with breathing or infection in the lungs.

If you do need a c-section, just remember that many woman have them and everything is fine with them and thier children. If you do need it then it is the best thing to do.

If you don't need a c-section, don't have one there is less risk of complications with natural birth. But there is always a risk durring child birth.

Answer 2

I don't know if it is different for african american women, but my scar is horrible!(it's horizontal). Part of it is still numb, and it is still very sensitive 19 months later. It is very uncomfortable if anything rubs up against it.
I didn't have any problems with the healing process, but I have a horrible, very noticeable, jagged scar.

Answer 3

Check out this website: www.theshapeofamother.com
On the bottom right click on cesareans to see lots of pictures of women after they had babies. There will be lots with saggy bellies and stretch marks, but keep looking there will be some that go right back to a normal flat stomach. Don't eat a whole lot more than you usually do so you don't gain over 25 pounds. I think you only need to eat 200 extra calories a day for the baby, but check with your doctor on that. Being as young as you are, you will probably bounce back really quickly. My sister-in-law had a baby at 15 and she was wearing her belly shirts within a few weeks after having the baby. Good luck!

Answer 4

Honey, you probably don't get to choose which way your incision goes. It will be horizontal and just below the top of your pubic hair.

My scar is virtually undetectable. You'd have to be within a few inches to see mine.

At 16 weeks, how do you know you're having a boy?

Answer 5

HORIZONTAL. Vertical goes up your stomach instead of across your bikini line. I've had 2, one just over a year ago, and I can barely see it anymore, just a very thin white line that's about 4-5 inches across. You probably won't be wearing bikinis this summer afterwards, but by next summer it should be completely healed. It does look horrible at first, but that doesn't last too long. Keep the incision clean afterwards, and it should be barely noticable, if at all. Andre is a nice name. Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Answer 6

Um well your body will never be the same once you have a child. You should have thought of that before having sex!!! It really doesnt matter and the scar will always be there.

Answer 7

i would ask if this is really necessary. if it is i would ask about the low transverse incision, it will allow for VBAC(vaginal birth after cesarean) which you might want when you have kids later.

Answer 8

Sweetheart, my heart goes out to you & Andre.
You're 13...I hope you have a lot of support & help lined up.
To be really honest w/ ya....a c-section is one of the most painful procedures you can have. I've had 2. They have to cut through some major muscles in your'e lower abdomen to get to the baby. They have made some major strides as far as which direction they cut & will it fade. My youngest, just turned
18...I can still see the scar. The scar is horizontal. It's about 2-3inches long. That isn't what u really have to worry about. Once those major muscles are cut...u can barely move for a good 2-3 weeks, the muscles are the hardest to get back in shape. Because, you are so young...hopefully, none of these will be the issue..just make sure you have a great support team that has you're back...& Andre's ..You are going to be really sore for a couple of weeks. Best of luck!!

Answer 9

Wow!! I had a c-section. They cut you now, underneath your belly button. No one will be able to see it, unless you are naked. As long as you have your panties on, your fine. The thing about having a c-section, is you have to make sure that you keep the area cleaned after you come home. You can not scrub it, rub it, itch it... nothing. I recommend like what I did when I came home from the hospital is.. they give you a perry-bottle to clean yourself.. bring that home, put some warm, soapy water in the bottle and spray the water on your cut. Don't rub it!! When you come out of the shower... pat your cut dry. If you rub it, it could come open and you can be in a world of hurt and trouble!! If you start seeing puss or any other gross crap come out of it.. go to the hospital. That means you got an infection!! The scar thru time will heal completely by itself as long as you take care of it. My son now is 14 months old, and my scar is just now slowly disappearing. Don't worry you will be ok. I am just telling you from experience, you will have a lot of pain!!!! Make sure that someone can help you at home for at least a month!! Good luck sweetie! Its hard having a baby!!

Answer 10

Well, when they talk about incisions, there are actually two incisions, one on the uterus, and the one on the belly that you see. You don't get to decide what cut you get, the docs do that for you.

If the c-section is planned, then they will do a small horizontal incision that will be hidden by your underwear and even by the fold of your belly, so it won't be noticeable at all.

You might want to ask your doc if she thinks there's anyway you can do the birth vaginally, b/c recovery time is much quicker that way - after all, a c-section is major surgery.

Good luck!