Difference between c-section stomach and any other stomach?

rabbitjb wrote: »

I guess I don't know that for sure, that's just what three different doctors have told me will likely be necessary. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, I figure it's wise to adjust my expectations accordingly.

I agree with those who say you really can't tell until you're at that point so if you want a vaginal birth you don't need to rule it out. That said I did end up having 2 planned sections, for a different issue during pregnancy, and have to say they are totally fine...on your feet in 24 hours, on just standard painkillers within 48 hours ..so it is nothing to fear.

Agree with the "can't tell" until you are there but the rest is no, not for me. Not for many people I know either. You can have risks, as I did-uterine infection from it and also I have severe extensive adhesions that have causes so much pain and issues with my stomach, and bladder/bowels. This is not anything to take lightly. It's major surgery.

ETA that I messed up the quote portion like fives times...wth...okay, so I think it's fixed now.

Had a planned c-section with my twin boys as one if them was breech and the top twin was in distress. I weighed 111 lbs when I got pregnant and put on 47 lbs with them. I still have a shelf and stretched out skin that only surgery can remove, but honestly I think I am too self conscious. My hubby says I look good. I had a horizontal incision and staples, and my scar is very low - my doc said she did that so I could wear a bikini. I had my daughter 4 years later with a vaginal delivery but needed suction to get her out quickly because of a low heartbeat. I still wear a bikini and if someone doesn't like it they don't have to look at me! After 8 miscarriages and a stillbirth they are reminders of how lucky I am to have my kids.

bbontheb wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

severe extensive adhesions that have causes so much pain and issues with my stomach, and bladder/bowels. This is not anything to take lightly. It's major surgery.

I feel your pain! My adhesions mess with my bladder/bowel in addition to pain when doing sit ups, etc. Just curious for anyone with this- have your Drs suggested any ways to help alleviate this even a little, other than surgery to remove scar tissue?

Disclaimer.. I know I have a fat stomach. That is why I am here. However, after my 1st c/s the hang below my belly button did not exist. It was much flatter (at the same weight). My scar is SUPER low.
My "front butt". I actually have to buy pants a size or more larger to fit this in them.

My scar is just below where my pants are sitting in the below picture:

Lifting the loose skin up:

PeachyPlum wrote: »

@MamaBirdBoss Thank you for sharing your insight! If you don't mind me asking, are you a medical professional? You obviously know a lot about all this!

I'm a person with several extremely rare conditions. So I had to be educated because things that aren't problems for other people can be lethal for me. And soft-tissue injuries heal badly and often incompletely for me. I still have rare though occasional pain from a soft-tissue injury that didn't tear any ligaments or anything when I was 18. I'm 35 now. It took me 12 years to be completely pain-free from a simple sprained ankle. Oh, and general anesthesia can easily kill me if they do it wrong.

When you have an insanely rare genetic disorder, you have to know your stuff. I started with that, then developed exercise-induced anaphylaxis (pure chance, not related) and later discovered that I was very subfertile (possibly related--no one knows), so I got to go through all of that nonsense, too, yay.

All of my doctors start out assuming I'm a doctor or nurse myself. LOL. A LOT of my family are medical professionals, too. I've got access to a good deal of the medical journals through them, too. I read a book that was basically the entire summary of the current knowledge on reproductive endocrinology when I was going through fertility treatments (meant for reproductive endocrinologists) with summaries of every kind of research that's been done.

It's very disappointing how blase OB/GYNs are about abdominal surgery. They consider C-sections to be "no complications" if you heal without infection and the baby is fine. Unfortunately, adhesions occur in about 15% of FIRST C-sections, and that doesn't even count people who don't technically have adhesions but have excessive scar tissue. A number of women are rendered infertile by just one C-section due to Asherman's syndrome from the adhesions. You don't know whether you're prone to adhesions until you have abdominal surgery.

A C-section also determines the total number of children you can safely have. In general, it's generally safe to have up to 12 kids vaginally. Six are in the definite "a-ok" zone before you have any risk of uterine rupture to speak of. Doctors prefer 2 C-sections, max, or 3 the outside. If you're having your 4th kid by C-section, you're at a VERY elevated risk for uterine rupture. Women are medically advised against getting pregnant if they've had 3 C-sections. So if you have a C-section that isn't truly medically necessary with the first child, your doctor has made the choice of your family size for you, right then.

I don't know why that doesn't trouble more people, whether they want 1 child or 6. Doctors don't even tell women this AT ALL. Having a C-section over a vaginal birth also causes women, on average, to be more likely to change their expectation of family size downward--basically, the experience is such that women who go through C-sections are more likely to choose to have fewer kids after birth than women who have had vaginal births.

It's not bad for everyone. And vaginal births can be traumatic for some, too, depending on how it goes! But it does affect the *average* woman over a longer time and more negatively than just until the dressings come off.

Oh, BTW...like I said, I have no C-section. But I DO have a fat-crease where a scar would usually be. So for some, the "front butt" location and orientation doesn't have anything to do with a C-section but rather how you gain and lose during pregnancy.

Despite the fact that I'm technically a healthy weight according to BMI, this WEEK is the first time since the last baby that I'm below the danger-zone in terms of navel circumference. :P

nardoneje wrote: »

Disclaimer.. I know I have a fat stomach. That is why I am here. However, after my 1st c/s the hang below my belly button did not exist. It was much flatter (at the same weight). My scar is SUPER low.
My "front butt". I actually have to buy pants a size or more larger to fit this in them.

My scar is just below where my pants are sitting in the below picture:

Lifting the loose skin up:

This is what mine looks like too.
I've had two rather uneventful c-sections, up and walking same day, but the second was a lot easier than the first. Less painful and I was more mobile faster

katieannebrown wrote: »

bbontheb wrote: »

severe extensive adhesions that have causes so much pain and issues with my stomach, and bladder/bowels. This is not anything to take lightly. It's major surgery.

I feel your pain! My adhesions mess with my bladder/bowel in addition to pain when doing sit ups, etc. Just curious for anyone with this- have your Drs suggested any ways to help alleviate this even a little, other than surgery to remove scar tissue?

I had heard from my Drs that they will come back with surgery. My Dr performed a laproscopy to check if it was endometriosis (other pain issues) and it was extensive adhesions to my organs. I have yet to hear any other helpful advice.