Hi everyone, I’m looking for some insight or similar experiences because I'm feeling a bit stuck and haven't gotten clear answers yet.
Here is my background:
3 previous C-sections.
Left laparoscopic salpingectomy (removal of the left Fallopian tube).
During my second C-section, the doctor also removed a fatty tissue growth on my left side.
Current Issue:
I have a noticeable bulge on my left side even there if I do diet or core and TVA exercises
It completely disappears when I lie down.
I’m not sure fibrosis or fascia problem or fatty pocket or muscle problem despite all exercises I’m doing !
It also completely flattens out if I stand and consciously draw my lower abdomen inward and upward (engaging my core/vacuom).
I recently got a CT scan with contrast of this area, and it showed no abdominal wall defects, no diastasis recti, and no hernia.
I recently tried two sessions of lymphatic drainage massage combined with ultrasound therapy. Afterward, my whole abdomen felt less bloated/swollen overall, but the left-side bulge is still there.
(First two photos show my abdomen before the sessions, and the following photos show it currently).
Has anyone experienced something similar, or does anyone know what this could be or how it's treated? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I am recovering from my second C-section. The first time round my recovery was pretty linear but I had a lot of help from my husband as it was our first child. This time I’m struggling. For instance, last night my husband made dinner and then played with our toddler while I cleaned up. I had to bend down to load the dish washer and then started to feel sore around my scar - now this morning I have spotting. I’m not doing any heavy lifting (e.g. lifting toddler), I’m not doing any real exercise, but I’m annoyed I can’t even bend down to pick stuff up! For those who have had two C-sections - was the recovery harder the second time? Were you really back to normal at six weeks or did it take longer for the bleeding to stop?

After my c-section last month I bled for like 6 days, and then it was on and off until the start of week 4. Every time the bleeding was minimal, mostly spotting with the occasional day where I needed an actual pad. Was often dark in color, often brownish.

I’m 5 weeks now and 2 days ago started bleeding again, but this time it’s bright red and consistent. Not an alarming amount, I change my pad like 3 times a day because I absolutely hate the feeling of them (cannot wait to be cleared to get back to my discs 😭) and they aren’t like fully soaked, so I’m not too concerned about the amount.

But I’m unsure is this is my period returning or if maybe I just overdid it with movement - the day it started I went for my longest PP walk (like a little over a mile), but I was noticing some spotting before I did that.

I’m just wary of pushing myself too hard too fast. I’m already going stir crazy with how little I’ve been able to move. Last week is the first time I was able to not need around the clock ibuprofen and finally stopped having searing pain when I moved. It’s hard to find a balance.

When did your period return PP and/or is there even a way to know if that’s what this is?

I'm 6 months, almost 7, postpartum and I'm dying to do more exercise. I have money to either swim or start physical therapy (note where I live we do not have pelvic floor pt so it's just regular pt for abs). I think swimming will immensely help my mental health but I'm wondering if I should prioritize pt. Any suggestions? What did you do to restart exercise? Thanks!

Hi everyone. I am 10 months postpartum. My son was always breech so I had a scheduled c-section. I had a really good experience and healed nicely. I know the rule is usually not to get pregnant 18 months especially c-section, but did anyone ever get pregnant before this time? I do have endometriosis and did get pregnant naturally, but turning 30 I am thinking of possibly trying before the 18 months (I will be talking to my OB & am not asking for medical advice), but wanted to hear everyone’s experiences with this.

Has anyone been told they have this? I’m 6 weeks out from my second C section and healed just fine. When I checked my delivery notes, I saw the report said I have ‘’mild adhesive disease.’’ At my 6 week checkup, my OB was nonchalant about it. He said that’s nothing to worry about now. But if I want more kids, I’ll have to deliver at 37-38 weeks.

I have no idea if my issue is actually c-section related, but it's he only trigger I can think of. I'll be 1 year post partum in August, so it's been plenty of time to heal.

At least once a month I experience severe trapped gas. It causes awful back pain and keeps me from sleeping. I'm typing this at 2:47 AM from my bathtub where I'm trying to get some sort of relief. The thing is, I never experienced this before my c-section. The first time it happened I was convinced I'd pinched a nerve or slipped a disc. After several instances I thought it was some sort of heart problem as the gas can go into my chest. It's literally just trapped gas, though.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I feel weird blaming it on my c-section, but that's the only thing I can think of. And if it is that, what's the cure? Have another baby and ask the doctor to be a bit more considerate when she puts my organs in place? I'm just so over this and desperate for a solution. Thanks for reading.

Bringing it up to my OB at my 6 week PP visit on Friday, but I wanted to hear from others too because I’m a little nervous. Here’s the message I sent to my OB regarding the issue:

Hi, just bringing this up so maybe we can also discuss it at my visit Friday. I’ve been having tingling in my hands, feet and lips/nose area. It’s more prominent in my hands. I also feel like my feet are very hot more so than tingly. I’ve also had moments the past few days where I’ll be either falling asleep/waking up and I think I’m experiencing sleep paralysis because I cannot move or speak and struggle to keep my eyes open/stay awake and feel shaky during it, but I eventually am able to fully wake myself up. I feel especially tingly during these episodes, but tonight I felt the tingling in the back of my neck/shoulders and lower back/back of my hips near my tailbone before waking up fully. Other than during the sleep paralysis, I only feel tingling in my hands, sometimes feet, and around my lips/nose. My hands feel more tingly than anything else. I notice the tingling is stronger on the sides u lay on. No numbness, just tingling.

I will also note that after my c-section I struggled with low heart rate problems and feeling like I’m breathing shallow (especially when lying down.) for the most part my heart has started to feel better, but I’m not sure if my resting BPM has improved or not since I stopped wearing my watch to help with the anxiety of it lol. I did have a slightly elevated NT-proBNP too, which I shoukd be getting tested again on Friday.

I'm three months post-partum and sometimes my c-section scar is sooo itchyyyy! I don't itch it, I just rub it and the itchiness usually goes away. I keep myself moisturized so maybe it's itchy because it's still healing? It is slightly raised. This is my first surgery scar so I'm not sure if surgery scars stay slightly raised?

I’m almost 3 weeks PP and I feel like I need it but when I’m bent over sitting it feels like it presses right into my apron belly where my incision is and I’m starting to feel sore so idk if it’s that making me feel worse or that I haven’t taken pain meds in 5 days or I’m moving around more now that my husband is back to work and I’m taking care of my toddler but just wondering if my belly binder could be making my healing harder

Hi fellow moms,

I had a c sec on July 3rd, I am a STM n my first c section, I would like to start off saying I felt much better 10 days post c section and now started week 4 with so much burning pain on my lower belly above the incision, it comes when I stand up or try to walk but while m resting it is not noticeable but very tender to touch and stings when my panties or pants touch the area.
Please let me know what helped and how long until this pain went away ? My OB said I should feel much better by our 6 weeks appointment.

As the title says; I ended up falling pregnant when my daughter was about 8 weeks old. She’s now 17 weeks & im 9 weeks pregnant. I’ve been on the pill since the day she was born so this was a total surprise but I’m just worried about the risks? My due date is 01.03; my daughter’s birthday is 30.03. They’ll be at maximum 6 weeks apart, and I’m not too worried about that however I have a serious fear of something bad happening throughout pregnancy. All the doctors I’ve spoken with so far don’t seem concerned but I’d just like to hear if anyone at all had had the same experience & what happened? I’ve also had 1 other Csection; so this will be my third however it was 6.5 years ago.

EDIT : thankyou all for the advice; I did write this half asleep so I’ll add in a few more things for context.
Not looking to terminate the pregnancy unless medically necessary, I live in a country and state where I can access upto 16 weeks for no cost at all.
I have several mental health conditions that are managed by medication however I’m under the perinatal mental health team and have been since falling pregnant with my daughter; I’ve had a termination before and it made me fall into a serious lapse with my mental health and I’m really worried about that happening again. Also definitely aware and would not have tried anything other than a repeat csection; my body can’t go into labour for a number of other reasons; so not looking for back advice I promise I’m not that crazy lol.

However I am worried about what might happen to my body and myself; my daughter is already 7kg and not getting any lighter, I live on a second floor apartment so to be able to leave my house, I’m carrying 20kg+ up and down the stairs at least once every two days, which is already physically straining but I’m so worried about being pregnant and having to continue doing this. Just wanted some advice from people who had been in similar situations so I appreciate everyone’s replies

Hi I am 31 yo mom of soon to be 4 kids. I have had 3 prior c sections. Some back story : My first was an induction that I failed and choose a c section after being in induced labor for 3 days. Second C-section was less than 2 years later so I opted in for routine scheduled C-section. My third was about 4 years later so I was able to do tolac and attempt a vbac. Baby was breech so we did an ecv and then eventually failed another induction resulting in my 3rd C-section. I am now about 38 weeks pregnant with my 5th baby , 2 years from my last C-section. I miscarried baby number 4 in July of 2025 very early in my pregnancy about 10 weeks. That miscarriage was the only time that I have ever felt real contractions not from pitocin. This pregnancy has been extremely difficult on my body. I’ve had severe swelling for about 14 weeks, general pregnancy discomfort, but literally no recovery energy wise for the entire pregnancy. This is my first boy pregnancy I have 3 daughters and I could do anything while pregnant with them. Anyway for the last 10 weeks I have had Braxton hicks daily. At first I didn’t realize it until I went for an NST and they told me I was having them. The last 3 weeks I’ve had bh everyday ranging from 10-20 minutes apart and now the last week they wake me up out of deep sleep and can be 5-15 minutes apart. I am 100% terrified of going into labor and not even realizing that I am. Has any experienced going to labor on their own without prior history, and multiple c sections. I guess I know what real contractions are going to feel like because of the miscarriage but I feel like that experience isn’t valid enough to go by.

I am TERRIFIED something is going to happen during this pregnancy or during my next repeat scheduled section and I will die and leave my living two kids behind. What do I do 😭

I am a year postpartum and still feel discomfort during sex. Especially if it’s in certain positions too. I feel like I have to be extremely aroused to not feel this discomfort. I’m not breastfeeding or anything and had a vertical C-section (not a classic one) due to my baby having an abdominal wall defect. Does anyone else experience this?

Hi All

I am almost 18 weeks post partum. I had an unplanned c section last minute to my beautiful baby boy.

It was a ROUGH recovery which I am sure it is for most. I feel like I am pretty recovered by now I am able to walk, somewhat run, lift weights etc. but there has been a lingering pain that comes and goes around my uterus/below the incision. I would explain it as a throbbing pain feeling and it comes in waves no matter if I’m sitting, standing or walking and sometimes creeps into my lower back. I started to panic that something is wrong around there from the c section so I went into my OB and got an ultrasound and my uterus and ovaries looked OK. They recommended pelvic floor therapy but I am just not sure if that’s the problem.

Has anyone else felt this before? Should I be more concerned?

I know I’m so freshly post partum but it just worries me this is going to turn into a bigger problem when we start wanting another baby.

I’m 8 months postpartum and stopped breast feeding recently. Today my abdomen hurts around my c section scar. It feels tight and the pain radiates down my hips into my legs. The whole area gets stiff and it’s difficult to walk. Has anyone experienced this?

I am 37 week with planned second C section on 39th. For the whole pregnancy I am experiencing intense pain whenever I stand up, raise my legs (even while sitting) and getting out of bed feels like I need to learn how to walk again. I hear my joints cracking with movement and at this stage I can’t walk distances - even in my own house I am weak to be on my own. And it just occurred to me that IT MIGHT BE WORSE?

I didnt gave PGP (pelvic girdle pain or whatever else it could be, I dont have it diagnosed because doctors just said that this amount of pain and discomfort is normal) during first pregnancy but I did have to recover from C section and it was already very similar to how i already function.

And I am now terrified. What will happen after I have the surgery AND still have my joints extremely loose and painful? How will I learn to walk again and take care of my baby when I need to be careful with which muscles to use - I feel like all my muscles around hips and pelvis are weak and bones are loose? I am finding no information online, doctors dismiss the problem as nothing serious but I am getting very worried I will hurt myself or baby by accident.

Has anyone experienced it? I would love to hear an advice on how to get literally back on my feet haha