I don't know much about C-sections so is this normal?

Question

I have a friend that had a baby girl 5 months ago and she had a C-section. I talked to her the other day and she said She has no feeling from her belly button to her v****a. She said she couldn't pick up her daughter for 2 month after she was born. and she still cant go from a laying position to a sitting position she has to roll to her side to sit up because she said they cut the muscle below her belly button. Now I don't know very much about C-sections so I'm curious if that is normal?

Answer 1

That is not normal. I had a c-section and have none of those problems... nor has anyone else I've known that has had a c-section.

Answer 2

I also had a C-section 5 months ago, it was my 2nd section.  I also have numbness, but other than that I'm back to normal.  They don't cut the abdominal muscles, they push them up and out of the way.  It takes a little while to regain ab strength, but by five months I can sit up no problem.  She should certainly have been able to pick up the baby after the surgery, they just advise against picking up anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks or so.

Answer 3

the being numb thing is normal. maybe not for 5 months, but it is normal. i was numb at the incision site for a while. i have feeling now.

she definitely needs to go to the doctor about not being able to get up from a laying position. that is definitely not normal. i was able to sit up very easily within the first week. i never had any problems caring for my son whatsoever.

of course i didn't baby the pain either, i was up and moving as soon as they took my catheter out in the hospital. i felt completely normal by the time my son was 1 week old.  

Answer 4

Well it is true about the numbness around the incision.  But I never had it so far.   And the part about rolling to your side before getting up is true, it helps, to prop yourself up because they cut the muscles in your abdomen, making it hard to do normal things like sitting up without serious pain.   But that was only for about 2-3 days, max.  After that i sat up like normal.  I walked, I carried my son, etc. etc..

I didn't drive, because I was instructed not to by my dr., I'm supposing that's to do with having an unhealed wound across your abdomen, seat belts, possible accidents, possible pain med use, etc. etc. Also you're not supposed to lift anything heavier than the baby or 10lbs max for about 6 weeks.  I can't see why your friend is having problems that long, but hey, everyone's different.  

Answer 5

well the numbness of not really being able to feel from her belly button is normal but after 5 months she should be able to sit no problem. If she having that much trouble she should definitely get ti checked out.

Answer 6

Yep - one more in agreement to the above:  the numbness is totally normal (my midwife told me it can take up to two years to get the feeling back! ack!)  but she should not have that much discomfort.  She should have been able to pick up her baby within a few hours, although with some discomfort, and she should not have been discharged from the hospital if she was in too much pain to pick up her daughter.  What did her dr say about it at her 6 week post natal check up?  That is where she should be seeking advice!    

Answer 7

Numbness is normal. It does eventually return, like after a year or even longer. Ive had 2 c-sections. I never had a problem with them cutting my muscles. I had to re-build my abdominal muscles, they were very weak after having my babies. During the op they retract a muscle on the left hand side so that they can get the baby out, but they just move it they dont 'cut' the muscles. It sounds like she needs to start strengthening her abdominal core.

Answer 8

I have had 3 c-sections and NO this isn't 'normal'.  With my 2nd son the surgery was started without anethesia by accident and while the doc was making an incision inside I grabbed his arm forcing him to slice my ab muscles and I didn't have the problems that your friend does.  Something went wrong it sounds like.  I would advise her to seek a second opinion.  Have her go to an OB that is not the one that performed the surgery and get checked.  If there was something done wrong she can sue for malpractice and have it fixed, but nerve damage is permanent so she wouldn't have feeling still.  But for comparisons sake, I am 8 weeks out from my last c-section and I am moving just fine.  I had an umbilical hernia repair done at the same time and I can pull my self up to a sitting position and I have feeling everywhere.  

I hope your friend is OK!!!  Good Luck!

Answer 9

she should be able to sit up  from laying down but the numbness it totally normal and the bigger the person you are the longer the numbness will last  and it is a weird feeling  

Answer 10

Numbness is normal, but she shouldn't be so disabled.

Answer 11

I have had two c-sections, and although the area of the scar may feel slightly numb still, I have absoulutely no other problems. I feel 100 percent fine. I really think your friend should bring this up wiht the doctor. Five months after the c section was performed, I really don't think these symptoms are normal.

Answer 12

As far as the numbness feeling that is normal I had my son January 28th and still have some numb spots. However after the recommended healing time I never had a problem picking up my son, holding him, bending over or anything. I would get a dr's opinion on this because she should be back to normal by now.