C-Section Scars

Watch Your Pregnancy Scar
You're bound to be devoting plenty of attention to your child, but don't neglect yourself. While your scar will likely hurt for weeks, it shouldn't become extremely inflamed. As with any surgical scar, swelling is normal but you want to observe daily to monitor that things are getting better, not worse.

Scars that are healing properly don't show signs of infection. You should generally consult with your obstetrician if you experience:

• Significant spreading redness or persistent discoloration
• Pus or discharge of any kind
• A high body temperature or fever

Keep Your Wound Clean
One of the biggest keys to taking care of a pregnancy scar is keeping it clean. You can usually accomplish this by taking normal showers and washing the affected area, but you should avoid scrubbing or rubbing the healing tissue abrasively. Simply apply a lather of antibacterial soap with your fingertips. Let it sit on the scar tissue for a minute, then rinse the area as gingerly as possible. 

In some cases, your doctor might tell you to keep your scar bandaged for a number of days. Follow the care instructions you've been given, and replace the bandages if they become wet or soiled.

Take It Easy
You may want to get back to normal as soon as possible, but remember that your C-section scar needs time to heal. Avoid strenuous activities while you're recovering, and if you need to make sudden movements, try to support your abdomen the same way you might have while you were pregnant. 

At your follow-up appointments, you should ask your care provider about any additional scar treatment steps they recommend and when you'll be healed enough to resume your normal routine. Make sure you get the go-ahead before engaging in any high-intensity physical activities, and if you're not sure whether lifting, driving or other seemingly mundane actions are risky, just avoid them. You may feel up to the challenge now that you're no longer pregnant, but you don't want to chance your scar opening.

Once your scar is finally healed, you can use natural remedies like aloe vera and exfoliating agents to minimize its appearance. Your pregnancy scar doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent physical feature, as long as you're willing to take care of it.