Baby2Body’s Guide To Postpartum Recovery: What To Expect Post C-Section (Weeks 3-5)

You might have seen by now that we’re sharing our guide to postpartum recovery. We’re sharing separate guides for mamas who give birth vaginally and those who give birth via c-section — that's 21% of you!

There are a lot of shared symptoms of postpartum recovery but c-sections are more invasive and entail a longer road to recovery. Don’t worry, we’ve got all the info you need about weeks 3-5 of c-section recovery below, and here's last week’s post in case you missed it: What To Expect Post C-Section (Weeks 1&2).

Before jumping in, it’s important to remember that every woman is different, every pregnancy is different, and every delivery is different, so what to expect after birth varies a lot, no matter how baby was delivered. You might not get all of these symptoms & you might experience things that aren’t on this list — if that’s the case, let us know in the comments so we can share it with other mamas out there!

Here’s what you can expect in weeks 3-5 of c-section recovery

1. Your scar is still healing

In general, a C-section scar will fade and look much better within 2 weeks, but full healing can take up to 3 months. So you may still feel some pulling and pain around the incision. You could still need some more support to lift and feed baby as you might find pulling or straining your abdomen painful as the muscles have been separated.

2. You may have a “shelf”

You might have heard the term “the shelf” if you've been doing any reading about c-sections and postpartum recovery. The term refers to the skin above your c-section scar that hangs over like a “shelf”. You will notice it while your tummy returns to normal after birth (remember your uterus takes around 6 weeks to go back to pre-pregnancy size!) but some women continue to have it long after birth. The skin around the scar is often pulled much tighter than the looser skin above it which is why the shelf can occur.

3. Your emotions will be all over the place

It doesn’t matter how you delivered baby — it’s common for mixed emotions to continue in these weeks of postpartum recovery as your hormones are still adjusting and you’re taking care of a newborn — maybe for the first time! Whatever you’re feeling, talk it out with your partner, friends, and family, take some time to clear your mind with a daily breathing exercise (we have lots on the Baby2Body app!) & try to get as much rest as you can.

If symptoms last longer than a few weeks and are unmanageable: you may be experiencing postpartum depression. Speak to your doctor as soon as you can to help manage symptoms.

4. You will still experience bleeding

Last week, we talked about lochia, the name for bleeding from the vagina after birth — common after both vaginal and c-section births. Good news — this bleeding should be getting lighter as you enter into the 3rd week of postpartum recovery and it will end in the next couple of weeks if it hasn’t already!

Remember to use sanitary towels and avoid using tampons until your 6-week check as it may increase the risk of getting an infection. If you are losing blood in large clots then you should tell your midwife. 

5. Your menstrual cycle

Whilst lochia may stop, you might be getting closer to your period in the coming weeks:

• If you are bottle feeding: your period may return as soon as 5-6 weeks after you give birth

• If you are breastfeeding: you may not return to having normal periods until you begin to reduce your feeds and that’s because the hormone that helps your body produce milk, prolactin, also stops you from ovulating and having your period

Whether you’re breastfeeding or not, it’s common to have irregular periods for months after birth.

Have a question for us about c-section recovery? Let us know in the comments!

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Read next:

9 Things No One Tells You About C-Section Recovery

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