How Postpartum Massage Can Help You Heal After A C-Section
C-Section recovery isn’t easy, but postpartum massage can go a long way to helping you heal. Whether you book a massage with an RMT or learn to give yourself a c-section scar massage (like we’ll teach you to do in this post!) postpartum massages are perfectly safe and a great way to take care of your physical healing and mental wellbeing at a time when—let’s be honest—you could probably use both!
C-Section Scars & How They Heal
Cesarean sections, or C-sections, happen pretty regularly, so sometimes they get treated like they’re no big deal. Or worse, like they’re the easy way out. But C-sections are a big deal, and there’s nothing easy about having or recovering from one. C-sections are full-thickness abdominal surgeries—meaning the surgeon cuts through all the layers of the abdominal muscles—and they’re not performed under general anesthesia, so you’re awake for the whole thing!
In a C-section, the surgical incision has to go through many layers of abdominal tissue, which means that afterward, many layers of tissue have to heal. This is why C-section healing can take time—sometimes more time than you think—and it’s not always linear.
After your surgery, you might have some residual numbness either above or below your scar—that’s common. Your scar might also heal slowly because of excessive movement, lifting, or doing too much too soon. If this happens to you, please know that it’s zero percent your fault—there’s only so much resting you can do with a new baby. You have a life to live and you can’t control everything. (I once had a parent whose scar opened because her newborn kicked it while they were breastfeeding!)
Eventually, though, that incision site will close (C-section incisions generally heal on their own), and you’ll be left with scar tissue, which builds over the wound and why scars look different than skin.
There’s a whole spectrum of how scars can look and none are better or worse health-wise. Some parents have bumpy scars that are more elevated than the rest of their skin, called keloid scars. Others have less visible scars. I’ve even seen parents with one side of their scar invisible and completely healed and the other side slightly raised and white! Unless you notice tissue growing outside of the original wound area, there’s nothing to worry about.
If you have questions about the state of your scar, beyond mentioning it to your healthcare provider, we’d encourage you to see either a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) or a physical therapist. Both are familiar with the stages of healing for C-section scars and can let you know if what you are experiencing is “normal” or not. We see these scars every day, so we can let you know how yours is healing!
How C-Section Scars Affect Movement
After delivery, your C-section wound will impact your ability to move in pretty obvious ways. You’ll probably need your partner’s help to get out of bed and pick up the baby…things like that. But did you know that once it’s healed, your scar can affect your movement, too?
One thing I often notice—but many new parents miss!—is a subtle pulling sensation in the abdomen that restricts certain movements like rotating or bending to the side. You might notice a low-grade ache (think less than 1/10 pain), but not the actual limitation in your movements, so it can be surprising to realize it’s there! The good news is, that gentle treatment from a physiotherapist or an RMT with prenatal-specific training can help you to get back all of the movements you need, typically with just one or two treatments.
During your treatment, we’ll “mobilize” the scar, gently moving it in all directions. We’ll also move the fascia—a thin connective tissue that holds your organs, vessels, and fibers in place—along your abdomen. Afterward, you’ll feel lighter almost right away, with noticeably more freedom of movement. (I love this treatment because it’s that quick relief is the most rewarding thing!)
How Massage Therapy Helps Heal C-Section Scars
Besides giving you more freedom of movement, massage therapy can help your C-section scar heal by:
Keeping the scar tissue mobile, so you don’t have to experience those uncomfortable pulling, tugging, or catching sensations.
Increasing blood flow to the area, which helps with healing and decreases numbness.
Decreasing low-grade abdominal pain, PMS pain following the birth, and low back pain.
Reducing adhesions (bands of scar tissue that connect two surfaces in the body that usually wouldn’t be connected) in the bladder and uterus. After treatment, you might feel like your bladder has more capacity!
Increasing the mobility of the internal organs, which is important because it can increase function and decrease pain.
When To Start C-Section Scar Massages
You can get a postnatal massage as soon as 24 hours post delivery. No matter what type of delivery you had, full-body massages are safe by then. But if we’re working on your cesarean scar itself, it’s best to wait until your wound has completely closed and redness is minimal.
It’s always a good idea to book with a prenatal and postpartum RMT if you can because they will know exactly how much or how little treatment you need, and they’ll only do as much treatment as is helpful—and you can handle. But if that’s not possible, you can learn to give yourself a c-section scar massage.
How To Give Yourself a C-Section Scar Massage
If you’re not able to book a c-section scar massage with an RMT postpartum, whether that’s because you’re tired, want to stay home, or any other reason, self-massage is a great option. Just take some time to learn about it first—like you’re doing now!—because the better you understand your body, the better you can help it heal.
Step 1: Trace & Track
Start by tracing your fingers above and below the length of the scar, noticing any sensations you might feel or be lacking.
Is there numbness? If so, how many finger widths of numbness do you have above and below the scar?
Is there any pain when you touch or lightly press above or below the scar? Where do you feel it more? How deep do you have to press to feel that pain?
Knowing where you do and don’t have sensation will help you track your progress.
Step 2: Circle
Start your massage by drawing small, clockwise circles above and then below the scar. Then, do counter-clockwise circles.
Step 3: Drag
Without lotion, drag your finger along the skin above, seeing how far you can drag your finger without the skin catching it and creating resistance. You can use your other hand to stabilize the tissue as you drag like you’re gently tugging Saran wrap between your fingers.
Now, drag in the other direction. Repeat the same thing below the scar.
Step 4: Roll & Release
Pinch either side of your scar and gently rub your fingers together to “roll the skin” under your fingers. If you don’t have the skin mobility to do this—if it feels too tight or pulls too much—gently work on releasing your skin from the underlying layers using the drag technique until you can pick it up more easily.
With time, practice, and repetition, this little self-massage should have you feeling quite a bit better!
Book Your First or Next Postpartum Massage!
A DIY massage routine will go even farther when you pair it with professional postpartum massage!
As prenatal RMTs, we have special training in how to care for postpartum bodies like yours. So whether you’re sore from labour and delivery, you ache from all the time you spend hunched over feeding, changing, and lovin’ on your baby, or you want our help with that c-section scar, we can and would love to support you.