# Second Hematoma 12 weeks post partum C section



## Lucy In the Sky (Dec 15, 2007)

God I wish I hadn't gotten scared into an elective C section. I was told my baby was going to be huge (like 11 lbs.) and was spooked by stories of shoulder dystocia, etc..so I agreed to the strongly encouraged C section. My beautiful baby was born at 9lbs. 9 oz, which is a lb. less than both my husband and brother both of whom were born vaginally with no problems. I'm pretty sure I would have been able to get him out myself, but hindsight is 20/20.

I was in ENORMOUS pain after the C section and at 4 weeks post partum the wound opened up dead center at two inches deep and about an inch wide. It had to be surgically irrigated and packed every day. It FINALLY closed up three days ago.

Then I woke up this morning and my incision felt rock hard and was bright red. It hurt like hell. I called the OB and was told to come in. My doc wasn't there. A nurse examined me and said it was fine, just to put hot washcloths on it. I had a really bad feeling that she was totally off the mark so I insisted that a doctor come look at it.

A very nice lady surgeon came to see me and she poked the area lightly with her finger. It broke open. The smell was AWFUL. Turns out I had an infected hematoma that is 2 1/2 inches deep; the bacteria was anaerobic and very very nasty. She had to further break it open surgically so it heals correctly, and now I am to be watched very closely and this opened area will have to be irrigated and packed until it closes. The surgeon told me that if it hadn't opened then, there is a very strong chance that I'd have wound up in the emergency room. I am sooooo angry about all this. If I hadn't been insistent, I would have sent on my merry way.

What pains me is that during my pregnancy, I researched all of this stuff and made my mind up that I wasn't going to to be bullied into a C section for a large baby or any other questionable nonsense. But then when the time came, I was pushed so hard and they made me so afraid that I caved.

Next time around I'm going to a midwife, one who shares my values and won't try to frighten me into an unnatural and surgical birth.


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