Gas pain after C-section- Is it normal?
As you will know, after a C-section, there are many side effects and one slightly less acknowledged one is experiencing postpartum gas and boating up to weeks after your surgery. However, it is highly common and can be highly uncomfortable! In fact, some would argue that the causes of postpartum gas can be more painful than your actual incision.
Until you pass wind, you shouldn’t be allowed to leave the hospital as this is the first sign of a normal, working bowel after the anaesthesia. But you may still experience some discomfort, so how can you relieve and release that excess gas build-up during your cesarean section recovery? Depending on where in your body it is, there are various causes and therefore, lots of remedies and methods you can try.
But of course, it’s important to remember that although experiencing excruciating pain can be some-what normal in this situation, do not hesitate to consult a doctor if your instinct is telling you something more severe could be the cause.
Where is the pain?
Before you can consider how to relieve gas pain for your postpartum gas build-up, it is important to understand where the uncomfortable feeling is stemming from so that you can take the best possible method to relieve your pain.
Abdominal (intestinal area)
Experiencing gas pains anywhere in your digestive system area can feel like regular trapped wind but slightly more painful and there are several potential causes that could be working together to cause you the discomfort.
Slowed bowel movements
During your postpartum period after a caesarean, your doctor will have used an anaesthesia. This can cause inflammation to your organs, resulting in constipation and sharp postpartum gas pains.
If the pain is on the more severe end of the spectrum, you may have Postoperative Ileus. You can read more about this with the NHS link below:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ileostomy/complications/
If you think this could be you, we advise you to see a doctor, especially after experiencing the pain for more than three weeks.
Bowel obstruction
Any bowel obstruction can also be caused during the operation and although difficult to distinguish, usually the gassy abdominal pain, will be accompanied by vomiting, abdominal swelling, constipation and inability to pass gas.
If you have these symptoms, we advise you to seek help from a medical professional.
Gastrointestinal tract functioning abnormally
During your C-section, the spinal anaesthesia makes your organs go into a passive state. Therefore, straight after giving birth, your gastrointestinal tract may not have recovered to its usual state, therefore causing a build-up of gasses which could be causing you pain.
In this case, it is likely your discomfort will have disappeared within about a week, but it is hard to tell.
Air exposure during the operation
While making the incision, air can sometimes become trapped both during and after. Being exposed to air during the entirety of the operation can also be the culprit. If this is your case, although hard to distinguish, the pain should go after just a few days or weeks on its own and is nothing to cause you any worry.
Adjusted small bowel position
During surgery, the positioning of your small bowel my have been altered which can mean gas cannot pass as quickly and can cause you some pain. Your body will soon adjust to its changes within a couple of weeks and you should notice that your bowel movements go back to normal.
Certain medication
Any intake of antibiotics can cause slow bowel movements and gaseous pain so consider the medication you have been prescribed and seek your doctor’s advice on whether it could be doing more harm than good.
Any iron supplements can also cause gas pain, so, if possible, postpone taking them for up to three bowel movements. But always consult your doctor before doing so.
Changes in hormone levels
After giving birth, there are many drastic hormone level changes in your body, as you can imagine. Some side effects of certain hormone changes can cause you to have bowel problems, but in this case, they will not be excruciating and will usually subside shortly after leaving the hospital.
Lack of movement and exercise
It is understandable that after your surgery you just want to relax and stay still to prevent feeing sore. However, you should be urged by doctors to still try to move throughout the day whilst still being careful by taking the correct precautions like only taking the stairs a couple of times a day. This is because a lack of exercise and movement can cause constipation which can cause gas pain, bacterial growth and a large amount of built-up gas.
So, we urge you to try to move more and this is covered in a greater depth later in the article.
Dietary changes
Before your surgery did you eat any foods typical of causing gas and bloating? Did you eat right before surgery? Well, pre-op eating can influence how your body bloats and produces gas.
Later in the article, we cover foods you should and should not avoid after having a caesarean.
Shoulder pain
It may be peculiar, but it is possible and very normal to experience a gassy pain in your shoulder, particularly your right one. And there are a few surprising causes:
Bowel problems
Although it could seem unrelated, shoulder pain stems from slow bowel movements. This causes the trapped wind to press against a nerve which sends signals and extends to your shoulder. It can feel like a sharp, shooting sensation and can actually be very painful.
To treat this, act as though you suffer with trapped wind and follow our advice later to help the trapped gas to pass pain-free so that it cannot tamper with your connecting nerve.
Feeding your baby
As you and your baby get used to feeding, the positioning can sometimes feel uncomfortable for yourself but work well for your baby. This may be frustrating and cause your shoulders and back to ache.
To help with this, we advise you to try a new position or a pregnancy pillow because that way, both you and your baby feel comfortable and supported.
Back pain
Like shoulder pain, your back could be suffering with gassy like pains from the strains of being a mum. However, there are another couple of potential causes.
Back pains could be caused by a surge of hormones after birth. Similar to menstrual back pains, hormones can cause ligaments in your back to become looser which can be painful. In this case, the discomfort should vanish soon as your hormone levels become normal again.
Another reason could be another side effect of anaesthesia, particularly an epidural. This can cause spinal spasms which could be confused with gas pain.
Chest pain
Having the sensation of air trapped in your chest can be viewed as fairly normal and common and should never be too painful. However, there could be another undeterred problem causing it.
If you have the following symptoms alongside your gassy chest pain, we urge you to contact a doctor for consultation:
- Persistent cough
- High heartrate and palpitations
- Dizziness
- Vomiting or nausea
- Shortness of breath
Seeing a doctor is the best thing to do in this case as the gas pain has the potential to be a symptom of Pulmonary Embolism or another cardiac issue. You can read more with the NHS link below:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pulmonary-embolism/
Pain behind your incision scar
A pain local to where your incision scar is will not be due to gas, and can be a few different things, but like with anything related to your incision, we advise you keep a close eye.
It could simply be due to your uterus contracting, like during menstruation. In this situation, the pain will feel exactly like period cramps, last only a couple of days and is absolutely nothing to worry about!
Soreness around your incision may also be because of an Incisional Hernia. This will be very easy to distinguish at home so you can get help fairly easily. Symptoms to look out for are:
- Bulging lump on the incision (can be more pronounced if coughing)
- Abnormal tenderness along the incision
Seek consultation from a doctor with these symptoms.
Another cause may be an infection in the wound of your incision. Although the pain from an infection doesn’t feel gassy, the general soreness could be mistaken for the gas pain you have been feeling and it is absolutely necessary to seek medical intervention at any sign of an infection or vaginal bleeding. Other symptoms to look out for are:
- Burning sensation at the site of possible infection
- Stinging along the incision
- Redness
- Wound producing a discharge.
If you are experiencing a sharp stabbing pain on the right side after your c-section, there are different reasons for this. Check out our article to find out why you may be having localised right side pain.
When will gas pain go?
How long you have gas pain and wind problems for all depends on what the cause is, but overall bloat should reduce after about a week which will significantly reduce gas pain. However, as a general rule, most cases of expected, normal gas after a C-section should clear on its own after about three weeks. Obviously, if there is a health problem causing the gas, then this may differ slightly.
If you are sure there is no underlying problem and the gas pain persists past the three-week mark, you should see a doctor to seek their professional advice.
Gas after C-section RELIEF
You may be wondering how to get rid of a bloated stomach after a C-section and luckily, there are many ways to relieve your trapped wind while also being careful to follow after-op advice from your doctor.
There are lots of different methods you could try, and we have gathered the most efficient ones. (Please note that some remedies are more suited to specific causes than others).
Exercises
Despite your doctor advising you not to take part in any exercise, there are lots of smaller movements you can exercise to help keep your body from being still which can help your gas pass more efficiently. You could:
- Take a few deep breaths every half an hour to make your diaphragm more flexible and internally massage your organs.
- Regularly roll your shoulders back and forth to avoid body stiffness.
- Sit or stand straight with your arms raised above your head, causing your stomach to stretch out to avoid any trapped air in your intestines.
- Take regular walks to relax your muscles (highly effective at helping pass gas)
- Pelvic floor exercises to help all pelvic floor muscles
If you are unable to take part in any of the above, you could try rocking yourself in a chair as even the smallest or movements could help to release any intestinal gas build-up and relieve any abdominal or pelvic floor tension.
Eat well
To help reduce as much postpartum gas build up as possible, avoid foods that are high in dairy or processed foods. Other foods that can cause more wind than necessary include beans, cabbage, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli. Although these usually all good for our bodies, they can cause a bigger build-up of wind which could cause you more pain.
It would also be helpful to eat slowly and chew well to make a smooth-running gastrointestinal tract.
Instead, you could try eating low-sugar fruit such as apricots, peaches watermelon and berries such as cranberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries.
Cutting out any fizzy drinks would also make an immense difference to helping your gas pain as carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks causes bloating which can heighten that pain of trapped wind after your surgery. Instead, you could try drinking herbal tea as warm liquids will help relax muscles to aid the passing of wind. Ginger tea is especially good for this method. And if constipation seems to be the issue to relieve gas try Anise tea as it can act as a laxative.
Can chewing gum help trapped wind?
A question wondered by many and one with a surprising answer. After surgery, some women will not be able to eat due to feeling nauseous. Chewing gum can be a replacement for food right after birth and is actually proven to work at hurrying the first passing of gas after giving birth. Doctors found that women who chewed gum managed to pass wind 6.5 hours faster, on average, than those women who didn’t. So, if the thought of food instantly after birth is knocking you sick, try chewing gum.
Warm compress
Applying any kind of warm compress such as a heat pad/pack or a hot water bottle acts as an antispasmodic on your outer abdominal muscles which relaxes them. Heat also reduces sensations of pain so could act as a comfort.
Lie down comfortably for 15 minutes at a time and apply the compress to your stomach area, ensuring material lies between your skin and the compress for safety.
Postpone intake of iron supplements
As mentioned earlier, iron tablets can cause more trapped gas pain, despite them being commonly prescribed after birth by many doctors. Although this may not be the case for everybody, some doctors may allow you to postpone when you take the supplements, and you may or may not feel a difference from doing so. However, always consult your doctor before doing so.
In summary
Excess gas and bloating is usually not something that should cause you any concern and there are various ways to bring yourself some relief. In a few weeks your bowel movements should be returned to normal so only consult a doctor if pain is excruciating and you have other worrying symptom like those mentioned earlier. You can also find out everything you need to know about Caesarean births in our blog.