Worried about babies breathing and my c-section incision

[loeylo]

Firstly, I suffer from health anxiety and I have been known to over-react about medical things. I'm making a conscious decision to be "better" and not cause my daughter to worry excessively about her health or the health of those around her. Sometimes I find it difficult to differentiate between "normal" worries and excessive and irrational worries, so I'm just looking o see if these concerns are legitimate before I contact a health professional. I have already phoned triage three times since leaving hospital at 3 days post section (now on day 10) - I am actually really proud that I was reassured by what I was told by the midwives, as in the past I have not believed reassuring advice and my anxiety has built and built.

My concerns are:

1) my babies breathing. She goes through stages of panting really fast, almost as though she is sobbing but without actually crying. It is as though she is struggling to breathe. She does this for maybe 30 seconds at a time a few times per night.

This worries me because my cousin use to stop breathing in his sleep as a baby and he apparently did the exact same thing. Neither set of grandparents have ever heard a baby do that before, aside from my mum with my cousin. My cousin nearly died and had to wear a special monitor which went off if he stopped breathing.

2) my incision. I'm 10 days on from an emergency c section, and I had been feeling really good - I have been out for lunch a few times, been round the shops, etc. For the past 24 hours, one side of my incision is causing me pain. It doesn't look infected or anything, but my bleeding (vaginal) has increased slightly and now has some small clots, and has gone from reddish brown to pinkish red.

 

[Srrme]

The breathing is normal. Babies have very odd breathing patterns for a while! You can look it up for reassurance, but it is totally normal! I have health anxiety too, so the smallest thing sets me off. I am also the mommy of two preemies, and have previously dealt with a baby who needed a monitor and had pauses in his breathing for a bit -- it is not the same though.

Your c-section incision sounds normal too, but you can always ring your Doctor if you're too worried. Being 10 days post isn't very long though. If you're doing too much you might be irritating it. Mine would become painful if I did that.

As for the bleeding, if it's turning back to red, you're over doing it. Just relax a bit!

 

[Caelli86]

One of my boys breathes strangely and he still does it at 7 weeks old, it's like he pants but my health visitor says it is fine, his twin brother doesn't do it at all.
Your baby is probally fine but it's understandable to feel a bit worried.

My c section scar still hurts occasionally even 7 weeks PP, if I do too much or move in the wrong way. it's perfectly fine for it to be ok then suddenly hurt again. and I also found it was only on one side, strange. It will get better as I keep telling myself too.

 

[loeylo]

Thanks ladies, glad to know it's all normal! My scar is feeling much better now, but I'm still concerned about her breathing despite everyone telling me it's normal!

 

[flou]

My little boy did the same thing with the breathing. It's normally because their lungs are brand new and their bodies are adjusting to life outside of the womb.

I am 7 months postpartum and I still get aches from my c-section scar. My wound did get infected and my symptoms were slight bleeding from the scar and reddish colour on the skin around the scar. The infection cleared up with antibiotics. When I've done alot of walking my scar aches and it still goes through phases of itching like crazy. Apparently its common for that to continue for about a year postpartum.

 

[loeylo]

I'm now happy with my scar, except from itching but I know that's normal. The pain is almost gone! Not bad for 3 and a half weeks IMO.

With regard to her breathing, a few others including my parents have commented that it seems a little excessive so I have an appt for Monday to get it checked. She is doing it less now and her weight gain is amazing so I'm less worried.

 

[Srrme]

How did the appointment go?

 

[loeylo]

The GP listened to her chest and apparently it was clear, however she is referring us to a paediatrician anyway to get it checked properly. Scarily she went through all the symptoms for cystic fibrosis which worried me more but I'm sure it's not that as she is gaining weight well.

We also have an angelcare movement sensor which beeped last night despite her being on the pad properly which has scared me too. I dived up and grabbed her as it beeped and she was fine, but it's scary nonetheless.

 

[Srrme]

I had one of those monitors when my oldest came home from the NICU, and it would beep constantly even though he was fine (he was on another monitor, so I know he was fine). That thing drove me nuts! I read they can give off a lot of false alarms.


I hope her next appointment goes well!

 

[Srrme]

Any updates?

 

[loeylo]

Not really - her appointment came through but it isn't until 23rd December. Two friends, one a doctor and the other a midwife, have told me they are sure it's fine. I'm not as worried now and it seems to be settling, but he is still pretty wheezy.