If you’ve had a C-section, you might have noticed a small pouch or fold of skin that hangs over your scar. This is commonly called a “C-section shelf” or “C-section pooch.” It’s a normal part of C-section recovery, but many women don’t like the way it looks and want to minimize its appearance.
As a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist and a C-section mama of three, I understand firsthand how this physical change can affect your confidence and comfort after birth.
But first, let me be clear: a C-section shelf is completely natural. Your body has done the incredible work of growing and delivering a baby, and this shelf is simply one way your body has adapted to that major surgery.
That said, many moms want to improve the appearance of their C-section shelf and reduce discomfort, and there are effective, natural ways to do this!
Scar tissue massage and core + pelvic floor exercises can help you make huge improvements to how your C-section shelf looks and feels.
What Is a C-Section Shelf?
A C-section shelf is that stubborn little overhang of tissue or loose skin that appears above your C-section scar. It often resembles a small pouch where the top part of your lower belly seems to droop over the incision site.
For some moms, it’s barely noticeable, while for others, it can be more pronounced and may even cause discomfort or skin irritation.
Many women that I see in the PT clinic say that the C-section pouch crushes their self-esteem, even though they understand that it’s natural.
I saw this post on Reddit, and it speaks to some of the common misconceptions that people have about the C-section scar overhang.
It’s SO important for C-section mamas to know that C-section shelves aren’t about your fitness level or weight.
You can develop a C-section shelf even if you’ve always been fit and eat a healthy diet, and you DON’T need to lose more weight to address it!
What’s happening is actually structural – it’s more about how your tissues have healed after surgery, not as much about how much you exercise or what you eat. Your exercise and diet do play a role, but that’s not the only thing that matters.
So, core + postpartum pelvic floor exercises that help your abdominal muscles heal and strengthen, along with physical therapy techniques like C-section scar mobilization, are way more helpful than regular workouts and diets.
What Causes a C-Section Shelf?
The “shelf” develops primarily because of how the surgery affects your abdominal wall.
During a C-section, your doctor cuts through seven layers of tissue: your skin, subcutaneous fat, fascia, muscle, peritoneum, uterus, and the amniotic sac. As these incision wounds heal, scar tissue forms, creating adhesions – areas where tissues that normally slide past each other become stuck together.
These scar tissue adhesions pull on your skin and fascia, creating that shelf-like appearance.
Pregnancy itself stretches your abdominal muscles and skin, and sometimes these don’t fully return to their pre-pregnancy position, especially when healing from a major abdominal surgery.
Other factors can also include how many C-sections you’ve had, your skin elasticity, and your core strength before and after pregnancy. So, a C-section shelf isn’t a direct consequence of excess body fat.
Learn more about your pelvic floor after a C-section.
C-Section Shelf Pictures
Everybody heals differently after a C-section, which means that every C-section shelf looks a bit different, too. Some moms have a very subtle fold that’s only visible when sitting, and others have a bigger overhang that you can see when standing.
Whatever your C-section shelf looks like, please know that it’s completely normal. These variations are all natural results of how your unique body has healed from a major abdominal surgery.
I asked moms in the Strong Core Mama community to share photos of what their C-section pouch looks like, and I’m so grateful for the responses that I’ve received! Here are some of them to empower other moms.
And here’s a stock photo that I found, too!
Will My C-Section Pooch Ever Go Away?
I often hear this question from the mamas I see as a Physical Therapist, and the honest answer is that some degree of the shelf often remains, especially if you’ve had multiple C-sections.
However, it’s possible to minimize its appearance and make it almost unnoticeable.
Many women notice their C-section scar shelf becoming less pronounced over the first year postpartum as they go through the healing process, especially when they combine it with physical therapy.
With scar mobilization, core rehabilitation, and pelvic floor physical therapy, many women see dramatic improvements even years after their C-section.
How to Get Rid of a C-Section Shelf: Natural Ways
C-Section Scar Mobilization
Scar mobilization is a gentle massage technique that helps break up adhesions in and around your C-section scar. These adhesions are like sticky spots where tissues that should slide past each other have become stuck together.
When tissues can’t move freely, they create that shelf-like appearance and can even cause pain or restriction in your movement.
Scar mobilization helps restore normal tissue mobility, improves blood flow to the area, and can help improve the appearance of your C-section pouch. I will share a simple C-section scar mobilization routine below, and you can find more in Strong Core Mama!
Note: Make sure to wait until 6-8 weeks postpartum or until your incision is fully healed to do these exercises. Try to do them regularly, ideally every other day.
Step 1: Massage scar over clothing
Begin by massaging your scar through a thin layer of clothing like workout leggings – direct contact right away might feel too intense. Using your fingertips, apply gentle pressure and move in vertical strokes (up and down) along the length of your scar.
Step 2: Scar desensitization
Once you’re comfortable with step one, try using a Q-tip for more precise pressure. Place the Q-tip vertically against your scar and gently roll it up and down, spending a little extra time on areas that feel tight or restricted.
Step 3: Above scar mobilization
The tissues 1-2 inches above your scar often contain significant adhesions that contribute to the shelf appearance. Using your fingertips, apply gentle pressure and massage in vertical strokes throughout this area.
Step 4: Massage the scar tissue with vertical strokes
When you’re ready, progress to direct scar massage with your fingertips. Apply gentle pressure directly to your scar and move in vertical strokes along its entire length.
The goal is to make the scar and surrounding tissues more pliable. With consistent practice, you’ll likely notice the scar becoming less raised, softer, and more mobile – which will help reduce the C-section pouch.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Your pelvic floor plays a huge role in your core function and stability, which directly impacts your C-section shelf. During pregnancy and delivery (yes, even with a C-section!), your pelvic floor goes through big changes that can lead to weakness or dysfunction.
A weak pelvic floor can’t properly support your core and abdominal muscles, which can worsen the appearance of your C-section shelf.
Plus, many women develop compensation patterns after surgery that further compromise your core muscles and function, such as poor posture and shallow breathing.
Pelvic floor physical therapy during postpartum recovery can help you to:
- Properly activate and strengthen your deep core and pelvic floor muscles
- Release tension in overworked areas like your hip flexors and low back muscles
- Reestablish proper breathing patterns that support your core
- Learn to integrate core function into your everyday movements (like when carrying your children)
- Address diastasis recti (separated abdominal muscles), which often accompanies C-section shelf
Healing and strengthening your pelvic floor and core muscles helps you minimize C-section shelf appearance, and it also improves many other issues that women experience postpartum, such as peeing when you cough.
Roughly 1/4 of all women in the US are affected by pelvic floor disorders, and research shows that motherhood impacts these numbers. This statistic includes C-section moms!
Only 12.8 percent of women who have never given birth experience pelvic floor issues, compared to 18.4 percent of women with one child, 24.6 percent of women with two children, and 32.4 percent of women with three or more children.
This is why it’s SO important to pay attention to your pelvic floor health after each pregnancy and delivery, including C-sections.
Start with this postpartum ab workout to get your core strength back!
Other Ways to Get Rid of a C-Section Shelf Naturally
In addition to scar mobilization and pelvic floor therapy, there are a few other techniques that you can use to get rid of a C-section shelf naturally:
- Cupping: Using small suction cups to lift your skin and tissues and break up adhesions. Moving cups gently across your lower abdomen can significantly reduce the C-section shelf appearance. You can do this with a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist or at home with silicone cup sets.
- Skin Rolling: Gently lifting and rolling the skin around your scar with your fingers to mobilize your scar and improve skin elasticity.
- Gua Sha: Using a smooth-edged tool to gently scrape across the skin. This technique increases blood flow and breaks down scar tissue adhesions.
I teach moms these and other physical therapy techniques to strengthen weakened core muscles, heal diastasis recti (abdominal separation), and get rid of the C-section shelf in my program, Strong Core Mama.
There’s a dedicated C-section track to help you decrease common pelvic floor symptoms that are specific to cesarean delivery. As a C-section mama of three, I know that this part of postpartum recovery is often overlooked for C-section mamas!
C-Section Shelf Removal: Should You Get a Surgery?
Many women wonder if surgery is the only way to truly eliminate a C-section shelf. The good news is that natural approaches like scar mobilization and pelvic floor therapy often create huge improvements without the risks or costs of surgery.
That said, surgical options do exist for moms who have exhausted natural approaches:
- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): Removes excess skin and fat while tightening muscles. This is the most extensive option with the longest recovery and cost.
- Mini tummy tuck: Focuses just on the lower abdomen with a smaller incision and less recovery time.
- Liposuction: Removes excess fat but doesn’t address skin laxity or muscle separation.
- Non-surgical procedures: Options like CoolSculpting target excess abdominal D skin and fat but don’t address scar tissue.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I strongly recommend trying natural approaches first. Surgery isn’t the “easy way out” as it’s typically presented to moms.
In my opinion, you should only consider surgery after giving rehabilitation a fair chance (at least 3-6 months) because it comes with a long recovery time, potential complications, and a very high cost.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a tummy tuck costs $8,174 – not including the cost of anesthesia, operating room facilities, and other related expenses.
Most importantly, surgical C-section pouch removal doesn’t address the underlying functional issues that may be contributing to your shelf.
Getting a surgery instead of doing proper rehab for your pelvic floor and core means you’ll still have to deal with issues like incontinence (not being able to hold your pee) or painful sex after birth.
FAQs
How Long Does It Take for a C-Section Shelf to Go Away?
There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for C-section shelf improvement. Many women notice gradual changes over the first year postpartum as they heal and recover, but it typically doesn’t just go away without proper rehab. Scar mobilization and core/pelvic floor physical therapy can help get rid of the C-section shelf faster, even if you had multiple C-sections or gave birth years (or decades!!) ago.
Will Losing Weight Get Rid of C-Section Shelf?
Weight loss alone typically won’t eliminate a C-section shelf because it’s primarily caused by structural changes from surgery, not excess fat. The shelf forms due to scar tissue adhesions and changes in how your tissues connect, which diet and general exercise don’t address. This explains why many slim, fit women still have a noticeable shelf. That said, if you have excess weight in your abdomen, losing weight might reduce the overall prominence of the shelf, but the structural issue will likely remain unless you address the scar tissue and fascial connections directly through physical therapy.
Why Does My C-Section Shelf Hurt?
Pain in your C-section shelf area often comes from adhesions – those sticky spots where tissues that should slide freely have become stuck together. These adhesions can pull on your nerves or restrict movement, causing discomfort, especially during certain activities like bending, lifting, or even just standing up straight. Some women also experience nerve-related symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or hypersensitivity where the nerves were cut during surgery. Scar mobilization techniques can be VERY helpful with this type of physical discomfort.
Can C-Section Shelf Be Avoided?
You can’t completely prevent a C-section shelf (because it’s largely a natural result of necessary surgical healing), but you can minimize its severity with early intervention. Starting gentle scar massage at 6-8 weeks postpartum (or once cleared by your doctor), focusing on proper pelvic floor and core rehabilitation instead of rushing back to intense exercise, and maintaining good posture early in your recovery can all help reduce the development of a pronounced shelf.
Why Is My C-Section Shelf So Big?
There are a few factors that can influence how large your C-section shelf is, including the number of C-sections you’ve had (multiple surgeries create more scar tissue), your skin elasticity (which is largely genetic), your pre-pregnancy core strength, your posture and movement patterns during recovery, and how quickly you returned to activity postpartum. Most of these factors aren’t within your complete control, so please be gentle with yourself if you have a more pronounced shelf than someone else!
Can You Get Rid of a C-Section Shelf Naturally?
YES! Many women think that their only option is to get an expensive tummy-tuck surgery, but the reality is that you can improve the appearance of your C-section shelf with physical therapy techniques. Specific core and pelvic floor exercises that address the underlying muscular and fascial issues, together with proper breathing techniques that regulate your intra-abdominal pressure, can make a C-section shelf almost unnoticeable.
Does Everyone Get the C-Section Shelf?
No, not everyone develops a noticeable C-section shelf. Some women just naturally don’t get a C-section shelf, but this isn’t necessarily a reflection of anything they did “right” – all bodies are different. Factors that influence whether you’ll develop a significant shelf include genetic skin elasticity, pre-pregnancy core strength, how your specific surgery was performed, your healing process, hormonal factors that affect tissue healing, and your postpartum recovery approach. Experiencing diastasis recti postpartum, a condition where your abdominal muscles separate, can make the C-section shelf more noticeable, too.
Can You Get Rid of a C-Section Shelf Years Later?
YES! I wish more women knew this. Contrary to what many of them believe, it’s never too late to improve your C-section shelf. I’ve seen mamas who are 5, 10, even 20+ years post-C-section and still see big improvements with proper techniques. Scar tissue is often responsive to mobilization even years after surgery, and it’s NEVER too late to start core and pelvic floor rehab after having kids. If you don’t know where to start, my rehab program, Strong Core Mama, has all the education and support you need, including a dedicated C-section track!
Does Cupping Help a C-Section Shelf?
Yes, cupping can be a great technique for improving your C-section shelf! The gentle suction created by the cups helps break up adhesions by physically lifting and separating tissues that have become stuck together. It also increases the blood flow to the area, which helps with healing and tissue regeneration. For best results, you should combine cupping with pelvic floor physical therapy exercises.
Rebuild Your Core and Pelvic Floor in Strong Core Mama
A C-section shelf is a natural part of C-section recovery, but many moms understandably don’t like how it looks and want to get rid of it. As a C-section mom of three, I understand this feeling all too well!
The truth is that a C-section shelf isn’t something you can fix with just a balanced diet and regular exercise. No matter how clean you eat or how fit you are, these approaches just don’t address the root cause of your shelf, which can be VERY frustrating.
The best way to improve your C-section shelf is through pelvic floor physical therapy and techniques like scar mobilization. These approaches target the issues that create the shelf in the first place.
You can get support in a physical therapy clinic, but seeing a PT can be expensive and will likely involve driving and having to figure out childcare.
That’s exactly why I created Strong Core Mama: to give moms the specific, proven techniques that work for C-section recovery and can actually help you get rid of the C-section shelf. Most importantly, you can do this program at home!
