Hi, I'm having a cs on Monday and would like to know where's best to have the scar. My ob's pretty accommodating and will endeavour to do it where I wan obviously within reason so he can get my baby out. Anyway he says he normally does it in the bikini crease, but I'd have thought this would increase the likelihood of getting an overhang? Ideally it would be below the crease, but I'm not sure if he'd be able to get access to the baby this low? If so, great, but if not, my question is this; in order to reduce the chance of having an overhang as much as possible, would it be better to have the scar in the crease or just above the crease?

Thank you!

My scar is low down in the bikini line. Some people get overhang, some don't.

The lower down the better as if you go on to have a vbac, there is less chance of a uterine rupture.

Lucky you getting a choice - I didn't with my two. They just got on with delivering my babies safely and healthily.

it needs to be done in the best place to get the baby out! LUCS scars pretty much tend to be low enough down that when your tummy returns to normal, the scar is hidden in your pubic hair or very close.. it should not be visible above your knicker line AFAIK.

overhang is to do with how much fat you have too i think

your tummy is unlikely to go back to exactly how it was pre baby and pre caesarean so you need to be prepared for that!

I have an over hang but really only noticeable if Im naked Much lowerand their on your pubic bone arent they?

Charley, hello hello hello!!!!! tis uwila here.

How are you?!?!?!?!

Much of the problem is technique though - I had a horrid overhang after my first (registrar middle of night) and very little after my second (consultant, elective - she spent ages getting the scar as pretty as possible). I was much fatter at the time of my second.

I agree, Charley, that is has more to do with how much fat you have than location of scar. Besides, I bet you aren't even fat at 38 weeks pregnant (or whatever you are now).

How is DS1?

i had no choice and didnt care.i have 3 lovely children and a neat little scar low down that hardly visable but if it was who cares-its my baby door!

It's not that I was given a choice, I just asked him about this. Nothing to lose. I know there's no way the ob would do anything to endanger the baby. I'm not bothered about the actual scar really, but would rather not have a permanent overhang if at all possible. It doesn't feel as if there's be any access to the baby though below the bikini line? Is there? I hope so, would love it to be hidden away nicely!

I'm not (normally) fat at all, but since my 1st baby (delivered vaginally), my tum's been a bit soft and squidgey, but I didn't bother doing any thing about it because we were trying for another one very soon after. but I just know I'll get an overhang if I don't watch out this time around, even if I lose all my baby weight. I am so determined to regain a flat(tish) tummy I've even forked out on 2 post natal corsets that look like devices of torture lol.

Minster - may I ask what you know of different techniques? I didn't realise there were any?

Hey AtheneNoctua!! I'm very well thank you - can barely move at the moment though. How are you? How're the other old Junies are they still around? DS1 is fine - just been told he's cognitively very bright which has made us very happy.and very relieved. Still not much in the way of motor skills or speech though, but he can use a joystick on his computer now which is opening up a whole new world for him x

ive had 3 and no overhang,i am small though.but i think luck.

Overhang is definitley to do with body fat than where the scar is. The surgeon will go as low as it is safe to go - you don't want your bladder injured in the procedure.

my bladder was cut during last one-i agree you dont want that!

i didn't get an overhang with my two - hair covers the scar now anyway. I think overhang can be to do with carrying weight round the middle - some do some dont

I'm amazed mine didn't rupture last time - I hadn't passed urine for nearly 24 hours, and when I was eventually catheterised they filled up a whole bag and a half! Not that that's written in the notes anywhere of course .....

odd that they didnt empty bladder sooner!

I hope my corsets work - I bought a couple of "caesarian" inserts to add a bit of extra pressure to the scar area. Here's the link if anyone's interested
postnatalform.googlepages.com/products

There were a lot of "odd" occurrences during that labour Cheesy - leading to the brain damage of my baby..

have you spoken to anyone aboutit/everything including bladder?

Sooo, do you know what you are having? Have you got a name? Iknow I am nosey but I haven't seen you in sooooooooo long? Are you still in Bournemouth?

I have an overhang and I wasn't overweight. In fact, they even asked me if I'd been an aerobics teacher before I was pregnant. It's annoying--but not so much so that I'd do anything about it. My scar is quite low.

It's all being taken care of thanks Cheesy

We moved to Brighton in the end AN. Got a name yes, but you know what it's like on here when it comes to names! Will let you know when I'm out of hospital : )

Bridie, I know I'll be really really annoyed if I get an overhang. I don't know why - I think maybe because after being overweight in my late teens and managing to lose it and keep it off and keep myself in shape it would upset me. Guess more than anything I've just always been a bit uptight about my appearance!

I didn't ask (didn't know I could ) but mine is barely visible. It's low, in my hair but even then it's such a fine scar you can hardley see it. Weird really when you consider a 9lb3oz baby came out of it.

I misunderstood for a moment and thought you were claiming your baby came out of your hair (ie, from your head)... Which would have been interesting.

BTW, Charley, May 19th is a fab day to have a baby. I can't believe DS is already 3 (on Monday obviously!)

my I have had two cs and a ectopic removal all cut on the same scar. frankly it looks like a piece of bacon and is all bumpy, the MW looked agahast at it when she saw it and offerd me a chance to get it cosmetically fixed right there. TBH I dont give a crap I am not going under GA again for anyone.

What a coincidence! And neither can I

Beeper - there's part of me would like a GA for my CS! I just want to be conscious to check out what's going on and that things are being done properly. Sorry about your scar, at least you know something can be done if you change your mind.

Charley, as you may recall, DD was an emergency section under GA. When I went in to see the anaesthetist the day before the section for DS, I asked about a GA thinking I really would rather just sleep through the whole thing again. He talked me out of it. And in the end I'm glad he did. IT was nice to be there.

Best of luck to you(not that you need it. And I will be anxiously awaiting news of the name! (I can't believe you are going to make me wait)

Here's to May 19th babies. (Athene raises virtual glass of champagne)

Don't forget your arnica.

A choice? The priority is to get the baby out safely.

Your body comes way down the priority list when a baby is concerned, imo.

Charleypops - I have a very low scar and am having some problems with it - because it's on the pubic bone brim and that means that the baby's head rests directly on it. Which is fecking sore.

Personally if I'd had a choice I'd have gone an inch above that - unless you are going to be wearing a very tiny bikini I'd go for two inches below your hair line.

He is right, that is the best place to have it.

If you want to avoid an overhang then ask him if he would consider rejoining the fat layer. It's becoming more popular now, it's not usually done because it's not seen as neccesary, but the fat gathers above the scar and that's when you get an over hang. As someone else said though, the over hang tends to be inside the pants, so not that noticable.

To the poster that says your body doesn't matter, you wouldn't say that if you had to live with the effects of the scar for years. I'm not just talking about mental effects, which are bad enough and could happen where ever the scar is, but the physical effects of the muscles that were cut not being as strong again, the back not being properly supported by the abdomen muscles...

I hate the idea of a needle in my back (my physio said I was fortunate they didn't because of how messed up it is) but I wouldn't recommend a GA to anyone. It has messed my head up and I know others who felt the same. I couldn't connect the dots, that in the middle my baby was born. I still (22 months later) feel like I am babysitting her. I was ill for a week with the effects of the GA, not to mention in their rush they nicked my lip and throat so I had a swollen lip and could hardly talk!

I know more than most about getting babies out safely notabanana - my ds has quad cerebral palsy due to a messed up vaginal birth. Good for you not being bothered, but as far as I'm concerned, wanting as neat an op as possible is more than reasonable and will not put this baby at risk. It's not "one or the other" you know.

WMMC - thanks for that tip, I think it's amazing that you can get a child out from an opening that far down! Sorry you're sore.

Tinkerbells mum - thank you so much for your post - I've never heard of the fat rejoining procedure, I will investigate! I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I can empathise with you feeling like a babysitter though - I still can't believe I have a child and he's nearly 3!

((((hugs)))) for Charley.

I always wondered if your DS' problems were because of the birth. I'm so sorry.

Yes, 'fraid so. Only just been confirmed even though I knew. Took me a long time just to be able to talk about it. Hence my disappearance from the Junie thread.

I jsut know without my scar I would not have my son so it doesn't bother me. Just my feeling obviously.