Arnica and lavender oil questions....

[OompaLumpa]

Im due to have a ELCS soon for DC1. Following advice on here, i got some arnica and lavender oil. I was wondering when i should start to use each? The arnica a couple of days before or only after the op?
As foe the ,avender oil, i guess this is a few drops in the bath but hiw soon can you do that?
Any other "prep" i can do? I am sooo nervous, i keep getting really tearful :o(

[seoladair]

Why are arnica and lavender oil recommended?
I had a fab elcs on 12th May. Don't be nervous - you will be fine. It's such a safe procedure. I actually enjoyed my c-sec. It was painless and very exciting, and the moment of birth was so emotional. Recovery was very easy too. I didn't make any special preparations, apart from eating more red meat than usual, as I wanted to boost my iron levels. Best of luck!

[jaffacake79]

Did you get arnica cream, oil or tablets? If tablets I'd start taking about a week in advance as it aids healing.
I'm not sure on the current advice about how soon to use them following surgery, so ask the herbalist you bought them from.
Don't forget though, don't put oil straight in the bath as it'll just sit on the top and not do much apart from irritate your skin and be annoying to clean. Put them in a carrier first, you can get them for the bath, or just use a cup of full fat milk (the fat in the milk helps the oil to disperse into the water).

[OompaLumpa]

Milk for the bath, i can pretend im Cleopatra! Good point about the lavender oil, i would have just put it straight in the bath. Can it be used as soon as the wound is closed?
seoladair it is good to hear that you had such a positive cs experience. I hope i am the same!

[QTPie]

I don't think that you want to use arnica on a healing wound (even in the bath). Same with lavender to be honest. My obstetrician (one of the best in the country) and midwives said use nothing on the wound and no wound massage etc. Took arnica tablets instead (the midwives supported homeopathic remedies in tablet form).

My wound healed perfectly without me doing anything.

[QTPie]

(btw, my ELCS was brilliant too - want to do it again! ;) )

[Checkmate]

Why are midwives supporting homeopathic remedies? There is no clinical evidence at all that it works, its just sugar water pills.

Please, if you want to take arnica, use herbal preparations, where there is actually an active ingredient in it, rather than homeopathic "remedies" where there isn't.