Some infections can be hard to clear, which is extremely upsetting when you're trying to get over a caesarean and deal with a newborn. I always think it's the ultimate insult - you have a big operation, feel as if you've been run over by a truck and given a 7lb scream machine to care for AND then go and get a lousy infection in your scar.
Broad spectrum antibiotics are routinely offered but sometimes they don't pack enough punch which is when you'll find yourself on second or third doses. Plug away with these and keep nagging your GP if it doesn't feel better and you don't feel right.
In the meantime, do the following as this all helps: -
- Bathe in salt baths with a few drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil in it. Two large handfuls of bog-standard salt (I bought cheap boxes of the stuff from my local shop). Tea tree oil and lavender oil are antiseptic and tea tree oil is also anti fungal. After the bath, dry meticulously with a clean flannel or kitchen paper and lie on your bed for 10 minutes minimum (half an hour if screaming baby permits...) with your scar exposed. Let the air get to it.
- Aside from your morning and/or evening bath. During the day (two or three times if you can manage it) tell everyone to s*d off and go upstairs to your bathroom with a cup of cool boiled water. Add a few drops of tea tree oil and with a clean piece of cotton wool, dab the scar with the tea tree water. Don't rub at the scar and use fresh pieces of cotton wool for each area. Dry as above.
- Don't use a hairdryer on a cool setting to dry your scar. Advice differs on this and the midwives in my hospital told me to waft a Clairol over mine, however my consultant went berserk when I happily advised him of my blow drying plans. Apparently there's a lot of fluff and gunk in the filters/interiors of most hairdryers and you'd be effectively blasting that into your scar. Not sure if this is true but it sounded plausible and he was cross so I took his advice....
- Wear cotton clothes and big pants. Buy giant knickers from M&S and don't wear anything near your scarline. So no pyjamas or trousers with zips. I couldn't even bear a tight seam against my stomach so I never tried to wear anything near to my scar, but I was told that anything too near it can irritate it further.
- Take things easy and rest. I always felt slightly hysterical when people told me this as I was battling with a post-caesarean body trauma and premmie twins, but really I think I should have spent a lot more time in bed rather than 'soldiering through'. I think I thought I was just being pathetic and by getting on with things and being brave I'd get well. Not so. Lie down when you can. Have big sleeps or just lie on a bed with your baby when you can. Sleep is a great healer - it's when the body heals itself so the more you can get the easier your body will find things.
- Antibiotics can make you feel lousy. Eat plenty of pro biotic yoghurt and/or take a pro/pre biotic supplement. All health food shops sell them, often in powder form. They're a good antidote to punishing rounds of anti-bs and can help stave off thrush, which can be a side effect.
- Listen to your body. If you're still feeling crap then push for further antibiotics and treatment.
- My final point. This will be over soon. One day you won't have an infection in your scar anymore and you'll be able to get on with enjoying life and feeling yourself again. The interim sucks, but it's temporary so try and enjoy your new baby as much as you can and hold onto the thought that one day soon you won't have this ghastly infection.
Hope this helps. It's grim and you're being very brave.