C section: preventing infections

[Blahblahblahyadayadayada]

What can I do to minimise the risk of infection after an ELCS? I had huge problems with infection and needed loads of antibiotics after a tear with my first baby and I don't want a c Section scar to become infected.
Also, how big and sticky is the dressing they use and how long do they leave it in place? Just don't fancy giving myself a wax in the process of removing it!

[imip]

I don't think I had dressing? I wore surgical knickers, kind of big pants made out of fishnets. I got some from mothercare and amazon. They allow the wound to breathe.

I've had 4 sections and only got an infection on the last one as I had overhang

[FizzBombBathTime]

I had a section 2 weeks ago

They took the sticky bandage off after 48 hours

I just clean the wound with water and it's healed fine

The plaster won't wax you, they shave the area they are going to cut first

Good luck!

[Blahblahblahyadayadayada]

Are they the mesh ones? I have been tempted to order some but I read the reviews and some people said that they were too tight (in a size 12 but with growing bottom and thighs I may be more of a 14.) Having said that, I bought size 16 underwear from Sainsbury's for the hospital bag).

[HyacinthsBucket]

I swore by having a salt water bath morning and night after mine. And taking Arnica tablets seemed to help too. Making sure you're really dry after the bath too, use the hairdryer on a low heat to make sure. Cotton big granny pants too, so nothing rubs. It's so glam being a new mum .

[celtiethree]

I hated the mesh pants I just went with cotton huge granny pants. Just cleaned with water. Three sections and no probs.

[Blahblahblahyadayadayada]

Fizzbomb do they use clippers and was it done in theatre or the ward? How far down did they shave? I will most likely forgo any waxing as I'm getting ingrown hairs after my last wax and I don't want to have that problem close to the time. I believe it is better for them to shave just before the op anyway but I don't fancy a rubbish bic razor! I'm sure they are used to seeing hair in that area anyway!

[IceLemonGin]

I had an emcs and as it was summer, showered at least 3 times a day, let the wound air dry by laying on the bed and generally trying to get as much air to it as possible really. Big cotton granny pants helped too.

I think they removed my dressing in hospital after 48 hours. It didn't hurt.

[Phillipa12]

Washing and drying and airing the wound area worked for me but also because of my overhang and to keep the area dry i placed a folded length ways sanitary pad over the wound, the overhang and large knickers held it in place, worked wonders.

[Watto1]

I was clippered on the ward before going to theatre. I had a dressing that looked like a pantyliner without the sticky bit. It was just held in place by my knickers. It was binned after a day. You need to keep the wound clean and dry, making sure you get air to it as much as possible. It's tricky though as they make the incision in a crease.

[BusterGonad]

I had a tiny thin plaster that was see through and messy, I really can't remember keeping it clean or worrying about it but I didn't have over hang as it was a emergency section (premature birth) and I wasn't big at all. I also used a sanitary towel in my knickers not for healing reasons just to stop my pants rubbing on my scar, I didn't have big knickers due to not be ready for the birth.

[BusterGonad]

Meshy not messy!

[usernoidea]

I was told I could take the dressing off the next day after my shower then they put another one on for another day....
After a four day labour with no pain relief , I don't even remember whether taking the plaster off!
I wasn't shaved either........

[guiltypleasureJK]

I had a small dressing that got removed after 48 hours. Was dreading removing it but actually it was fine and the wound was really neat.
Infection wise I showered every day and just used fragrance free baby bath as I didn't fancy anything stinging on my wound.
I bought lots of packs of cheap flannels and use a new flannel each time to wash the wound but not the rest of my body and I dried just the wound and not the rest of my body with a clean flannel each time as I didn't fancy getting bacteria from anywhere else into the wound. Clean cotton pants changed twice a day too.

[guiltypleasureJK]

They told me to shave myself the night before or they would have to dry shave in theatre so better to do it yourself. You have to shave the top inch of pubic hair.

[Artandco]

Do not use a hairdryer! That's just blowing loads of lint and fluff into wound

Better off with a pile of cheap flannels as above. Use fresh one each time to clean and another to pat dry.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Was just about to say DON'T use a hair drier!!

[BusterGonad]

Actually the plaster was just like a strip of cling film, I was shaved, i was literally cut on the line where hair meets belly flesh. It was very neat. I think I had the top dog do my c section!

[vfoster]

I had a very thin dressing that the midwives helped to take off after my first shower after 24 hours.
Not sure about the shaving as I'd had a spinal block so no idea what they did!
I had mine during a hot summer so found laying down on the bed after a shower really useful to dry off! I had no problems whatsoever and found it healed pretty quickly!
My only problem was driving over speed bumps for a few weeks after!

[Blahblahblahyadayadayada]

Wow, I read that a dry shave with a razor is more likely to introduce small nicks in the skin. They probably don't fork out on single use clipper heads for use in theatres across the U.K. I'll ask my midwife what they do. I don't want everyone in theatre hanging around gloved and gowned up watching a nurse shave my nether regions with a Bic!

BusterGonad you must have had a good surgeon. Apparently not all incisions are done so nicely and heal so well.

Thanks for the advice. I did think giant cotton pants would be ok. There's enough to think about with a new baby, I really don't want to go through a wound infection on top of everything else.

[BusterGonad]

Op I didn't have over hang either though as I didn't get to full term. My stomach was a normal size which I'm sure helped massively. My surgeons were amazing, one was a consultant I think.

[Letsgetreadytorumbleagain]

Big giant pants - cheap primark ones I liked - and making sure it's really dry. I put medicated talc on aswell

http://m.boots.com/h5/cathub?unCountry=uk&path=%2Fen%2FBoots-Medicated-Talc-100g--_1129558%2F&

[Blahblahblahyadayadayada]

Presumably the talc is for after the skin has fully closed?

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

No talc! Seriously,nothing but water and a mild soap and keep dry.

[Letsgetreadytorumbleagain]

Yeah once it was closed, I used the talc to keep it as dry possible. I did have a bit of an overhang so it helped stop moisture

[Letsgetreadytorumbleagain]

My doctor was fine with me using the medicated talc and I had a few friends recommend it