C section - Avoiding infection post surgery

[Shakeit]

I have am due to deliver in a few weeks by c section.
I know infection of the wound is a common complication.
Any tips/tricks that anyone has to avoid infection? A particular Anti bacterial wash before hand/afterwards?
Any special dressings used? or some of the support bandages like belly bandit for c section claim to speed up the healing. But they are quite expensive 60.00 upwards so I don’t want to waste money on something that won’t benefit healing. Did anyone find the support belts helped their recovery?

Even basic recovery tips in general all gratefully accepted.
I’m remember the shock at my first vb and what I didn’t know and wish id been told (or warned about!), so I’m trying to be more prepared this time.
Thank you

I didn't do anything in particular. My dressing was removed after 12 hours and I showered then too. I didn't use any soap or anything on it,nor did I actually 'wash' it, I just let the water run down. I then used a clean maternity pad to pat it dry.

I've had two sections. No issues with either.

Showered on day 4 with dc1 (bedbound).

Dc2 was easier so mobile after 6 hours. Can't remember when I first showered.

But, didn't wash belly. Let water and soap run down, then air dried.

Same as SharkSave, apart from I used a clean towel to pat dry. It was a neat wound both times, and felt straightforward to care for.

I took 1000mg vitamin c for a couple of weeks before the birth as I read it speeded up healing and significantly reduced the risk of bleeding. Worked for me!

I’ve had 3 sections and one laparotomy. My consultant advised me to put a capful of Savlon disinfectant into the bath when I got home. Tried it on the last but had no problems with any of them really.

The only person I know who had post infection issues was very overweight so air couldn’t get to the wound.

I kept my dressing on for about four days (hospitals all seem to have different policies) and it healed really well. Don’t worry about the wound recovery too much, I’d take mine over the episiotomy I had with DC1 any day x

I’ve had two c sections with no drama at all. Wasn’t advised to do anything in particular - the wound is covered after all.

I know loads of people with c sections and I’ve never heard any of them mention infection.

Two c-sections and no infections with either. I was advised to let air get to it as much as possible. I took the dressing off within 24 hours each time. I used to lie down after a shower to air my wound out.

Avoid wearing knickers or trousers that sit on your bikini line because they can irritate the wound. Big pants and maternity leggings are your friends.

Take pain relief consistently for the first few days. Don't wait until you are in pain because then it's too late. Also don't over do it in the first few days either. Your body will tell you if it's done too much. I really pushed to get back to normal quickly after my first and it just made my recovery much longer. I felt like shit for the first 3 months. With my youngest, I really took it easy for the first couple of weeks and was largely back to normal then.

Ah I see maybe I’m overthinking this?
My c section was requested after a previous problem with a tear healing.
And when discussing it they were saying infection and the wound even opening up is a risk with c section.

So I have been trying to research best methods for healing whether it’s keeping it covered or not or using any special washing stuff/dressing.

Hopefully I will be like you craic and find the recovery much preferable this time.

2 sections here. Dressing off the next day. I used to pat dry with tissue after a shower. Buy huge pants.

Everything fatted said.

Leave it alone as much as possible in the early days is the best way really. No lotions or potions, no fiddling about, let it air after you've had a bath of shower.

I've had three. First one the dressing was taken off after 24hrs and the wire pulled out on day five. The relief when that wire was removed was immense, it was so annoying! Second one the policy had changed and the dressing had to stay on until day three then day ten for them to remove the wire. Third one was at different hospital, no wire this time and had dissolving stitches instead but dressing was left on until day five.

I did get a serious infection with the third one (sepsis) but this was due to a piece of retained placenta and nothing to do with the wound, the wound itself was healing nicely.

I struggled a bit because of the very attractive flap of skin it had hanging over the scar. I washed it with warm water with some drops of lavender oil in and then dried it with the hair dryer. I also used Sudocrem at times on it. With that regime it was very quickly sorted though.

If you have big issues with infections then consider asking for a vacuum pico dressing. Amazing.

No dressing here. Enhanced recovery programme. Shower 3 hours after. Big pants. Wash with shower head. Then I added hibisscrub to bath as I wanted to avoid infection. Am using aloe Vera every day and took arnica as had bad bruising.

First couple of days wore a maternity pad across pants to absorb wet from shower. Then used hairdryer. As others have said keep it dry.

For me - 2 c sections, one infection (2nd time round). I'd say the most important thing is to get air at it and keep it dry. Mine sat right in the overhang (lovely) which meant it just didn't stay clean and dry. In retrospect mine should have been kept dressed longer (nurse/doc both agreed) so if you feel like it's getting damp I'd get some light gauze or similar.

It's also worth getting your partner/mum/whoever to keep an eye on it for you as you might not be able to see it very well. I was discharged from midwife 10 days post surgery and looked fine at that point then gradually developed an infection over about days 11-15 but it was only DH who could really see well enough to be sure.

That said, whilst you should obviously try your best to avoid an infection, because I caught mine quickly it wasn't that bad so try not to worry too much. Antibiotics for a week, got it regularly dressed by nurse for a couple of weeks, and it is fine. So I'd say keeping a close eye so you know as soon as it starts to look dodgy is key.

Just say PP mentioning enhanced recovery - this was the difference for me between CS1 and CS2. First one I had a dressing on for longer, second one it was whipped off early. Both times were dissolving stitches.

Infection is a risk with any wound, it’s no more likely with a c section than anything else. Follow instructions for removing the dressing and leave the wound alone for the most part, messing around with it is more likely to cause problems. No extra ‘cleaning’needed, no creams or oils or anything else, make sure your clothes don’t rub on it and it’s allowed to dry after a shower.

Yes I was surprised at no dressing hence my using pad. It did look a little red and sore maybe day 11 but hibiscrub seemed to sort it. I still can't believe I was in the shower so quick. Can't remember that at all!!

Also dissolving stiches here.

I find it unhelpful when asking about c sections that everyone claims to have had no problems (on here and IRL) , I got an infection quite bad because I couldn't air the wound properly, I was advised to wash with just water and pat dry and air as much as possible, when mine got infected I didn't even get given anything to cover the scar!

Showered everyday - blow dryer on cool low after to make sure properly dry.
High waisted Cotton knickers/boxers during lochia.
Im not sure about this wire stuff (couldn't have had it) but mine was a big plaster off two days after maybe and a snip stitch - can't remember so can't be much to write home about. I'm allergic to plasters so must have been a specialist one.

The wire was like a long string threaded through the wound to close it, running under the skin except for around an inch at either side of the incision and with a metal bead at either end to keep it from pulling free. As it started to heal the beads at either end shifted and ended up tight against the skin on both sides so it was really pinchy and irritating. To remove it the midwife snipped the bead off on one end then pulled from the other to pull the whole string out.

Three sections and only one got infected. It was just not healing like the others, not especially painful and a prescription from the GP cleared it. I agree with massive pants and taking pain relief consistently for the first week or so.

You need to lie down regularly airing the wound. It's about a 30 min job at least twice a day.

With both vaginal and c section birth I was advised to add a few drops tea tree oil and lavender oil to at a once daily bath to help prevent infection.

With c section I got an irritating small infection in one section where something we8rd happened with stitches. Continued with the oils rather than taking anti biotics and also applied tea tree cream to it. Took longer to heal than with antibiotics but did work. I found if I wasn't religious about it though the minor infection would start to flare slightly. All of this was on doctors advise with agreement that if it for worse I would take the anti biotics (but she warned me that I would probably not be able to bf as apparently the antibiotics she would have to give me would affect the milk and dd would probably reject it), hence commitment to slower more natural process.