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

You definitely won’t need round the clock care unless, as has been said, something has me seriously wrong.

With my second c sec I was back doing playgroup with the first a week later, driving within 2 weeks and felt pretty much normal within 3-4 weeks. I had no pain at all after the first week.

Day 1 was fine as I was drugged up, day 2 was very painful and I could only hobble along, day 3 was ok, and I got better after that and was off all painkillers within a week.

It’s really fine - even with my first emergency one I felt pretty rubbish for a couple of days but was fine by the end of the week and raring to go home (I was in Aus and you stay in hospital for longer).

Definitely take it easy but you won’t need round the clock care after the first 24 hours.

One BIG tip - take movicol, eat prunes etc. My first poo was more traumatic than the operation. Felt like I was crapping a house brick and I feared bursting my wound open (although the nurse said I wouldn’t). It’s the painkillers - they make you bunged up.

I was another one who used a hairdryer after showering to dry the scar.

Also big, comfy pants and loose cotton clothes help with keeping airflow round the wound.

Even with a minor infection I''ve been up and about and fairly independent within 24hrs. No need for round the clock care

Thank you.
I think my friend had a particularly bad experience after an emergency c section and she couldn’t drive for a long time, could only sleep sitting up etc.
So perhaps this is why my friend is insistent about round the clock care. To me round the clock care is extreme and something a nursing home resident would need not a young(ish) fit(ish) woman.

I thought most people do seem to get on ok, but as you can probably tell I’m easily panicked at the moment!
In fairness most people get on ok after a vaginal birth but I was unlucky after that so 🤷‍♀️

I'd say needing round the clock care is pretty unusual; I was pretty useless for the first couple of days after my second section but beyond that round the clock really isn't necessary at all.

Driving depends on your insurer, their rules vary. Some insist on waiting for 6 week check, others don't.

You won’t need round the clock care although having someone on hand for the first few days is helpful, just take it easy for 6 weeks or so - no heavy lifting, get your OH to take care of housework etc but unless there are complications I’d expect to be mostly back to normal by 6 weeks. Both my previous c sections I was back to my usual after 4 weeks, first time ( and I’d been very ill) that was a bit soon and I felt a bit sore again, second time i was absolutely fine after a month. This time I have the older 2 booked onto home education workshops at 5 weeks post section and plan to be out and about after a few weeks assuming there’s no complications and I’m safe to drive (previous times insurance has just said ‘when I feel ready’).

I stopped taking painkillers by about day 9, I think. I just didn’t need them. So don’t worry too much about any horror stories you hear.

My c section was fabulous and I was no more incapacitated after it than I was after a third degree tear. If anything, I was in less pain and was able to walk more easily and sooner.

I was determined to only stay in hospital for one night max (horrific postnatal experience in a different hospital) so the next day I very slowly and gingerly hobbled to the shower, removed the dressing (I’ll admit I was a bit scared I might faint doing that - I am a bit of a fainter) and blasted it with warm water. Just made sure the wound it was washed and dried daily and I healed brilliantly. I struggle to even find the scar now, 3.5 years later.

@shakeit

As this is your first CS don’t panic too much about feeling fuckawful and needing round the clock care: I’ve only heard of folk having a really bad time of it with a repeat CS (myself included) and the trick appears to be get moving soon as you can gently within reason on the ward.

To be a patronising twat:
please please do not lift things, try and be a hero, lift your children etc after your Cs. I was good as good first time and the wound was fine. Second time didn’t take it so delicately (as DD was 20mo and i felt so guilty) and ended up with an infection and feeling like I’d been in a car crash for around 4 months after.

First two weeks are critical. Take all the help you can get. Chances are you will be fine but to nigh on guarantee it just get folk to do everything for you first two weeks PP.

Then gentle steps from there x

My midwife said the hairdryer advice is old and wrong. Hairdryers harbour many germs as they are dark and warm and collect crap. Don't fire air from them at a healing wound. Lots of midwives give outdated advice. It's the nature of changing practice.

I'm overweight but had no complications (did have a small superficial opening but that was down to me trying to do too much too soon - I walked two miles to the supermarket and back while pushing the pram less than two weeks after my section (only a few days after getting my stitches out)).

I did use colloidal somber religiously every night and let the area dry/air regularly though.

I was told that infection is more likely if you have more than one c section.

My first was an emergency c section and no problems after, and my second was an elective c section and I did have some discomfort where it went red and sore and was prescribed cream which worked well but think this issue possibly occurred because my mind was else where as my dh nearly died of pneumonia 4 weeks after giving birth because the gp failed to listen to his back and only his chest so therefore missed it, and she was also recently qualified.

I was also struck down with a temperature of 40.1 and then my 4 week old had bronchitis so my baby and myself were in one hospital and my dh was in another, so I lost site of cleaning the wound and drying it properly that caused the issue second time around.

I got a small infection in one stitch after both of mine. First time I took a course of antibiotics. Second time I just gently and cleanly popped it myself (not official advice but I did it carefully!) and some bloody serous fluid came out and it healed up fine on its own. Wasn’t unwell at all either time. Recovery was fine both times. First 10 days was painful and slow after that fine. Second time I was up and about down the shops on day 3. Was driving by 4 weeks and could have done it sooner.

Never change babys nappy in front of you in the bed to prevent cross infection

Keep it dry (unless showering), wear massive pants, don’t wear anything that might rub and chances are it’ll be fine.

IME wound infections are seldom preventable. Either the lady is very overweight/has an overhang, or has a pre-existing health condition (like diabetes), or it’s just bad luck.

Having seen a LOT of section sounds as a community midwife, the ones with beads in do seem to heal beautifully but that will be down to the individual surgeon or hospital procedure. We don’t do them as standard at my hospital and mine has healed just fine. I found. That once the wound had healed externally, scar massage with some almond oil (that I had left over from all the perineal massage that was a total waste of time 😂) helped to soften up the scar tissue a lot.

Thanks everyone. I’m feeling a bit more reassured.
I know probably 25% of women deliver this way and most wont have any problems so it is my own anxiety causing the worry.
Some good tips I can prepare with however.
Kona that bead thing is interesting. Are they more expensive is that why some hospitals won’t provide them?

You know, when the surgeon came to see me before my CS he asked me if I had a preference for the type of suture! I said nope, it’s fine, you’re the expert and I’ll leave that to you He said that some women did research prior to their sections and often had a preference. I must admit, it would never have occurred to me to do that and I don’t think I would have been so bold to demand a particular suture even if I had.

Anyway, mine were dissolvable and I healed perfectly.

I had the bead thing for my 2nd section (not by choice, it was a crash job). It was great.

I’ve had 4 c sections and never had an infected scar...my dressing was changed before I left hospital 3 days post birth. Then I was told to keep it on for as long as possible - I think I took them off 3-5 weeks post op as it was peeling.. Normal daily showering after day 2. I’m not in the UK...

I had 2 sections and no problems with the wound in either case... the only piece of advice I have is get some knickers with a high waist as the hipster-type ones have the top band right at the wrong place for a c-section scar!