Scar infection

[Tinkerisdead]

If i dont get much help on this thread im going to have to sound the pus klaxon in chat.

I've got an infection in my c section scar. Theres not much weeping out but i've got a 1cm hole at one end and 2cm hole at the other. Its been swabbed and as an anerobe infection im on two antibiotics one metrinazole(sp?!) is affecting 4 week dd through my milk. Ive spent a night in a&e as she's got blood stained diarrohea. I need to get off these tablets asap really.

Im getting conflicting info on treating the wound site. One nurse covered it with sterile dressing. One said leave it to the air. Ive bathed in salt baths, dried with a hairdryer and covered it but it seemed to spread. Last night i washed and dried it but used micropore tape to pull the gaps together and left it to the air as i slept.

What else can i do, whats the best way to treat it? I really have to heal to drive as i have embollisms and cant walk far!

Poor you. I had an infection in my EMCS scar after DS1. 8 weeks of antibiotics failed to clear it up. When I took matters into my own hands, it got better quite quickly. I did baths with salt, lavender and tea tree; dried with hairdryer (and was meticulous about clean towels etc) and used Manuka Honey. It might have been the honey which really helped. I used to lie on the sofa with my tummy exposed to the air as much as possible (which I appreciate may not be very much with a newborn). I didn't use any dressings / tape. HTH.

ok what did you do with the honey? lying on the sofa exposed to the air is difficult as also have a 3yr old.

I just kind of smeared the honey on, and wore really big pants to stop it going everywhere! Could you manage 1/2 an hour of "air time" in the evening? With DS2 (also CS) I did this every evening when DS1 was in bed, and didn't get an infection.

Yes! Ive done a bit of googling too and can see the honey malarkey. Right i'm def gonna try it. Ive been going to bed when dd1 goes anyway, watching tv in bed whilst dd2 cluster feeds. So i'll have salt bath with the healing oils, hairdryer it dry, get the honey on it and lie exposed on the bed. I hope dh doesnt think its a green light that 'i'm good to go' as it were!!!

I definitely did 'leaving it to the air' when my wound from DS got infected but then I only had him so it was easier. It didn't help that my overhang was so enormous that it completely covered the wound either!

Ditto the tea tree and lavender baths.

I planned for an infection when I had DD and started a thread on here somewhere. Ended up buying sterile maternity pads from Mothercare for when I did need to cover the wound as they kept it clean and protected. I just stuck them into my knickers in front of the wound. Arnica cream helped too.

Going to see if I can find my thread and see what else was suggested...

I got alginate dressings from the chemist, savlon make them - worked wonders for me.

I got alginate dressings from the chemist, savlon make them - worked wonders for me.

i had an infection in my epiosiotomy and it opened up too- airing and salt baths were what worked best for me. definitely try to air it for half an hour a day at least if you can't manage more, and also try to air it at night when you sleep (i had a summer baby so airing at night didn't feel as cold as it might do now though...)

I slept in a nightie on top of covers to get some air to it last night and its not weeping at all this morning. I think i've been over doing it, tidying etc too so ive taken to rolling out of bed again and just minimising the stress to it. I think as it doesnt hurt as such its easy to just get on with things. Tried to carry dd2 in sling on the bus but it was too painful so ive switched car seat to pram chassis instead so im not carrying extra weight on tummy. Def feel more positive today. Thank you.