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Childbirth

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Original poster

May need c section. Staples or stitches?

65 replies

spub · 01/03/2006 11:31

I had a 3rd degree tear with dd and may need a c section when I have my sedonc baby this summer. My friends who have had sections couldn't really agree on whether staples or stitches were "preferable".
Any experience/thoughts?

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bundle · 01/03/2006 15:15

janh, my first c/s was by a man, the second by a woman consultant..

at ante natal visit she looked at my scar, sucked in breath (in manner of hairdresser/mechanic who asks Who Did This??) and said I think we can do a bit better than this...

And She Did! (less pulling inside and a much neater scar Smile)

cranberryheights · 01/03/2006 19:45

how long are your c/section scars then? sounds like most of you have ones which are quite a lot shorter than mine. I've never compared with anyone - just assumed we all had teh same!

JanH · 01/03/2006 20:35

I've never measured mine but it always looked about 15cm. (I couldn't measure it now, I'd need 4 hands - 2 to hold up the overhang and 2 to use the tape Grin)

Hazellnut · 01/03/2006 20:37

I had dissolvable stitches and a very neat scar - in fact MWs commented on how neat it was !! by a woman too......

jampots · 01/03/2006 20:37

I had 3 stitches and 5 staples in my second scar. With my first I just had stitches

Hazellnut · 01/03/2006 20:39

in fact, just had a look to see if I could measure it and it is so faint I don't think you'd know if you didn't know I'd had a c-s. Of course, it is a bit, ahem, covered and the overhang gives it away but other than that you can barely tell.

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:43

i had dissolving suture stitches inside, so did't need anything removed, i did't have a choice in what way i stitched, it depends on the surgeon surely wether they use staples or a stitch at the end of the scar to be pulled?

turniphead · 01/03/2006 20:44

who am I?

jampots · 01/03/2006 20:44

pph

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:45

let me gues a tumshie heed?

mawbroon · 01/03/2006 20:45

Just got DH to measure my scar and it's 8 inches (20cm).

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:47

Wow mawbroon that a big scar!

jampots · 01/03/2006 20:49

mine is 20 cms too from edge to edge

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:53

mine is only 13cm, does the scar shrink do you think? cause i have always remembered mine being this size, or did i have a fantastic surgeon?

jampots · 01/03/2006 20:55

it must depend on the size of the baby - mine was 8lb 12 - I guess a neater baby would produce a neater (smaller) scar

jetsetmum · 01/03/2006 20:55

I had the blob & pull stitch 1st time (by man)- no prob
dissovable stitch 2nd time (by woman) - no prob

1st cut was really neat though - second was a bit hacked.

The overhang bugs me - I have been doing hundreds of sit ups to try to get rid of it - Are you telling me it's here to stay - sob sob - it's the one bit of my body I hate (DS2 is 13 months)

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:56

mine baba was 9lbs 2oz

Kidstrack2 · 01/03/2006 20:58

jetset the overhang stays, i'm having surgery on fri to have it removed after nearly 7yrs of constant exercise

JanH · 01/03/2006 20:59

DS1 had a huuuuge head (still has) - you've got me wondering now, DH isn't here and I'm not about to ask DS1 to measure (he's 17!) but I just had a good look - 2-handed so no tape Grin. I was wrong before, it's at least 20cm, so I'll blame him (he didn't want to come out at all, they had to rummage around for ages and he looked extremely scrunched up and cross when he did emerge!)

mawbroon · 01/03/2006 21:06

My scar is only from October, so maybe it will shrink.... My DS was tangled up with one foot up by his head and the other down below. I wonder if the surgeon had to make a big hole for the tangled baby to fit through! I didn't think to ask at the time Wink

mawbroon · 01/03/2006 21:07

Jampots, who did yours? Possibly same chap as me at St Johns. Dr Thompson I think his name was.

chjlly · 01/03/2006 21:13

I had stitches with section no.1 & staples with number 2 I was told that staples were sometimes used with 2nd sections as the scar tissue can cause problems stitching but I think it depends on the surgeon although I would rather stitches if I was to have another

cranberryheights · 01/03/2006 21:31

scar length 21.5cm approx. Stomach overhang (pregnant) makes it difficult to tell. Ds was only 7lbs 2 so not a whooper (but with quite a big head :)) so maybe it does make a difference who does the op.

Christie · 01/03/2006 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jetsetmum · 01/03/2006 22:49

sorry for delayed reaction - been watching telly Grin

Kidstrack2 - need to know - what kinda surgery are you having - is it on NHS - can't live with this forever Sad