ELCS mums - staples, stitches or glue?

[YoungGirlGrowingOld]

Hi all

I am 18 weeks pregnant with my first DC and have just had my planned CS agreed by the consultant. The CS was agreed because of prior abdominal surgery although I was willing to go down the maternal request route had the consultant not agreed to ELCS.

My previous abdo surgery involved being glued and I have a very tidy approx 10 inch scar running through my navel. It really is the least obvious laparotomy scar I have even seen so I have been very lucky. A friend recently showed me her c section scar - her son is is 5 and it still looked very angry and red. The staples they used gave left "hole" marks in her abdomen and the skin is very jagged. Her advice was "don't let them staple you!"

Is this "normal" with staples? Was anyone stitched or glued post-CS? Do you think there is any scope for requesting one method over another (if I ask very politely)? Obviously I am expecting a scar, and the important thing is to get DS out safely, but dissolvable stitches or glue seem like a better option. I suppose staples are quicker/cheaper?

Many thanks in advance for your replies.

I had removable stitches in 2002, scar is very low down and has healed well. Having the stitch (was one long one) was most unpleasant though. Small price to pay though

I was stitched after my emcs. Was a year ago now and the scar is pretty faded. The scar is a lot shorter than I imagined, very low down and doesn't bother me in the slightest. The apron overhang though, that bothers me!

Thank you Tommy. I think I can cope with stitching although I imagine the removal feels pretty odd! Tbh the glue made me feel as though my insides were going to fall out - it's not v "secure" iykwim. But the scar is quite neat and flat. I think I was just assuming the C section scar would be the same because I have never studied one closely before.

Ive had 3, first was dissolvable stitches, second was staples and third was a thread of stitches that was pulled out a week later. No probs with any of them..
(They were all different hospitals so different procedures in each)

I had dissolvable stitches for both of mine.

I have a neat scar which is barely visible now after 4 years.

It comes down to surgeon preference and the circumstances. I was glued and my scar is neat, although still a bit red in the middle two years on. A friend had the same surgeon but it was her 4th CS (so different surgical circumstances I guess) and she had removable stitches.

Stapled & scar is very neat except I was done far too tight so have 2 tummies until I breath in....
But on the flip side at least my abdominal muscles are intactish.

With DC1 I had a blue plastic thread that the midwife whipped out after a few days. Genuine fear that my insides would fall out when I stood up! With DC2 I had dissolvable stitches. I don't know why the difference (same hospital but 5 year gap). Both wounds healed well. I think some people heal better than others so you may just be lucky that way.

I had dissolvable stitches with my first Emcs, the scar was very short and low down. I had one long cotton stitch with my second Emcs, same incision line so I only have one scar. It is so low, my pubic hair has grown over it, and it is silvery white. Completely unnoticeable. The dissolvable stitches did dissolve and were fine the one long stitch felt very strange when the midwife took it out about 10 days or so after the birthIt didn't hurt but it wasn't pleasant.

I don't have any overhang when I'm at my normal weight. The fat in my tummy now is because I'm about a shine over my ideal weight, but it's not to do with the c sections at all.

I had staples and healed fine and scar barely noticeable 3 years on (not that I look very often) BUT I really struggled when the midwife removed the wretched things so if I had needed a CS for ds2 then I was going to ask about alternatives! I am a complete wuss though

For my EMCS I had the thread that got pulled out a few days later. For my ELCS a couple of years later I can't remember! But I know I didn't have staples or the thread. My scar healed better first time round. But all fine now, just a thin silvery line about 10 long.

Thanks for all the replies! I think I will ask for glue but compromise on stitches - I really don't fancy staples much, I really am a bit of a wuss tbh!