C Section - classical incision

[Lucky13]

Hi,
has anyone here a classical incision and if so could you tell me how long it took to heal afterwards please? My consultant said i may have to have one and i would like to know the implications of this as opposed to the transverse cut i was hoping for? I know that the classical is easier to split if you get pregnant again, but that's all.

Will it make picking up the baby more difficult do you think?

Do you think it would mean a longer stay in hospital as i'm hoping to get out after 3 days if poss (i hate being in hospital).

Thanks

Hi,
i know its unusual, but i've had so many ops in the past that the transverse cut may not be possible unfortunately. Because its generally not used any more i don't know much about it and even my midwife didn't help.
Trust me to be difficult!

Trying not to give my age away here...

I nursed many ladies with a classical incision, most of them had few problems and healing was on a par with the transverse incision, however women were inclined to stay longer in hospital then and not expected to 'run around' as early as ladies do today.

The greater problems and implications were for subsequent pregnancies/deliveries, hence it was well documented that a woman had a maximum of three sections..

Aesthetically the results were more obvious and a cause of concern to some ladies.

Thanks for the reply. Its good to know that they heal similarly.
It'll be a miracle if i ever manage to get pregnant again so am not really worried about that!
My tummy is already covered in scars, so i guess my bikini will be locked away forever!
I always have a fear of wounds opening and i don't want to be too scared to pick up the baby if no-one is around to help me. Do you know how quickly you're allowed to pick up baby afterwards?

It's which muscles you use that makes the difference, initially your abdominal muscles will be very sore, so use your upper arm and shoulder muscles to good effect to cradle baby and then use your thigh muscles toelevate yourself.

Hope that makes sense! It did when I typed it!

It makes perfect sense thanks! So, its not that its not possible - just a case of how you do it!
Thanks for making me less worried about it.

Glad to help, and good luck for your delivery.

I'm facing the same thing. (placenta is abnormally attached and in the wrong place and they don't want to cut through it).

The doc I spoke to this morning said the scar will prob be from belly button, vertically downwards in the middle. They still separate the muscles rather than cut them. I asked about driving etc afterwards and she said no difference to a transverse. She said the cut may hurt more immediately afterwards (so they give you more drugs).

I would think there is an even greater requirement for Big Knickers though.

Hi,
I'm glad i'm not alone - although i don't think its a club anyone would want to join!! Sorry you have to have one too.

My placenta is at the front and they will have to cut through mine - when i asked if that would cause a problem he said only if i'm too slow - hmm not sure about his sense of humour!

Thanks for the info from your doc, lets hope that its not too painful.

As for the big knickers - well i'm having terrible trouble finding those, but that's another story!

I think Lucky13 and fruitful should rename this as a 'Vertical Section' thread, or would the 'Big Knicker Girls' be more appropriate!

I wish you both well and if I can be of help, please ask.

asda and ethel austin do very Big Pants

and very cheap

what about over the bump knickers? I got some lovely soft ones and they should come up high enough not to touch the scar. I can look out the manufacturer if it would help.

Thanks for the big knicker suggestions! Have tried asda, tesco and M&S but don't do a size 8 in big knicker style!
Anyone know anywhere that does big knickers for small people? I've seen disposables, but they don't look too comfy!

They cut through my placenta without noticable problem last time. This time they don't want to do that cos they're planning on leaving it in there - urrrkk.

Don't think I've ever needed size 8 knickers .

Poor dh is going to have to go knicker shopping for me unless I can buy some online somewhere. Although he has already braved the sanitary protection aisle for me.

What I really want are lots of very cheap cotton ones so I can treat them as disposable. Lucy, I don't suppose you noticed if Tesco did 14-16?

Sorry, Lucky not Lucy!

Not that I've ever bought size 8 knickers (I probably had that size at age 8....maybe) but I know that ethel austin's do incredibly big armpit skimmers in what appears to be most sizes.

Hmm...I actually don't know if ethel austin's is a countrywide shop or if they just have stores in the wales/shropshire area, so sorry if you've never heard of them.

You could try a catalogue designed for old ladies, I know it sounds daft but they're bound to have high waisted briefs. I used an old lady catalogue in order to get a decent long button front nightie for in hospital, as all the ones I could find for people in their mid twenties were either thigh skimming or sexy leopard print mesh type affairs. Ooh, not for me, dear!

Hope this helps, good luck with your birth and congrats!!

mothercare did do size 8 maternity briefs.

I'm likely to have a classical c-section too as I have a pesky fibroid near the cervix blocking vaginal birth & also where the transverse cut would be. It seems very worrying as there is not a great deal of info around but I have a couple of months to get used to the idea. If you find any more resources please post. Big pants are definitely on the list!

Well, I've now experienced the classical incision. Compared to the transverse ones I had before, it bloody hurt. Admittedly I also had a GA, a hysterectomy and a huge blood transfusion so I was left feeling like I'd been run over by a bus anyway. But I reckon it definitely adds a couple of days to the time it takes to be able to move about fairly comfortably.

And knickers... my verdict is under-the-bump bikini knickers with a bit of hospital gauze tucked inside over the scar. My scar goes a long way up and the big knickers just weren't big enough!

Lucky M&S do MAHOOSIVE big knickers in a size 8 - I know, I have about twenty pairs!

Kudos for getting through all that fruitful & thanks for the knicker tip. I think I will get both bikini & granny style & see what works out best. Better to have too many than none!

i wore mens boxer trunks.......the come up really high and are usually made of soft cotton and lycra. You can still use pads......hubby has them back now