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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

C section closure types - does it matter?

39 replies

pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 10:24

Hi, I've had vaginal births before, all straightforward, but this little monkey is an unstable lie. Was admitted straight from mw appointment so my labour bag at home is packed for labour not cs - hoping it'll do! Having never had a cs I'm a bit in the dark. All advice welcome. I suppose I'm a little afraid of so much longer recovering, and (vanity) the scarring and overhang that seems common / inevitable. And one specific question - the surgeon can use glue, stitches or staples. Is one better than another at minimising scarring?

I'm waffling. This is so new to me!

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/08/2021 10:28

I had a long thread with bead and my scar is so neat it's barely visible,like a line on the palm of your hand. I'm sure this is down to having two female surgeons Wink

Original poster
pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 10:37

Oh wow, so stitching worked well for you. I know staples are easier for the surgeon but i might try request stitching... staples look a bit industrial when theyre in so my (wild) imaginings see the scar as worse with those.

OP posts:
gg96cgp · 15/08/2021 10:56

I had staples.

Was fine - healed well - but my midwife was shocked they used staples, said it was an outdated technique. It also meant there was a five day delay in having them removed whilst they tried to locate a staple remover - even the hospital didn't have one.

When they finally located one, I kid you not, that it looked like one they used to use in schools in the 80s to remove staples from walls......was pain free though 🤣

Frederica852 · 15/08/2021 11:01

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

I had a long thread with bead and my scar is so neat it's barely visible,like a line on the palm of your hand. I'm sure this is down to having two female surgeons Wink
Same for me. No overhang or anything either
Justme10 · 15/08/2021 11:04

I've had 2 and they used glue both times, it looked the exact same after the second as well.
I have a slight overhang but nothing too bad really.

SquigglePigs · 15/08/2021 11:07

I had staples when DD was born nearly 3 yrs ago. I healed well and they were easy enough for the midwife to remove. Obviously nothing to compare it to though.

Original poster
pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 11:09

Oh @gg96cgp that has made me wince! The thought, even if it didnt hurt.

I suppose they may not even give me a choice. I was admitted on thurs afternoon, baby in a hundred different positions since and not settling. Consultant tomor will decide, then its in asap in case my waters break. I expect they'll go through a load of info first and i'll ask re closure types. Its not major i know.

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Ohshitiveturnedintomymother · 15/08/2021 11:10

I’ve had two and both times they have used dissolving stitches on the inside somehow. So you can’t see anything on the outside. Magic. I do have a slight shelf but that’s do to my fondness for cake Grin more than surgery.

nutellamagnet · 15/08/2021 11:16

I had dissolvable stitches both times - no discussion or "choice". Both scars healed cleanly - one is neater and smaller than the other, and it's the EMCS one. Getting DS2 out was harder and needed a bigger cut slightly higher up.

SockQueen · 15/08/2021 12:26

Haven't seen them use staples for a CS in years in this country (widely used in other surgery). Most will use some form of continuous suture for the skin layer, which may or may not be dissolvable. Some will put glue on top. But the best results will come from whatever the surgeon is most comfortable using.

Original poster
pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 12:28

"But the best results will come from whatever the surgeon is most comfortable using."
Good point!

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 15/08/2021 12:36

I always thought staples were used when any wound needs to be closed quickly. 20 years ago among other mum friends who had sections I remember only one having staples and that was really unusual but she'd had a difficult birth.

Givemebackmylilo · 15/08/2021 12:36

Stitches here
2 years on you wouldn't be able to see my scar unless I really point it out

Like PP, I had a female surgeon

Changechangychange · 15/08/2021 12:36

Continuous buried sutures as everyone else has said. They used a massive occlusive gel dressing to keep it moist and prevent infection, and while it was hideous at the time (looked like I had a huge piece of duct tape on me and it had to stay on for two weeks), it worked and I have no visible scar now.

GlamGiraffe · 15/08/2021 13:12

I had internal disolving stitches.there,was just glue on the skin itself. The scar is tiny and virtually invisible. It was done in a dlighyly different place to normal as the surgeon went over a scar i had from a different operation many years earlier and completely removed that scar and re joined the new edges up. There was no discussion in advance about what was going to happen or how it was going to be closed. I was shocked there,were no stitches on the surface.

Bluntness100 · 15/08/2021 13:14

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

I had a long thread with bead and my scar is so neat it's barely visible,like a line on the palm of your hand. I'm sure this is down to having two female surgeons Wink
Same for me, although my surgeons were male. My scar looks like a piece of white thread across my lower tummy. I’d recommend it.
MyGrassIsBrowner · 15/08/2021 13:28

Can I ask how far along you are?? I'm 32 weeks but my baby is currently in an oblique lie. I am booked in for an elective section but I am worried this could be a situation I find myself in if she doesn't engage. I've heard so many positive stories of sections (even emergency ones) and the recovery for most seems relatively fast these days! Good luck OP x

LittleCatDog · 15/08/2021 13:37

I scar badly so they said thread with the bead was the best option for the neatest scar. Midwife pulled the thread out about a week later I think and I didn't feel a thing. I've still scarred very badly but I'm sure it works for normal people! Sad

notasillysausage · 15/08/2021 14:05

I went through a similar experience, third baby and first c section due to lbw and unstable lie. I had stitches and my scar has healed really well. The recovery honestly wasn’t that bad. I tried to get moving as soon as they suggested and kept regular slow walking throughout each day which really helped. Also kept on top of my pain meds the first few days.
Make sure you get some big knickers and peppermint tea dropped off for you for afterwards xx

BridgeFarmKefir · 15/08/2021 14:11

Are you being told you have to had a c section? I had exactly the same as you - baby was head down for weeks, went to my routine 38 week appt and mw sent me straight to hospital where they confirmed she was lateral. They kept me in for 5 days and I crab walked and bounced my butt off, and they found she was head down when they did the final scan just before going into theatre. I opted for an induction instead.

olympicsrock · 15/08/2021 14:17

I’m a surgeon. Stitches and staples both give good results. Staples are quick and give excellent wound healing / scar as they evert/ turn out the wound edges to increase the surface area healing.

Stitches can be dissolvable or removable / the one with the bead / clip that slides out. Taunts depend on the skill of the surgeon.

Glue can be used on top of dissolvable stitches . The jury is out on whether is helps. Is thought to provide an additional barrier to infection.

Original poster
pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 15:25

This is all super info thank you so kuchbto everyone.

@MyGrassIsBrowner i'm 40 wks tomor so they are concerned my waters may break etc kind of any time. They may not obvs, but the risk is there. Baby shufts ftom breech to transverse (either left or right) to oblique... all over the place but not cephalic. He'd have to go cephalic and stay there for 24hrs before they'd attempt an induction, thry'd want him to stop shifting whuch i can understand. Given i'm on top of my due date they arent excited about giving extra time - @BridgeFarmKefir that might answer your question. They havrnt said i have to have a section, moreso that waiting at this point is a daily risk. Esp as i've been here 4 days snd he hasnt settled in sny one position so the hopes of that seem remote, balanced against having yo get bsby out in minutes for cord prolapse if it happened. Just seems safest option, though its not what i wanted or imagined, i actually like labour.

Lady across from me just wheeled back ftom her elcs... flat on her back and getting the shakes. How will i breastfeed if i'm lying like thst, i hadnt even thought of thst! Argh i'm a labour pro but section virgin!!

OP posts:
Original poster
pinkteapots · 15/08/2021 15:26

Sorry, i can actually spell. But, phones and sloppy typing

OP posts:
Suzi888 · 15/08/2021 15:33

I had stitches. I did have slight overhang but it went when I lost weight, which took forever! But I’m probably a lot older than you.
Afterwards I wore a c section recovery belt which is meant to keep you supported and flatten things out! I also used massage and silicon scar sheets from Boots (only once fully healed).
“ lady across from me just wheeled back ftom her elcs... flat on her back and getting the shakes” - didn’t happen to me. I was upright, baby on my chest/lap cuddled close. No shakes, I was up and out the bed soon after for a shower and catheter removal.

MyGrassIsBrowner · 15/08/2021 15:40

@pinkteapots Oh I'm so sorry to hear things might not pan out as you want. I am sure that even if you do end up with section, you will be absolutely fine. I think if you have no other medical issues it should be fairly straight forward. At my hospital they are discharging within 24 hours or less once you are mobile and passing urine without the catheter. Think it tends to be the case with subsequent babies that they dont engage or do so right at the last minute (guessing more room to slosh about it)
Keep us updated wont you, wishing you all the best. X