C Section Mommas

pageme12

Hey girls, so for my first baby I had a fourth degree tear after a vaginal delivery (24 hrs. of labor) it was a pretty crappy experience and super long -painful recovery time. So I have a c section scheduled for March, my question is metal staples, stitches or glue? Any other tips or anything on c sections. When should we have our daughter come by?

asyph107

I had the staples last time it was super easy and healed very well. They took them out right before I left the hospital. Just make sure to bring nightgowns and very low rise comfy pants to eliminate any pain from clothing. GL!

pageme12

do you have a big scar at all?

OregonPachey

I had staples and they were removed the morning I left the hospital (didn't hurt at all).  Then I had steri-strips afterwards that just stayed on until they naturally fell off.

My repeat c/s is scheduled for 39 weeks.

My scar is noticable but I have heard that a lot of women don't even have a noticable scar anymore.  Mine is below my underwear line so no one sees it besides DH and I.  I do have numbness however and my DS is 22 months old.  I don't think the numbness will ever go away.

Expect to be on pain meds for a while.  I was lucky and only used mine for about a week and even then I wasn't taking them all the time. 

I had a very good c/s experience.  Very quick healing and no pain.

pageme12

With my first and the fourth degree tear I was on pain meds (strong) pain meds for the entire length of my maternity leave and even when I went back to work it was terrible (it was approx. 16 weeks). So a week sounds pretty good!

LittleMonkeys3

I had the same experience- a 4th degree tear leading to a c/s with my 2nd. My first recovery was horrible and long just like you had. My c/s recovery was SO easy compared to it. I had disolving stitches with glue over that if I remember correctly. One piece of advice is to watch for pain in your shoulders from gas getting trapped and ask for gas x when it starts happening. I thought it was so strange when someone told me that but it really helped.  Other than that I had very little pain with my c/s. I went to target at a week pp with both my babies and my first one I could hardly walk after 5 minutes. With my 2nd I felt great and only kept the trip short because I didn't want to overdo it and I had a brand new baby that I didn't want out too long. I'm having a c/s with this one again and I have no worries about it.

RNmommyof2

I think they stitched the underneath layers, but they stapled the skin. After they  took out the staples they put steri strips over the incision and those stayed until they fell off on their own. It didn't hurt when they took out the staples and I don't have any scars from the staples. I can still see my c-section incision (our daughter is 9.5 years old) but it's low and a very fine line.  The recovery was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. I'll be having a repeat c-section with this baby.

ghdst1

Ditto on the staples.  They were taken out the morning I left the hospital and they put on the surgical tape that came off on it's own.

treble_clef

I don't remember too well, but I think I had staples and steri-strips...  I remember my doctor took staples out rather quickly, and she put the strip on, and I was like, "that's it?"  My recovery was quick and easy.  No pain killer needed once I went home from the hospital.  It took a little over a weeks for me to walk as fast as I used to, but not bad over all.  I keloid easily, so my scar is visible, but it's very low, so no one can see it.  

One thing I suggest is to start working on your stomach muscle once your doctor tells you okay to work out.  You will lose the strength of your core muscle, which can lead to back aches.  

Good luck! 

CalMum_Momma

I was glued and it was great, but I didn't get a choice. Each OB does it their own way. I want to see DS this time ASAP. I miss that little guy terribly when we're apart! I'll just have to make sure that he's careful around me, and I won't be able to hold him in my lap or anything.

Suggestions: Take the meds they recommend. Get up and moving as soon as possible. bring comfy clothes that don't ride low where your incision will be (I wore the hospital issue disposable panties and my full panel maternity yoga pants home). Have someone around who can get the baby for you, because getting out of bed is a biitch the first couple days, and will take you a long time, all the while you have to listen to baby cry...and then you have to get back into bed!

metzy144

My stitches and staples dissolved so I didn't have to have any staples removed before I left the hospital. I just had steri strips over the incision when I left. It was amazing! My Dr. also told me that dissovable staples helps reduce the amount of scar tissue you will end up with.

ETA: My scar is only barely visible, it healed really well.