Question for c section MoMs

smscartozzi · October 2013

Not multiples related but I am packing my bag for the hospital. I am mentally preparing for the idea of having a c sections. Do you recommend any kind of underwear that irritated your incision less? I cant fathom wearing underwear with an elastic waist with stitches right there! Anything else I should consider when packing clothes for a potential c section?

TheDairyQueenx3 · October 2013

This will be my first c-section and I too am wondering what to pack in my bag I know it's going to be slightly different than my other birth. but the mesh underwear you get are fantastic I wore those for a long time even afterwards i think until my pp bleeding stopped I just asked for extras before I left and hand washed in the sink. Some people hate them but I actually thought they were great so I'm just going to plan on those unless someone suggests otherwise. I did buy a couple pair of high wasted ones just in case but I'm bringing my maternity leggings for the ride home so the panel can be pulled up. YouTube "what's in my hospital bag c-section" pulls up a lot of great videos on this

smscartozzi · October 2013

Didn't even think of YouTube! Yeah the mesh undies are good but I am trying to be less "patient" this time. Last birth I wore the hospital gown and mesh undies the whole time! This time I want to get into my own jammies and stuff for at least 2 of the days. I'm all over YouTube now.

Rynleigh · October 2013

No CS here, but I did have my surgery at 17w that left me with a 7" incision to heal from - I second the high-waisters. I picked up a size larger than I normally wear, so that they'd come up over my belly button (mine was a vertical, so I needed them to be really tall as not to rest on it) - with a bikini incision, I'd imagine just a standard high waist would be perfect. Maybe even some of those "support" bottoms like the tall pair on here https://store.upspringbaby.com/Incision-Care-Starter-Set-2-Pack-p/icsp2.htm would be nice to help hold the left-over belly up off of the incision to keep it from being irritated by sweat!

meechellebelle · October 2013

I brought my own maternity underwear and pjs but ended up only wearing the mesh ones. There's lots of bleeding so the giant pads worked best with the mesh undies. And I could wear them under my normal pjs no problem.

ks3pink · October 2013

High waisted in a size bigger than normal.

This is actually what I wore when pg and just kept wearing for a few weeks afterwards.

RachH517 · October 2013

I wore the mesh panties there and switched to depends once I got home. I'm 12 days pp and I'm still wearing the depends. I bought some larger underwear and still did not find them comfortable. With the mesh panties I always felt like they were falling off and the pad never stayed in place well.

With the depends, they sit higher on the waist so they don't feel like they will fall off and the panos built in. I feel a little silly wearing them but they are still the only thing I am comfortable in. I will add that I thought I would need medium and ended needing large. There is a size chart on the side, but didn't realize it when my husband went to buy them for me.

Good luck with your c-section.

staceymack · October 2013

ks3pink said:
High waisted in a size bigger than normal.

This is actually what I wore when pg and just kept wearing for a few weeks afterwards.

This! You get a lot of IV fluid during surgery and will swell up! My bigger sized underwear didn't fit well or come up high enough after surgery. Get high waist and a size or two bigger than normal. The mesh ones aren't too bad, but after a couple of days I those I was ready for real underwear.

rac717 · October 2013

Yep, I went with the high waisted (think granny style) in a size bigger. And bought maxipads that I stuck to the top part of the underwear so that the pad covered the incision which prevented the rubbing.

As far as clothes - I loved my leggings. Yes, I wore them with the granny panties. Easy to pull on. Just have a long top so no one sees the granny panty lines

Also, yes or yes, get a belly support band. It makes such a HUGE difference. I used mine for the first week all the time (except when I slept) and it was def one of the reasons I recovered so quickly.

Dragonfly1226 · October 2013

I wore the mesh hospital underwear for the week or so I was there. After my c/s I was so bloated that I couldn't even fit into my regular underwear or the sweat pants I had packed. I wore hospital scrubs so I didn't have to wear the hospital gowns for the week. I had a significant amount if bleeding (more than after my vaginal birth with DS) so I was more comfortable in hospital gear anyway.

eandk18 · October 2013

I also wore the mesh underwear at the hospital....they didn't irritate my incision and I was wearing the giant hospital pads anyways because of all the bleeding. As far as clothing I wore the hospital gown for the full day of the c section once I was able to move around I lived in my maternity gaucho pants from ON. They were so soft and didn't irritate my stomach.

smscartozzi · October 2013

Thank you all for your ideas! I guess I will start with the mesh undies and maybe try to convert to the granny panties the last day or so before I go home!

Mrs. Alice · October 2013

I had no problem with wearing regular old hanes bikini cut cotton panties. I wore the mesh hospital ones the first few days but I didn't love those like some do. My incision is right above my pubic line, so there was plenty of clearance for regular panties.

shaunah816 · October 2013

I loved the mesh undies, although they did get caught up in my post-surgical tape (not the stitches) quite a few times during bathroom visits. I think I only cried in pain a couple times

After that I wore high waisted undies in a larger size and those were perfect.

hjoy_06 · October 2013

I bought giant Hanes Her Way underwear just for this reason...and loved them! I even wore them for a couple of weeks afterward (rolled down a bit) to keep everything off the site. They worked very well and were very comfortable, I just threw them away when I didn't need them anymore.

ceechie · October 2013

I wore the mesh, hospital undies until I got home then switched to maternity. I hs a hard time with other types and had to actually go out and buy some. Super happy I did bc these were the most comfy by a long shot. I'd also add to make sure they're 100% cotton. The breathability was super important. Even just the like 2% spandex bothered me and made it hard for pads to stick. Good luck!
Ps-my girls are 3 months old and I'm still rocking these undies!!

smscartozzi · October 2013

Aren't maternity underwear the most comfy ever!! I have been wearing them for the past 2 months and wish someone had told me about them during my first pregnancy!! I think I will bring a smorgasbord of underwear to try while I am there, it can't hurt.

Ruthie04 · October 2013

I am 100% mesh panties and even begged the nurses for extras to take home! But, after that, I did wear Hanes briefs. My incision is below the hairline, so most underwear wouldn't have gone near the scar. For me, however, it was very uncomfortable to have anything pressing against my extra skin.

tiffwedd · October 2013

I also say the mesh panties at the hospital were the most comfy immediately following. When I went home I too went with the big granny panties that came up way over my incision just to be safe. I also found the full panel maternity leggings I had were very comfy in the first couple of weeks of recovery.

Mye · October 2013

I got granny panties in a big size, the mesh panties from the hospital were good too. And yoga pants.

Mthurm17 · October 2013

Mye said:
I got granny panties in a big size, the mesh panties from the hospital were good too. And yoga pants.

Same. I got big black grannies (someone told me to get black so any blood doesn't show). I'm 13 days post c/s and still wearing granny panties s b/c all my regular undies hit right at my incision.

MissMarnee · October 2013

Same as pps, mesh underwear all the way--honestly, you'll be so busy with your new ones this'll be the least of your cares. Two things I wish I had packed, though, if you're planning on breast feeding--a heating pad to prep your boobs before expressing & a bra to hold the pump horns for you. There's nothing more exhausting than holding up those suckers in the middle of the night--arg!!!!!
Best of luck to you!

Jess63085 · October 2013

Like other posters, I bought high waisted underwear in a larger size. But I didn't end up using them...I wore the mesh undies the whole time I was in the hospital. The ones I bought came in handy the first couple weeks at home so I didn't have something rubbing my incision.

megs2011 · October 2013

I wore regular old hanes bikini cut undies. My incision was at the pubic hairline so there was lots of clearance. I however did wear the mesh ones until the bleeding slowed a bit. The mesh was really bothering me. I would definitely bring maternity clothes. My regular clothes that fit me during my pregnancy (yoga pants) didn't fit because I swelled up soooo much after.

smscartozzi · October 2013

I def packed a pair of xl yoga pants and a pair of maternity pants and a night gown and robe....and a huge t shirt, something out of those should fit! And if not DH will just have to do some extra laundry!

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