We make women's bamboo boxer shorts, one of the six options below, so read our entry with that in mind. We do not make disposable knickers or compression pants, and for the first week after a C-section you want one of those. Specifications were checked on each brand's own site or retailer page on 27 September 2026. This is general information, not medical advice: your midwife is the person to ask about your wound.
Most advice on what to wear after C-section surgery comes down to one rule: keep the waistband off the wound. The NHS says a caesarean scar is usually a horizontal line 10 to 20cm long, just below your bikini line, which is almost exactly where an ordinary pair of knickers puts its elastic. The caesarean leaflet from Hull University Teaching Hospitals says it in one line: wear comfortable underwear which does not press on the wound.
So good C-section knickers sit clearly above the scar or clearly below it, never on it, and what that looks like changes over the six weeks or so it takes to heal. Below: what to wear in week one, in weeks two to six and after, six pairs compared on where the waistband sits, and what to pack in your hospital bag.
C-section underwear: the short answer
The best C-section underwear is whatever keeps the waistband away from the wound, and that changes as you heal. C-section underwear simply means knickers cut so the band sits clear of a caesarean wound: usually high-waisted, sometimes low-rise, and disposable for the first days.
- In theatre: nothing. Cambridge University Hospitals, for example, asks you to remove your underwear just before you go in and gives you a second gown.
- Days 1 to 7: high-waisted disposable knickers and maternity pads. Bleeding is at its heaviest, and the wound often stays under a dressing for about a week.
- Weeks 2 to 6: soft, washable knickers, or a boxer with a wide band, that sit clearly above the scar or clearly below it, with room for a pad, a size up on your usual.
- From about week 6: whatever is comfortable. Hull's leaflet says it takes about 6 weeks for all your tissues to heal completely, and plenty of women keep the high-waisted or longer-leg styles long after that.
If your midwife gives you different advice for your wound, follow it.
C-section knickers compared
The best post C-section underwear depends on the week, so this compares six pairs UK mums weigh up on the thing that matters most: where the waistband sits. Where a brand describes its waistband, we have quoted it rather than paraphrased it. Prices as listed on 27 September 2026; they move.
| Knickers | Where the waistband sits | Fabric | Sizes | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frida Mom High-waist Disposable Postpartum Underwear | High waist that "won't roll down over your incision" | Microfibre and spandex, mesh-free, latex-free | One size, waist 70 to 110cm | £14.99 for 8 (£11.99 on offer at Boots) | Days 1 to 7 |
| Lansinoh Postpartum Underwear | "High, non-slip waistband" | Microfibre and spandex, latex-free | One size fits most | £7.99 for 4 | Week one, washable up to 3 times |
| BABYGO Postpartum Knickers | High-waisted, sits "above the incision line" | 71% TENCEL modal, 22% nylon, 7% elastane | S to XL (UK 6 to 22), runs small | £11, or £25 for 3 | Weeks 2 to 6, above the scar |
| BABYGO C-section Knickers | Low-rise V, cut to sit "below the incision line" | 71% TENCEL modal, 22% nylon, 7% elastane | S to XL (UK 6 to 22), runs small | £10 | Weeks 2 to 6, below the scar |
| JoJo Maman Bébé Postnatal Support Pants | Not stated; sold as bump and back support | 82% polyamide, 14% elastane, 4% cotton | Smaller than JoJo's usual sizing | £10 to £11 (£6 in the sale) | Support in late pregnancy and after |
| Flissie bamboo boxer shorts (ours) | Wide, flat, mid-rise band: worn up it sits above a bikini-line scar, folded down it sits below it | 95% Tanboocel bamboo viscose, 5% elastane | UK 8 to 30, one price | £20, about £13 each in a 7 pack | Week 2 on, and thigh chafing |
None of these is a medical garment, ours included. American guides call them C-section panties; the job is the same.
Week one: C-section disposable underwear
For the first few days, disposables are the right answer, and we do not make them.
Bleeding after birth is heaviest in the first week whether you had a caesarean or not, and the NHS advises period pads rather than tampons. Most C-section pants in that first week are disposable for a simple reason: you want something that holds a pad still, comes up well above the wound and can go in the bin.
Frida Mom is the disposable C-section underwear most UK guides name. Boots sells the high-waist version in packs of eight, and Frida describes it as postpartum C-section underwear, with a higher waistband that won't roll down over your incision. It is soft microfibre and spandex rather than mesh, one size, for waists from 70 to 110cm. £14.99 for eight, and £11.99 on offer when we checked.
Lansinoh sits between disposable and reusable: a high, non-slip waistband that Lansinoh says avoids pressure on your incision, in microfibre and spandex, washable up to three times per pair. £7.99 for four.
Chemist and supermarket own-brand disposable maternity pants do the same job, as long as the waist comes up high. Buy more than feels sensible. Our guide to maternity knickers and postpartum underwear goes through how many you need.
Weeks two to six: high-waisted C-section knickers, or low-rise
Post C-section underwear from here on needs to be soft, washable and roomy enough for a pad. Then it is your choice: a waistband that sits above the scar, or one that sits below it. What matters is that it is not on it.
High-waisted C-section underwear is the usual advice, and BABYGO has built its Postpartum Knickers around it: a seamless TENCEL modal knicker whose waistband, in BABYGO's words, sits above the incision line instead of on it, with a three-layer gusset for lighter bleeding. £11 a pair, or £25 for three, and rated 4.8 from 144 reviews on BABYGO's site.
Some women find anything over the tummy too much in the early weeks. For them, BABYGO's low-rise C-section Knickers are cut in a V at the front to sit below the incision line rather than across it. £10 a pair, rated 4.9 from 76 reviews.
Two things to know before you order. BABYGO says both run small, so go a size up. And BABYGO does not take opened knickers back, for hygiene reasons, which is worth weighing when you are buying at 38 weeks without knowing what size you will be afterwards.
Plain high-rise cotton is the unglamorous option, and cotton is what the NHS names: its recovery advice is loose, comfortable clothes and cotton underwear. M&S sells high-rise pure cotton full briefs in five packs, and H&M's MAMA high waist cotton briefs have gathers at the sides to sit over the tummy. Buy a size up, in black. Our cotton underwear guide covers what to look for.
Cantaloop C-section pants (sold as C-Section Briefs) and Mothercare's seam-free caesarean briefs still appear in a lot of UK guides. When we checked in September 2026, we could not confirm UK stock of either, so check before you plan around them.
C-section compression underwear: do you need it?
You do not have to wear it. The NHS recovery page does not mention compression; its advice is loose, comfortable clothes and cotton underwear. Some women like the held-in feeling of C-section support underwear in the first weeks, others cannot bear anything firm on a sore tummy, and your midwife can tell you what suits your wound.
JoJo Maman Bébé makes the high street version. Its Postnatal Support Pants are seamless, in polyamide and elastane, sold for bump and back support in pregnancy and for your tummy after birth. JoJo says they come up smaller than its usual sizing. £10 to £11, and £6 in the sale when we checked. M&S also sells JoJo's postnatal high waisted briefs, which JoJo describes as light to medium compression.
UpSpring's C-Panty goes further: a high-waisted compression brief, with a silicone panel over the incision in some versions. It is an American brand, and in the UK it is mostly sold through Amazon and import sites, so check who you are buying from. Most post C-section compression underwear, and most C-section recovery pants sold as support, tend to be made the same way: firm, high and synthetic.
We do not make C-section compression pants, and we are not going to tell you whether compression helps you heal. That is a question for your midwife, not a knicker brand.
Where boxer shorts fit after a C-section
From about week two, and for a long time after, a boxer with a wide, soft waistband does two jobs most post C-section knickers cannot.
The waistband. Ours is wide, flat and mid-rise rather than a thin line of elastic. Worn up, it sits above a bikini-line scar. Some women fold it down so it sits underneath instead, and swap between the two depending on the day. Because there is no narrow edge, the hold is spread across the whole width of the band rather than pressing into one groove, which is the only reason folding it down works at all. You can see where it sits, worn up and folded, on our chub rub shorts page.
"The band of my pre-pregnancy knickers would sit directly on top of my scar, making it uncomfortable. Flissie bands sit above my scar for extra comfort."
Customer feedback
The leg. Your shape changes after birth, and thighs that never touched can start to, usually just as you start walking with a pram. A 6 inch leg puts a soft layer of bamboo viscose between them; the 9 inch goes further, to just above the knee. The leg band is tensioned to stay put rather than ride up as you walk. Our chub rub guide explains why a longer leg works.
Plenty of customers buy them in pregnancy and keep wearing them afterwards. Why they work with a bump is a separate read.
"I am currently pregnant with my second child, and I wish I had come across these sooner. They are so soft and comfortable I wear them all day long, they have stopped my chafing completely!"
Louise, UK, verified review
"I bought the black 9-inch leg in a large to accommodate my pregnancy bump. They are really silky soft and breathable, exactly what I wanted to avoid chafing. They are a little loose on the thigh as I am usually a medium, but it doesn't make them any less comfortable and means I will hopefully be able to wear them throughout the pregnancy and post-partum."
A.P., UK, verified review
What they are: 95% Tanboocel bamboo viscose with 5% elastane: soft from the first wear, breathable and moisture-wicking, which matters if you are running warm at night in the weeks after birth. A 6 inch leg in all eight colours, or a 9 inch in black and pine green. UK 8 to 30, every size the same price. £20 a pair, about £13 a pair in a 7 pack. Rated 4.69 from 336 reviews.
What they are not: absorbent, so you still need a pad while you are bleeding. They are not high-waisted either: the band will not come up over your belly button the way a high-waisted brief does. And they are not a support garment.
Sizing. Buy for the size you are now, not the size you were. Between two sizes, take the bigger one; our size guide has the measurements. If you get it wrong, your first size swap is free, and the 60 day guarantee covers a different size or a full refund, worn or not.
See the 6 inch in all eight colours, or start with two pairs in black for the hospital bag.
What knickers to pack in your C-section hospital bag
Pack for afterwards, not for theatre: you change into a gown before a caesarean, and hospitals such as Cambridge ask you to take your underwear off just before you go in. The NHS says you will probably be in hospital for one or two days, so you do not need a week of anything.
- A pack or two of high-waisted disposable knickers for the first days.
- Maternity pads. The NHS says pads, not tampons.
- Two pairs of post C-section pants for going home and the days after: soft, with a wide waistband, a size up on your usual.
- Loose trousers or a dress, with nothing that sits on your bikini line.
What to wear after a C-section, beyond knickers
The same rule applies to everything you wear over your underwear after C-section surgery: nothing that presses on the wound.
- Loose trousers, leggings or joggers with a soft, wide waistband that sits above the scar, or that you can fold down below it.
- Dresses and nightdresses, which put nothing at your waist at all.
- Nothing with a firm band at the bikini line, such as low-rise jeans, until the wound has healed.
If the wound gets redder, more swollen or more painful, or starts to weep, speak to your midwife or GP.
What we will not tell you
We will not tell you our boxers were designed as C-section recovery underwear. They were designed as everyday boxer shorts, and how well the band sits above a scar is something customers told us afterwards.
We will not tell you they help your wound heal, ease swelling or support your recovery. They are ordinary boxer shorts, not a surgical garment, and nobody should be selling you knickers as wound care.
And we will not pretend bamboo viscose is cotton. The NHS names cotton underwear. If your midwife tells you to wear cotton, wear cotton; our cotton guide will help you choose.
Where we are not the answer
- The first week. You need disposables and pads, and we make neither.
- Bleeding. Ours have no absorbency, so they need a pad for as long as you are bleeding.
- A high waist. Our band is mid-rise. If you want something that comes up over your belly button, BABYGO's high-waisted pair or a support pant will do it and ours will not.
- Compression. Not what these are.
C-section underwear: your questions
What knickers should I wear after a C-section?
Knickers that keep the waistband off the wound. High-waisted disposable C-section pants such as Frida Mom for the first days, then soft, washable knickers that sit clearly above the scar or clearly below it, such as BABYGO's high-waisted or low-rise pairs, until around six weeks. After that, whatever is comfortable.
Do I need disposable pants after a C-section?
Not always, but they make the first few days easier. Bleeding is heaviest, you are sore, and you can throw them away. From the end of the first week, you can move to washable knickers with a pad in them.
When can I wear normal knickers after a C-section?
When they no longer press on your scar. Hull University Teaching Hospitals says it takes about six weeks for all your tissues to heal completely, so six weeks is a sensible point to try your old knickers again. If the band still sits on the scar and rubs, give it longer, or stay with a style that sits clear of it.
Does compression underwear help after a C-section?
Some women find light support comfortable, but you do not need it. The NHS recovery advice is loose, comfortable clothes and cotton underwear, and it does not mention compression. Ask your midwife before wearing anything firm over a healing wound.
Do you wear knickers during a C-section?
No. You change into a hospital gown, and hospitals such as Cambridge University Hospitals ask you to remove your underwear just before theatre, with a second gown for dignity. Pack your knickers for afterwards.
Should C-section knickers sit above or below the scar?
Either, as long as they do not sit on it. High-waisted knickers sit above it and are the most common advice; low-rise styles cut in a V sit below it. Scars sit in slightly different places, so try both if you can.
What size knickers should I buy after a C-section?
A size up on your usual, bought for the size you are now. Swelling takes weeks to settle, a tighter band presses harder, and some postpartum brands, BABYGO included, say their knickers run small.
Can I wear boxer shorts after a C-section?
Yes, as long as the waistband does not press on the wound, which is the rule Hull's hospital leaflet gives for any underwear. Look for a wide, soft band you can wear above the scar or fold below it, rather than a thin elastic edge, and wear a pad in them while you are still bleeding. Ours are made that way, in UK 8 to 30, but they are not absorbent and not a medical garment.
Sources
- NHS: Caesarean section, recovery (last reviewed 4 January 2023)
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals: Information about your caesarean section (updated 31 August 2024)
- Cambridge University Hospitals: Planned caesarean birth (reviewed 20 June 2024)
- Product details from each brand's own site or its UK retailer, checked 27 September 2026: Boots (Frida Mom), Lansinoh, BABYGO, JoJo Maman Bébé, M&S and H&M.
