I had my K pouch (abdominal continent ileostomy) done in 1979.
My first hernia was somewhere around 2008. Then I started to get them constantly. It could be from abdominal muscles thinning out due to age.
The first fix was open surgery/internal, sutured. Next, they tried the outside-in approach. Neither worked...I finally needed to have my pouch moved and the whole thing redone (bad few years).
I made at least 7 or 8 new ones over the next 5 yrs and got them all fixed through laparoscopy. My surgeon is great, he is a specialist. They were all mesh repairs and all held beautifully (my abdomen must look like a patchwork quilt inside!).
I was kept for 48-72 hours in hospital only because he didn't want me to make any efforts for 3 days and stay flat to heal (ileostomy issues).
Pain was acceptable, post-op was fine and no issues since (he did the first one around 2010).
Personally, it is the only way I would have mine fixed. But again, that is personal and you need an experienced surgeon to do them right...it doesn't matter whether they come from picking up a 50lb bag of potatoes or bending to tie your shoelaces or coughing while pushing...a hernia is a hernia...sometimes they need fixing and sometimes not...yet. I prefer to fix them when they are small enough not to cause complications. I've seen the damage that they can cause when they get too big (before I found that surgeon, no one would touch me!)
I noticed that as I get older (yes, it happens to the best of us!) they are more frequent and that surgery is more difficult with age...so I prefer small fixes to open surgery. (less anesthesia, less scar tissue, less time in O.R or convalescing) but again...it's personal.
Sharon