Cesareans 101
Even if your cesarean is planned you might feel nervous about the actual surgery. How will it feel? What will your recovery be like? And if you need an emergency C-section it’s likely you’ll feel even more anxious. Avoid panicking, by understanding what’s involved in this common operation.
Step 1
You’ll be given a spinal block or epidural to numb your body from the waist down. This ensures you’ll be conscious to welcome your newborn into the world! In rare cases, if you need an emergency cesarean there is a possibility there may not be time to wait for a local anesthetic to take hold, in which case you’ll be given a general.
Step 2
You’ll also have a thin tube, called a catheter, inserted into your bladder to drain urine, and an IV drip in your hand to give you fluids and additional drugs.
Step 3
When you and the anesthetist are happy that you can’t feel anything (they’ll check by spraying a cold solution on your body or pricking your belly), your bump will be washed with antiseptic. A screen is usually placed across the top of your bump so you can’t see the surgery being performed – although Tonya Jamois, President of the International Cesarean Awareness Network, says that a growing number of hospitals are honoring the wishes of moms who do want to see their babies being born. Either way, don’t worry: as long as all is well, the OB will lift your newborn up so you can see him right after he emerges.
Step 4
The doctor will make a 4-6 inch horizontal incision low on your abdomen, and a second incision in your uterus. You’ll then hear the sound of the amniotic fluid being suctioned out.
Step 5
Although you won’t feel any pain, you may feel a tugging sensation as your baby is eased out. His cord will be clamped and cut and he’ll be taken for a quick examination and clean-up. Because the mucus in his respiratory tract wasn’t squeezed out by vaginal contractions, he’s likely to need suctioning before you can hold him.
Step 6
The placenta will be delivered through the same incision in your uterus and the OB will then stitch the incisions – this usually takes about 30 minutes, as each layer of muscle needs to be stitched.
Recovery and planning for next time...
You’ll spend three or four days in hospital recovering, and will experience many of the same postnatal symptoms as you would if you’d had a natural delivery, including after pains as your uterus contracts back down, and lochia (postnatal bleeding). Your scar may be painful and itchy but this usually eases with time. Rarely moms experience chronic pain in their scar site – if your pain persists, consult your physician.
Most cesareans are straightforward but of course some may be more difficult depending on the reason why they’re necessary and the circumstances of the delivery, as Tonya Jamois points out: “If you’ve already had one or more c-sections, each successive surgery will likely be more complicated as there’s more scar tissue to work around.” The best weapon to keeping control over your baby’s birth is to understand why your OB is performing the operation and what will be involved. Think about all the delivery possibilities during your
pregnancy, so you’re not asking questions when you’re tired and panicky. Remember: this is your childbirth experience – don’t panic and you’ll stay in control.
If you choose a vaginal birth for your next baby (called VBAC, vaginal birth after cesarean) you’ll be happy to know that more than 20 years of medical research in North America and the rest of the world supports VBAC as a reasonably safe choice. “The majority of reasons for cesareans, such as breech baby or placenta previa, don’t repeat in future pregnancies,” says Tonya, “so if you plan another baby learn all you can about how to improve your odds of achieving a VBAC.”