Think of a mantra. Some women prepare a mantra in their head they repeat. Mantras engage your breathing and calm your mind by reducing stress hormones. Think of a simple mantra that you can repeat to yourself through your C-section.
The reports of different studies showed that 73.3% to 86% of women undergoing cesarean delivery experience preoperative anxiety [5, 6].
The Night Before Your C-section
Try to get a good night's sleep. You may brush your teeth in the morning. Check with your doctor if you are taking any medication. Take a shower before coming to the hospital.
The anesthesia team will give you spinal anesthesia or place an epidural. You will start to feel numb from your breasts to your toes. You will be in the OR for about 60 to 90 minutes. Most times, the baby is delivered within the first 10 minutes.
Returning to Physical Activities After a C-Section
It's important to get out of bed and walk around within 24 hours after surgery.
Once a decision has been made to perform a C-section, the prep begins. You'll get an IV, if you don't already have one, to deliver fluids and an antibiotic. It's no longer standard procedure to shave pubic hair, because it could permit unwanted bacteria into the body.
To help with gas and bloating, eat lightly prior to your elective C-section. Soup, clear liquids, juices, and smoothies are best choices. Avoid meats and dairy, as these tend to cause bloating and heaviness. You may be hospitalized up to four days after your elective C-section.
A C-section incision is the most painful for the first three or four days after your surgery. By the time you go home, you should start to feel better. But your incision site will still be tender for about three weeks. Keeping your incision clean and dry will help it heal faster and prevent infection.
If there is more time, or if it's a planned (“elective”) Cesarean section, then the woman might have a choice of anesthetic. Her decision will usually depend on whether or not she would like to be awake for the birth.
For a planned C-section, you may have a choice of anesthetic, although you should be aware that a spinal block or epidural are generally considered the safest options for both you and your baby. In an emergency or when bleeding occurs, general anesthesia may be necessary.
During the early days of your recovery, you can sleep fully upright, but this is not recommended for the long term. Aim to position yourself at a 45-degree angle for a comfortable rest. Elevated back sleeping has also been found to treat pregnancy-related sleep apnea, as it keeps your airways from being obstructed.
Watching an informative and professional video through which the woman is exposed to the stages she will go through before, during and after the surgery in a professional and informative way calms, adds confidence and lowers anxiety.
The first day after a C-section is often the hardest, and moving around may hurt. Take any prescribed pain medication on schedule, and time your trips to the bathroom or around the room to coincide with when the pain medicine kicks in, suggests Dr. Woeber.
Women who have general anesthesia will not be awake during the cesarean birth. Regional anesthesia is generally preferred because it allows the mother to remain awake during the procedure, enjoy support from staff and her partner, experience the birth, and have immediate contact with the baby.
In the first 24 hours, it is common to feel pain at the site of the incision. Many women also feel post-birth cramps as the uterus shrinks. These sensations feel similar to menstrual cramps, but may be more intense. A nurse or doctor will carefully monitor the cesarean incision for signs of infection.
You may remove your wound dressing and take showers if stitches, staples, or glue were used to close your skin. Do not soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider tells you it is OK. In most cases, this is not until 3 weeks after surgery.
If you have had a general anaesthetic, you will stay in the recovery room until you wake up, usually in about 30 to 60 minutes. You will be able to see your baby when you wake up. Your baby may be allowed to stay with you unless the team is worried about your health or the baby's health.
buy cotton pants that are high enough to cover your c-section wound, such as full briefs that come up to your waist. buy a few cotton maternity bras – you may find these more comfortable than underwired bras, whether or not you plan to breastfeed. wear comfortable, loose clothes – your maternity clothes are ideal.
Food items that can cause fatigue, lethargy, and slow recovery should be avoided. The diet chart after C-section recovery should also eliminate anything that takes a longer time to digest. Items like carbonated drinks, citrus juices, coffee, tea, and spicy food should be avoided as they increase bloating and gas.
How long does a C-section surgery take? The typical C-section takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. After your provider delivers your baby, they'll stitch your uterus and close the incision in your abdomen. Different types of emergencies can arise during a delivery.
Use warm, soapy water to wash your incision daily (usually when you shower). Pat the area dry after cleaning. If your doctor used tape strips on your incision, let them fall off on their own. This usually takes about a week.
The night before your surgery, shower or bathe, using normal preferred temperature. Start each shower or bath by washing your hair as usual with shampoo. Rinse your hair and body thoroughly to remove the shampoo residue.
Once the epidural takes effect, you need to stay in bed. Your legs can become weak, and it will not be safe for you to walk around. A Foley catheter (another type of small plastic tube) may be placed in your bladder to drain urine since you won't be able to get up and go to the bathroom.