People who care less for guided instructions may appreciate practicing mindfulness with some relaxing music or meditative soundscapes. This has actually proven to help reduce post-operative pain and can help you mentally prepare for a C-section during pregnancy by managing general prenatal stress and anxiety.
With planned C-sections, a spinal block is most commonly used. If you already have an epidural in place, we may inject stronger medication through the tube to fully numb your lower body to prepare you for a C-section.
The Night Before Your C-section
You will not be allowed to eat, drink or smoke after midnight. This includes candy, gum and water. Try to get a good night's sleep. You may brush your teeth in the morning.
To soothe incision soreness, your health care provider might recommend ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or other medications to relieve pain. Most pain relief medications are safe for breastfeeding women.
Any pain should decrease after 2 or 3 days, but your cut will remain tender for up to 3 weeks or more. Most women need pain medicine for the first few days to 2 weeks. Ask your provider what is safe to take while breastfeeding.
Under most circumstances, undergoing a c-section via Spinal Anesthesia or Epidural Anesthesia (rather than General Anesthesia) is preferred since it involves less risk and has the advantage of allowing you to be awake during your baby's birth.
It's important to get out of bed and walk around within 24 hours after surgery. This can help ease gas pains, help you have a bowel movement, and prevent blood clots.
A single dose of midazolam or fentanyl before caesarean delivery can lower the patient's anxiety and have no adverse neonatal effects. Even listening to music before surgery may be helpful for reducing stress-related physiological reactions.
Your stomach must be empty for surgery. We do not want food from your stomach to get into your lungs during surgery. Your surgery will be delayed if you do not or cannot follow these instructions.
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.
A C-section requires anesthesia and you may be given general anesthesia, a spinal block, or an epidural block. General anesthesia will put you to sleep, so you will not be awake during the procedure.
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.
After a c-section, you should sleep on your back or side. This shouldn't put too much strain on your c-section wound. You can also try sleeping on your back with your head elevated. Use pillows to keep your spine aligned and take pressure off your joints.
Shower and bath: The incision is water-tight within 24 hours after surgery. The bandage should be removed one day after surgery, and the incision should remain uncovered. Your first shower can be 24 hours after surgery.
You won't feel any pain during the C-section, although you may feel sensations like pulling and pressure. Most women are awake and simply numbed from the waist down using regional anesthesia (an epidural and/or a spinal block) during a C-section. That way, they are awake to see and hear their baby being born.
Most women who have planned C-sections get local anesthesia, either an epidural or a spinal block. This will numb you from the waist down, so you won't feel any pain. This type of anesthesia lets you still be awake and aware of what's going on.
The vast majority of hospitals will allow you to have one person of your choice to attend the birth. This can be your partner, doula, mother, friend, etc. Why only one person? The operating room is meant to be an immaculate room, and space can be tight.
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.
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
Your midwife will help you find a comfortable position for putting your baby to your breast. You will stay in the recovery room for 30–60 minutes. If you and your baby are well, you will then move to the postnatal ward.