How To Prepare For Your C Section

30% of women have a c section, whether planned, emergency or unplanned you should have an idea of how to prepare - just in case! Don’t be afraid to ask questions your doc questions - like what happens if my labor doesn’t progress and I need to have a c section? If you’re having a planned c section make sure to ask the question below at your pre-op visit and while they are prepping you for surgery.

Such as:

1. How long do you expect the surgery to take?  

2.  What kind of anesthesia will you have and are there any side effects?  There’s general anesthesia which means you’re off to sleep and epidural which is the spinal tap (needle through your back).

3. How long will you be in the hospital?

4.  Does the hospital allow skin-to-skin contact in the OR?

5.  What happens if you go into labor before your scheduled c-section? 

6.  Some hospitals offer belly bands. Ask what your hospital offers new moms

7. Do you practice gentle/family centered c section? A gentle/family centered c-section is merely a change in the attitudes toward c-sections, where the care team (the OB, anesthesiologist, and nurses) aims to make the c-section experience in the operating room as similar as possible to the labor and delivery room. To do that, hospitals use a clear drape so that moms can be apart of the surgery. Not every hospital or doctor practices gentle c-section. You will need to ask ahead.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE SURGERY AND RECOVERY ROOM:

1.  The OR is cold!  They may offer you a warm blanket or warm air, say yes!

2.  The OR will be jam packed. Meaning there will be your doctor, and maybe another who’s assisting, the anesthesiologist and a few labor and delivery nurses. Don’t be alarmed this is all normal – remember you’re having major surgery.

3.  You'll have a Catheter – a flexible tube inserted in your bladder, your pee goes there.

4.  You may feel nauseous from the anesthesia. Your anesthesiologist will be right by your side….literally. Let him know how you feel. 

5.  You will feel pressure and pulling.  Even though you won’t feel any pain or be able to move the lower half of your body, you will feel the pulling and pressure as they try to get your baby out.

6.  You may get the shakes during surgery and in recovery. Ask for warm blankets.

7.  If you are given general anesthesia you will probably not remember waking up and the next hour or so. 

8.  If you have a spinal or epidural you will be in the recovery room until you are able to move your toes.  

9.  Stay on top of your pain medication.  Don’t wait for your pain meds to wear off to ask for more.

10.  Keep Pillows Around. Pillows make excellent splints when you need to cough, laugh, or sneeze. Just hold it tightly over your belly.

11  Get up and walk as soon as you can.  Find out from your nurse if they haven’t told you when you can start walking. You will not feel like it but you’ve got to get moving.

12.  If you get stool softeners, take them!  Why do you need them? Well to make pooping more comfortable. No matter what type of birth you’ve had you’ll want them. For C Section moms the drugs make you constipated, a stool softener helps. A stool softener will make for less straining and less discomfort when you go.

13. Some moms get hemorrhoids during pregnancy or from pushing during delivery, — others have tears or incisions (down there) that are sensitive. You’ll need our soreness kit to help you heal after your c section. In the first days use our peri balm to soothe : here’s a quick healing hack — apply some of our peri balm on a cotton pad, then bad the pad all over your incision. Our balm is formulated with witch hazel and peppermint and provides instant relief to cools and soothes your incision pain.

FIRST 12 - 24 HOURS:

1.  Depending on the type of anesthesia you have, you and your baby may be sleepy for awhile after the procedure. Sleep as much as you can.  More and more hospitals are cutting out nurseries. You may have baby from day one, and sleeping will be on and off. Either way, make the most of it.  And make sure you have a support person in the hospital with you.

2.  Expect to be swollen. They give you a lot of IV fluids before, during and after surgery. Try to keep your feet elevated to reduce the swelling in your feet and ankles.

3.  You won’t be able to eat solid food until you pass gas.  Don’t be shy. You probably haven’t eaten in at least 12 hours and you will be hungry.  And you won’t until you pass gas. Once you do, your first meal will be clear liquids and foods such as chicken soup, tea, ginger ale, apple juice, and jello.

4. If you have a cesarean section, it may take longer for your milk to come in compared to if you have a vaginal delivery. You'll want to put the baby to breast as soon as possible and breastfeed very often as possible. If for some reason you’re unable to right away, tell you nurse you still want to as soon as you’re able to - to help stimulate milk production.

If you are like me and your c section is planned ahead of time, it means you can plan for your postpartum period.

HERE’S A FEW THINGS I DID:

1. With my first birth I was completely clueless and didn’t plan so with my second I planned for care at home — ideally you need someone — friend or family to wait on you hand and foot for the first two weeks.

2. You will need help!! If you can, have a family member other than your partner in the first few days, ideally you want someone who has given birth and understands the raw emotions that comes with postpartum. And now with COVID, if they can quarantine before the baby comes even more awesome.

3. If there are sibling(s), you need to think about who is going to take care of them while you heal and recover? My daughter was five so throughout my pregnancy I was preparing her on what to expect, I bought books that I read to her in preparation. If yours are too young, you’ll definitely need another hand and a few books about becoming a big bro or sis can’t hurt.

4. Get that supply station ready, c section restricts your movement. Make the things you need are close enough at your bedside, sofa or wherever you will spend majority of your time.

5. Stock up on reading materials, I was stuck upstairs my house isolated and in pain. Get a few books on the first year of motherhood to brace yourself for the time ahead.

6. What will you eat — freezing meals a few days before or have family/friend drop off meals especially now during COVID. Otherwise a meal delivery like @hellofresh or @blueapron.

7. Ask your doctor for extra pain medication and stool softener before you leave the hospital. If you don’t get extra pain meds you will want to stock up.

A c section also means more time in hospital. That time is now shorter because of COVID. How much shorter it depends on your recovery and how well you are healing. One thing’s for sure, you’ll have less recovery time at the hospital and more time on your own to figure things out. 

THINGS LIKE: 

1. How to get in and out of bed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 2. What happens when you have 2 or more floors at home⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 3. When can you drive⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
 4. What’s abnormal

It’s a lot to think about. So, we’re breaking it down for you with new our c section recovery guide ebook. Find out what to expect, what happens during and how you recover — from pre-op to two months postpartum.