Shower with a special soap The night or morning before you come in for your C-section, we might ask you to shower or bathe with special soap that we'll give you ahead of time (or tell you how to obtain at a drug store). The goal is to kill bacteria on the skin and reduce the risk of infection following your C-section.
Start each shower or bath by washing your hair as usual with shampoo. Rinse your hair and body thoroughly to remove the shampoo residue. To prevent infection following surgery, shower the night before using an antibacterial soap, such as Dial or Hibiclens (do not use a soap with no antibacterial properties).
The Night Before Your C-section
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. Please leave valuables at home and keep your luggage in the car until you are transferred to the postpartum unit.
Up until 2 hours before your scheduled cesarean, you may have clear fluids. Clear fluids are: Water.
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.
It is recommended to avoid using tampons, exercising intensely, taking stairs, or having sex until you have your doctor's permission. Moreover, you should shower normally instead of baths until your postpartum bleeding and incision have healed.
2 hours before your C-section, drink 8 ounces of apple juice. Starting 2 hours before your C-section, do not take anything by mouth. Ask your doctor to review all the medicines you are taking. You may need to stop taking some of them for a few days or longer before your C- section.
What is the Golden Hour? After the birth of the baby, both vaginal and c-section birth, the Golden hour consists of uninterrupted and immediate skin to skin contact, limited interventions that are not necessary, if possible and desired having delayed cord clamping, and having the first feeding of baby completed.
On the day of your C-section
Most women will go into the hospital on the morning of their elective caesarean section, where the doctor or midwife will show you and your birth partner to your bed space/room in the postnatal ward. Once settled, you will be: Given an estimated time for your caesarean delivery.
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.
At first you may be asked to only eat ice chips or take sips of water, at least until your provider is certain you are not likely to have very heavy bleeding. Most likely, you will be able to eat a light diet 8 hours after your C-section.
It's no longer standard procedure to shave pubic hair, because it could permit unwanted bacteria into the body. (Nor should you shave or wax your own bikini area or abdomen right before a scheduled C-section, also due to the infection risk.)
Before your surgery, your skin needs to be as clean as possible. You can decrease the germs on your skin and reduce your risk of infection by following the shower instructions we have provided. You are required to shower both the night before and the morning of your surgery.
You may eat and drink anything (healthy choices are best). The day of your surgery: Up until 8 hours before surgery, eat as usual. Up until 6 hours before surgery, you may eat a light meal or low-fat snack.
Preparing for a caesarean section
You will need to fast. That means no food or drink, including water, for up to 6 hours before a planned caesarean. In some cases, you can drink clear fluids up until 2 hours before your admission. Your doctor will advise you about fasting times required for your operation.
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.
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.
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.
Back sleeping is often recommended post-surgery, and it could be the most comfortable position as it doesn't put any pressure on your c-section wound.
Always sit well back on a supportive chair, your feet should be able to touch the floor in order to support your posture. Use pillows to support your back and to rest your baby on your lap to bring them into a comfortable feeding position. You can then use pillows to support your own arms.
Pack comfortable clothes to wear after your planned c-section. Consider loose-fitting sweats, and oversized pajamas, with really soft material. Hoodies and cardigan sweaters are great to have if you get cold.
Activity. Getting up and walking around once you are home will help you heal faster and can help prevent blood clots. You should be able to do most of your regular activities in 4 to 8 weeks.