On the morning of a planned C-section, you'll arrive at the hospital after fasting, change into a gown, have vital signs checked, and get an IV for fluids/meds, with preparation involving paperwork, antiseptic wash, clipping hair, wearing compression stockings, and a catheter insertion, all while your support person (if allowed) stays with you as you get ready for anesthesia and the operation itself.
You'll be asked to change into a hospital gown when you arrive at the hospital on the day of the caesarean section. A thin, flexible tube called a catheter will be inserted into your bladder to empty it while you're under the anaesthetic, and a small area of pubic hair will be trimmed if necessary.
The Golden Hour is a special period of skin-to-skin contact between a birthing parent and newborn for the first hour (or two) after birth. During the Golden Hour, we keep interruptions, including exams and measurements, to a minimum to make the skin-to-skin contact as continuous as possible.
The night before your operation, you will be asked not to have anything to eat after midnight and only drink clear fluids until your procedure. To reduce the risk of aspiration, you can vomit after having your anaesthetic or whilst having your C-section.
In most cases, you will be awake for a C-section. Only in rare cases will a birth parent need medicine that puts them into a deep sleep (general anesthesia). Most C-sections are done with a regional anesthesia such as an epidural or spinal.
Returning to Physical Activities After a C-Section
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.
Up-breathing is going to be your friend during a caesarean. The theatre environment can be quite busy and any major surgery is enough to get your mind racing, so using your breathwork to calm you down is incredibly powerful.
Discomfort is expected after a C-section, especially around the incision and abdomen. Pain typically peaks in the first few days and improves over several weeks.
DO NOT shave, wax or use cream to remove the hair on your lower stomach or pubic area for 1 week before your C-section. Hair removal uncovers more bacteria on your skin. It can increase the chance of infections.
The best postpartum clothes for a C-section recovery are soft, light, and breathable. For bottoms and underwear, you'll want to opt high-waisted without any buttons, snaps, or zippers. This helps the incision heal and avoids irritating it.
C-section Recovery Time
You need to give your body at least 6 weeks for the incision to heal, and for the abdomen to recover from the trauma. The doctor will advise bed rest on day 1 but after that, they will ask you to start moving. You need to start with short slow walks and gradually push your limits.
The 2-hour rule for babies means they shouldn't stay in a car seat (or travel system seat) for more than two hours at a time, whether in or out of the car, because the semi-upright position can strain their developing spine and restrict their breathing, increasing the risk of low oxygen levels, especially for newborns and preemies. For long journeys, parents should take breaks every two hours to take the baby out, allow them to lie flat for a while, stretch, and feed, ensuring they get proper head/neck support and circulation.
Less than 3% of babies were born each hour between midnight and 7 a.m. However, this number rose on Saturday and Sunday, when births were more likely to occur overnight.
But you may not be able to do some activities straight away, such as:
Realistically, the obstetrician will cut through the skin and layers of connective tissue in your abdominal area. Then, they will move aside the organs surrounding the uterus, like the bladder and intestines.
You can eat and drink normally up until 2.00 am on the morning of your operation. Do not chew gum or eat sweets after 2.00 am. Between 2.00 am and 6.00 am you may drink still plain water. At 6.00 am have 2 bottles of your pre-op drinks with your pre-medications.
A c-section is major surgery and your partner will need time to recover. It can take at least 6 weeks, but they may have discomfort for much longer than this.
Keep the wound area clean by washing it with mild soap and water. You don't need to scrub it. Often, just letting the water run over your wound in the shower is enough. You may remove your wound dressing and take showers if stitches, staples, or glue were used to close your skin.
In fact, hospitals used to shave your pubic hair for you—and in some areas, they still do. “Shaving before labour was once thought to reduce infection rates,” says Toronto OB/GYN Dayna Freedman. But medical advice advances with research.
The 5-5-5 rule for postpartum C-section recovery is a guideline for the first 15 days, emphasizing 5 days in bed, 5 days on the bed, and 5 days around the bed, focusing on rest, gradual movement, bonding, and healing by limiting activity and staying near a resting spot for essential needs only. It's a structured way to encourage vital rest and set boundaries with visitors, preventing overexertion during the critical initial healing phase after major surgery.
C Section Recovery Must Haves Kit - Peri Bottle,Disposable Mesh Underwears,Witch Hazel Pad Liners,Silicone Scar Patches, Abdominal Belly Binder,Socks,C-Section Recovery Essentials Kit.
Most women will remain in the hospital for 2 to 3 days after a cesarean birth (C-section). Take advantage of the time to bond with your new baby, get some rest, and receive some help with breastfeeding and caring for your baby.
Dexmedetomidine is another second line agent for pain that can provide analgesia and anxiolysis but can cause maternal bradycardia and hypotension. Maternal anxiety can be treated with anxiolytics such as midazolam, dexmedetomidine, or subanesthetic doses of propofol.
After Going Home:
Initially, you should avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby, and avoid most housework. Your lochia bleeding will change over time and can increase with activity and position changes. Use your bleeding as a way of making sure that you are not involved in too much activity.
The average amount of blood loss after the birth of a single baby in vaginal delivery is about 500 ml (or about a half of a quart). The average amount of blood loss for a cesarean birth is approximately 1,000 ml (or one quart). Most postpartum hemorrhage occurs right after delivery, but it can occur later as well.