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.
Up until 6 hours before surgery, you may eat a light meal or low-fat snack. Drink lots of clear fluids such as water, juices (no pulp) like apple juice, gelatin, broths, coffee/tea, sports drinks, and popsicles. DO NOT eat any solid food. DO NOT drink or eat any milk or dairy products.
Eat Light Leading Up to Your C-Section
Soup, clear liquids, juices, and smoothies are best choices. Avoid meats and dairy, as these tend to cause bloating and heaviness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sleeping On Your Back After C-Section
According to the Specialty Surgery Center, the best sleeping position after C-section (and most surgeries in general!) is on your back. In most cases, sleeping on your back may be the best option to relieve any pressure on your incision.
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.
It's best to wait until you've had your 6-8 week postnatal check with your GP before returning to your pre-pregnancy levels of exercise. If you weren't very active before your pregnancy, this is a good time to start exercising. Try to build up gradually and stop if you have any pain.
Your first shower can be 24 hours after surgery. You can take a bath, too, but it may be too difficult getting in and out of the tub for the first 2-3 weeks. It is OK for the vagina AND/OR the incision to go underwater, including the pool. Pain Management: Ibuprofen and Tylenol are typically enough.
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.
Items like carbonated drinks, citrus juices, coffee, tea, and spicy food should be avoided as they increase bloating and gas. Fermented and fried food can cause heartburn and indigestion. Since mothers are breastfeeding, such foods can affect the milk and cause growth problems in the newborn.
How long does an average C-section take? Usually, a cesarean takes about 30-45 minutes.
It usually takes about 6 weeks to recover from your c-section but this will depend on your individual situation. If you had any problems during or after your c-section, or if you're looking after other children at home, you may feel you need more time to recover.
Women who have a Cesarean section usually have a choice of two or three options: A general anesthetic, where they are completely unconscious, and two types of regional anesthetic known as “epidural” and “spinal” anesthesia. Regional anesthetics numb the body from the waist down.
Walking after the C-section is important to speed recovery and pain medication may be supplied too as recovery takes place. Most mothers and infants do well after a C-section, and often, a woman who has a C-section may have a vaginal delivery if she gets pregnant again.
Shivering occurred frequently during cesarean sections, with the peak incidence occurring after skin disinfection. Anxiety, emergency delivery, and transfer from the delivery room to the operating room increased the risk of shivering development during cesarean sections.
When can I go home after a c-section? You will usually stay in hospital for 2-4 days after your c-section. If you and your baby are well, and you have someone to help you at home, you may be able to go home after 24 hours.
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.
It is important that your stomach is empty. You may brush your teeth, but do not swallow any toothpaste. Your operation will be cancelled and re-scheduled if you eat food or drink fluids other than those listed.
Making Preparations
1 A C-section birth plan should include things like who will be with you during the procedure, if photos or videos are allowed, and preferred type of anesthesia, as well as plans for once the baby is born, such as no pacifiers and who will follow the baby to the nursery.