A Simple Guide To C-Section Hospital Procedure: What To Expect
The what and the why when it comes to C-Section birth is our bread and butter at CSUK, and we have dedicated all of our time to creating the very best and most comprehensive courses and guides for you all. We’re giving you a couple of pointers below for each stage to get you started.
Preparing for a C-Section
This is easily the most overlooked part of the C-Section journey, but it’s truly the most important. What we are familiar with, we fear less. Understanding the journey ahead, what happens when, the appointments, the options throughout - all of it is crucial for feeling in control. My favourite recommendation is our walk through audio. An immersive 4D audio experience walking you through each step of your C-Section journey with every sound you might possibly hear on the day.
The Operating Room Experience
This can feel pretty overwhelming, a bit of a strange ‘Holby City’ episode thats come to life! You can expect to meet around 8-11 people who are there to help you, each with their own individual job. When you see a group this big, it can feel pretty scary, but rest assured they will all be working together as a team to support you. Head into our Birth Course where we talk you through exactly what the operating room sounds like, looks like and how many people you’ll meet and what they’ll be doing.
Step-by-Step of the C-Section Procedure
Your spinal anaesthetic is the first thing you will likely experience. Knowing the impact of these medications and importantly, the position you’ll need to adopt, is important… but so is practising this position. It just feels odd doing this for the first time in the operating room and it can feel like you’re unable to take a full breath. Follow along during the spinal chapters in the Birth Course to practice ahead of your birth.
There are 7 layers in total for your C-Section birth. Most often, you will be given a horizontal incision, and then the subsequent skin, fat and muscle layers will be moved through to get to your baby.
Post-Surgery in the Operating Room
You will be moved to a recovery room for around an hour (or less) after your birth, where the initial checks will be completed and the medications needed to support your blood pressure will be slowly weaned off, until you are ready to head back to the postnatal ward. During this time, your midwife will stay with you and help with things like skin-to-skin and feeding.
Details You Might Not Expect
You might not expect to be offered a pain relief suppository rectally, but this is something thats pretty standard and offers great pain relief.
You might not expect that you will bleed vaginally following a C-sSction birth, but you absolutely will, so be sure to pack maternity pads.
You also might not expect the bowel pain, look of your scar, bruising, keloiding, or overhang that you might experience following your C-Section birth… but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Head into the c-sectionUK Courses and start resolving each and any of these with our midwife-led guidance.