If you are planning in advance to deliver your baby via a cesarean section, you have the luxury of planning your due date and fully preparing yourself before welcoming your new addition into the world. However, having a C-section means you will be under heavy sedation during delivery and you will likely stay in the hospital to recover for three to five days.
While a C-section delivery is a different experience than a vaginal delivery, both methods aim to bring the same result: a happy, healthy baby in your arms. Here’s how you can prepare for your C-section to make the entire experience go smoothly.
Before You Head To the Hospital
While most women who give birth vaginally only stay in the hospital for a night or two, women who have C-sections typically stay at least twice as long. Be sure to pack a bag with enough comfy clothes for your stay. Since you’ll probably have visitors coming to see you and your baby, you won’t want to live in a hospital gown the whole time. If you plan on breastfeeding, you’ll want to bring shirts that are both loose and stretchy, or have buttons on the front. Pack comfortable pants with elastic waistbands and a light hoodie or sweatshirt to keep you cozy in the cool hospital room.
Don’t forget toiletries, like a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and shampoo, a hairbrush, etc. While you won’t need to look like a beauty queen in the hospital, maintaining a few aspects of your daily regimen will keep you feeling like yourself and boost your mood during recovery.
Preparing for a C-Section Delivery
By the time your due date arrives, you and your doctor should have agreed upon a plan regarding anesthesia and the administration of other drugs. You will have to do routine blood work to check for any medical issues and make sure it is safe for you to have a C-section. As with most surgeries, you will not be able to eat or drink for eight to 12 hours beforehand. Upon arriving at the hospital and getting checked in, you’ll be started on an IV and nurses will prepare you for surgery. You’ll get to meet with your doctor and the anesthesiologist to go over your plans and sign consent forms.
What to Expect During a C-Section Delivery
When it’s time to deliver your baby, you will be taken to the delivery room and get started on anesthesia. While you won’t feel any pain during delivery, you may feel some pressure and moving around. Although you will be under sedation to numb your body and keep you calm, you will be alert during the delivery and will be able to talk your partner or whomever is allowed in the delivery room with you. After delivery, you’ll be able to see your baby before nurses and doctors take him or her for care and tests. After your incision is closed up and your anesthesia wears off, you’ll be back in your hospital room getting to know your newborn.
Customize Your Delivery Plan With OB-GYN Women’s Centre
Whether you’re planning to deliver via C-section or through vaginal birth, OB-GYN Women’s Centre of Lakewood Ranch will be with you every step of the way. Our physicians will work with you to create a personalized delivery plan to meet you and your baby’s needs and make this day special and memorable for everyone. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and want to know more about the C-section delivery process, give us a call today!
