Preparing for a Caesarean Section
I see lots of expectant mothers who come to me for low back or hip pain in pregnancy. One of the questions I always ask is what their birth preference is. How you give birth is your choice but when women are planning on having a c-section these bullet points are some of the things I have chatted about time and time again with different expectant mums. I hope you find it helpful!
If you are having a planned Caesarean Section it’s worth considering what is important to you during your birth so that you can write it in your birth plan. Some ideas include:
- who you would like to have with you at the birth,
- thinking about whether you would like the screen to be lowered so you can see your baby being born,
- considering whether you would like silence during the birth so that your voice is the first your baby hears,
- asking whether your healthcare team will delay cord clamping to increase the amount of blood your baby gets from the placenta,
- requesting skin-to-skin contact with your baby in theatre or skin-to-skin contact between your baby and your birth partner.
It’s worth getting prepared at home as you will need some time to recover from your c-section. Most people feel significantly better after about six weeks, but some people may take a little longer.
- Think about who can give you some support when you come home from hospital. If possible, having someone to help you for the first two weeks is ideal. If you don’t have friends and/or family who can help then you might want to consider getting help from a postnatal doula who can help with cooking/cleaning/emotional support in the early weeks and months. I’ve attached a link to Doula UK: https://doula.org.uk
- If you have older children, you won’t be able to pick them up for several weeks, but they will be able to have lots of cuddles and after a few weeks you may find they can climb gently on to your lap while you’re sitting on the sofa.
- If you live in a house, consider having a changing station downstairs and one upstairs so you don’t have to go up and downstairs in the first few days and weeks. It’s also worth having a nappy bin close to where you’ll be changing nappies.
- Have one or two large water bottles that you can fill up at the beginning of a 24 hour period so you stay well hydrated, 1.5 to 2 litres of water is recommended. You can have them in different parts of your home so you can have a drink while you are feeding your baby.
- Make sure that you have a comfortable chair or sofa to sit on or plenty of pillows for support.
- Think about how you are going to get in and out of bed and about feeding your baby at night. Is it possible for someone to bring your baby to you for night-time feeds? If you are formula feeding, who will make the feeds up?
- Buy breathable cotton pants that are high enough to cover your c-section wound. Wearing pads is preferable to disposable pants as you can change your maternity pad regularly to minimise the risk of infection.
- Have comfortable, loose clothes to wear after your c-section which won’t rub on your scar, maternity clothes are ideal!
- Use cushions or pillows to make feeding your baby more comfortable. If you would like to breastfeed then having the names of a couple of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants on hand can be helpful as they can help you with feeding your baby in a comfortable position as well as provide valuable information about establishing your breastmilk supply.
- Draw up a medication schedule so you can take your painkillers at the recommended intervals. Remember, painkillers will not take all the pain away but will help you to feel more comfortable and make moving around and looking after your baby more manageable.
- If you are worried about taking painkillers and breastfeeding then you can check whether your medication is safe on The Breastfeeding Network website: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drugs-factsheets/ . They also have a fantastic breastfeeding helpline which you can call and ask them about your medication if you are prescribed something you are unsure about after giving birth.
- Consider enlisting the help of a postnatal doula.
- Ensure you have ample maternity pads, breast pads, painkillers and lactulose in the house.
- Have some frozen food that can be easily defrosted so you don’t have to cook for the first few days after coming home can be a lifesaver.
- Some women experience terrible trapped wind after their c-section. Having a supply of peppermint tea at home can be helpful as it is soothing and relieves painful trapped wind.
- Book in for your Mummy MOT, postnatal osteopathy session or C-Section Scar Therapy (once your wound has healed) once you are feeling better!
If you’ve found this helpful then please, like and share!
