Caesarean Sections: What is it about?
By: Sarah D
Tags: Moms, Surgery, Pregnancy, Baby, Postpartum

There may be a few reasons why a vaginal delivery may not be feasible. Complications during the pregnancy such as a breech presentation, increasing high blood pressure, twin pregnancies and a large baby are a few of these examples. Labour complications such as maternal exhaustion, failed instrumental vaginal delivery (failed vacuum and forceps), decreasing fetal heart rate, increasing maternal temperature related to infections and others we cannot completely cover in this post, are reasons as well to opt-in for a C-section. With nearly a third of all mothers in North America needing a Caesarean or c-section there is a real possibility that you may require one and need to contend with the additional recovery process.

Although Caesarean sections (C-Sections) are fairly common, it is still considered major surgery. C-sections, whether or not scheduled or emergency, usually take less than an hour from start to finish barring any complications. It involves a lot of medical staff in the operating room such as nurses, obstetrical doctors, pediatricians or neonatologists and most importantly an anaesthesiologist.

The anaesthesiologist plays an important role in your surgery as they manage your airway and your pain management during the surgical procedure. A spinal or epidural block is a very common way the anaesthesiologist help with your discomfort, it involves numbing the lower part of your body, while keeping you awake, in order to provide pain relief and let you be present during your delivery.

In an emergency, they may choose to administer a general anaesthetic (GA for short) to help with your pain relief fairly quickly in order to have the Obstetrical doctor deliver the baby as quickly as possible. This anaesthetic option does involve a lot of grogginess and may quickly bring on the pain compared to the regional blocks explained above. It also puts you to sleep during the procedure so you would not be able to witness the birth of your baby.

It is understandable to think that C-sections may sound more impersonal and entirely too clinical where you feel you might not get the initial bonding experience of your baby on your chest. However more and more hospitals are also offering a “gentle” c-section that allows you the option of immediately holding and interacting with your newborn, as your obstetrical doctor repairs all the cuts they’ve made on your uterus as well as your abdominal wall. The “gentle” C-section allows for skin-to-skin contact with your baby as well as immediate touching of your new little one.

As C-sections are done so regularly in most hospitals, complications are quite uncommon. Complications that may occur such as infections, increasing pain, wound dehiscence or deep vein thrombosis can happen to anyone. It is important to listen to the instruction of your obstetrical physician as well as the nurses in the hospital, but also listen to your body. If you find you are doing too much and your body is overwhelmed and uncomfortable, let your nurse know in the hospital so they can accommodate this as quickly as possible.

Because of the decreasing mobility from your Caesarean section, blood clots may form in your leg — this is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Be mindful of this and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. Your doctor may order blood thinners in the hospital to help prevent these clots from forming. It may also be advisable for you to continue your mobilizing during your stay in the hospital as this helps with your recovery as well as clot formation in your leg.

For the first few post-operations hours expect to require assistance for walking and even using the bathroom, your nurse will be around to help you move around the first few times you are up to make sure you aren’t too dizzy or groggy and you are doing this safely.

Let’s not forget what happens to your baby after a C-section. Babies delivering via c-section also have their own unique hurdles compared to those delivered vaginally and a team of medical staff dedicated to your newborn are on standby during your procedure. In case of any emergency, these staff members are able to provide any resuscitative efforts to your baby at a moment’s notice. Babies born via C-section are usually more sleepy for the first 24 hours of life, sometimes this might be from the medications during your surgical procedure or after, if you are taking narcotic medications to manage your post-operative pain.

Speaking of pain, just like any other surgical procedure — you may need time to recover both mentally and physically. If a caesarean section isn’t on your birth plan and you end up with one — you might even need some emotional healing as well. On average it can take up to 6 weeks for you to feel any semblance of normal energy levels but it isn’t uncommon for pain to still be present even half a year later as the incision and scar heal.

As we stated above, a caesarean section is major surgery. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to heal and rest. Although this may be difficult with a newborn that keeps you up all night, try to enlist the help of your partner as well as family/friends to help you get through the critical 6 weeks of your healing.

The more rest you can sneak in during this critical time, the better. Although you may be tempted to do as much as you can when you get home from the hospital, refrain from doing this? There’s a reason why airplane safety manuals insist you securely wear your own oxygen mask before assisting someone else. Take care of yourself in order to care for your newborn effectively.

On top of the incisional as well as other types of healing, you have different hormones coursing through your body that may cause you to have some emotional rollercoasters. This can be completely normal and can partially contribute to your fatigue and affect your healing.

Caesarean sections can have some effects on successful latching. Studies have shown that c-section deliveries are correlated with increased difficulties with breastfeeding, this may be because of decreased mobility, narcotics usage as well as the blood loss that may decrease supply . You may especially find it beneficial to seek out the expertise of a lactation consultant. These professionals can spot budding problems and provide assistance to make feeds more manageable, if caught early.

If you think you might need the extra help, don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family for assistance. Even an extra hour to yourself to decompress can really make a difference. If you want more dedicated and professional assistance, considering hiring a night nurse who can be by your side each step of the way.

The most obvious consideration will be the scar. Keep it clean and dry while wearing loose fitting clothing to avoid any sort of chafing or irritation of the area. Even something as seemingly mundane as a cough or sneeze can be bad so hold your abdomen if you feel the need, bracing with a pillow helps with the pressure on your incision. Carrying anything heavier than your baby and doing strenuous exercises is highly inadvisable, seek your physician’s advice if you’re unsure of your activity level.

As your surgical scar heals, it may be a little itchy and slightly reddened. However increased pain, swelling, discharge, smell or opening of the wound is a cause for concern. Talk to your doctor immediately to have it looked at.

When you are home, eat a balanced diet and try to stay away from foods that may cause excessive bloating, such as beans. Bloating can cause some pressure on your incision and can cause major discomfort. Also, drink plenty of water, eat foods that are full of fibre to help keep your bowel movements regular. Constipation is not an ideal situation with a fresh incisional scar as straining to use the bathroom can cause pressure and therefore cause pain. If drinking water and eating fibre isn’t doing the job to help you go, there are over the counter laxatives that may help you. Talk to your pharmacist for help and guidance in picking the right one.

It is also not uncommon for women to look at their post-pregnancy bodies and want to lose weight. Again, take it slow and work your way up from gentle stretches, up to short walks before even thinking about hitting the gym. One thing that nearly anyone can do right away are kegel exercises which will help tighten and strengthen your pelvic muscles. This is especially important as one lasting issue is the development or worsening of urinary incontinence due to weakened pelvic muscles. It may be advisable to seek exercise therapy for long-term recovery if kegels isn’t doing the job.

At the end of the day, caesarean section births can be just as beautiful as a vaginal delivery. Although the recovery period may be different, caesarean sections are an essential operation to help save your life or that of your baby’s, or it is used to help prevent any complication with labour due to pregnancy risk factors. Knowledge of what a caesarean section is about will help you get a better understanding of it all in case you may have to experience it yourself. After all knowledge is power.