Cesarean birth (or c-section) is the delivery of a baby by surgery through the abdomen.
A cesarean delivery may be planned or scheduled, or it may be a decision that is made during labor.
Genital Herpes: If you have an active herpes outbreak, the infection can be given to the baby during a vaginal birth. If you have a history of herpes, please let your doctor know so that you can take medication during your third trimester.
Some of the things you can expect to happen before you have surgery are:
You will be asked to sign a consent form.
Your abdomen may be shaved.
Your abdomen will be washed with a disinfectant.
An IV will be started to supply medications and fluids.
A catheter (small tube) will be placed in your bladder to drain urine.
A fetal monitor will be used to check the baby's heart rate.
Medication will be given so that you do not feel pain during surgery. You may be given general anesthesia, an epidural block, or a spinal block. If general anesthesia is used, you will not be awake during delivery.
Your birth partner may be with you in the operating room for the birth.
What happens after the surgery?
A cesarean section is major surgery and it takes 6-8 weeks to recover. During this time you should rest as much as possible and restrict your activity to mainly caring for yourself and your new baby.
While you are healing, you may have:
Cramping, especially during breastfeeding
Bleeding or discharge for up to six weeks
Bleeding with clots
Pain in your incision
What should I do to take care of myself after surgery?
Clean the incision with a little soap and water and pat dry. Do not cover your incision unless it is draining. You should not apply any creams, lotions, or ointments to your incision unless instructed to do so by your doctor.
Watch your incision for signs of infection such as redness, pain, and drainage.
Press a pillow against your incision when changing positions or when you laugh, cough, or have a bowel movement.
Do not lift anything heavier than your baby.
Do not place anything in the vagina (such as tampons or douche) and do not have sexual intercourse until after your six week postpartum check.
Call your doctor if you have:
A fever greater than 100° Farenheit.
Redness, pain, or discharge at the incision site that gets worse.
Blood clots (larger than a quarter) passing from the vagina.
Excessive vaginal bleeding that is saturating a new sanitary pad every hour.
