A Detailed Guide On C-section?

When you have childbirth, there are two ways to go about with it – caesarean and standard delivery. The C-section is the surgical delivery of the child. It involves one incision on the mother’s abdomen and the other in the uterus. It has become a standard procedure for delivering babies across the world. C-section deliveries are usually avoided before 39 weeks of pregnancy. So, the child gets proper time to develop in the womb.

Sometimes, there are complications, and there is no way out then C-section surgery. So, why do they get done? Such surgeries take place when the traditional vaginal birth gets difficult, and when the mother or child is at risk. Sometimes, such delivered get planned, but they are performed when complications arise during labour.

Reasons for C-section delivery include –

When the child has developmental conditions
The child’s head is too big for the birth canal
When there is a breech birth
Pregnancy complications
Mother’s health conditions such as high BP or unstable heart disease
Mother has active genital herpes which gets transmitted to the baby
Previous C-section delivery
Problems with placenta
Problems with umbilical cord
Reduced oxygen supply to the baby
Stalled labour
When there is transverse labour

How to prepare for such surgeries?

If you and the doctor decide for C-section surgery, the doctor offers you a list of instructions about what you can do to lower the risk of complications and have a successful delivery. As with any pregnancy, prenatal appointments involve several check-ups. This includes blood tests and other such examinations for determining the health and possibility of caesarean.

The doctor checks your blood type if you need a blood transfusion. This, however, is not much of a hassle in C-section surgeries. Even if you do not plan to have this delivery, always remain prepared for the circumstance. At the prenatal appointments, check with the doctor, discuss the risk factors, and what you can do to lower them.

Make sure your questions get answered and that you understand what needs to get done if a C-section happens before the due date.

Since the caesarean deliveries take a longer time for recovery than regular deliveries, arranging to have an additional set of hands around the house helps. Not only do you recover from the surgery, but the new baby gets attention as well.

Post the surgery:

Once you complete the caesarean delivery, your newborn child and you stay in the hospital for at least three weeks. Immediately after the surgery, you remain on the IV. This enables for adjusted levels of painkillers to get delivered in your bloodstream while the anaesthesia wears off.

Your doctor encourages you to walk around as well. This helps to avoid blood clots and constipation. A nurse teaches you how to position your child for breastfeeding. So, this eliminates additional pain from C-section surgery.

Doctors provide some home care recommendations as well after the surgery and these typically involve –

Correct posture for supporting your abdomen
Drinking plenty of fluids for replacing those lost during the delivery
Avoiding sex for four to six weeks
Taking pain medications as and when needed

Seeking help if you experience postpartum depression such as significant mood swings or extreme fatigue