{"id":10526,"date":"2018-09-25T08:07:47","date_gmt":"2018-09-25T12:07:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10526\/c-sections\/"},"modified":"2025-02-21T14:46:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T19:46:21","slug":"c-sections","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/10526\/c-sections\/","title":{"rendered":"C-sections 101"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Cesarean section, otherwise known as a C-section, is when a baby is born through an incision into the abdomen and uterus, rather than through the vagina.<\/span><\/p>\n

What to expect with a C-section birth<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re having a scheduled c-section, then you will likely come to the hospital a couple of hours before your scheduled surgery. You\u2019ll want to clarify with your provider when to stop eating and drinking, as most hospitals require this for several hours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once admitted, you will put on a hospital gown, get some fetal monitoring, have an IV placed, and in most cases, you can walk back to the operating room when everything is ready to go. There is typically a lot of waiting, paperwork and repeated questions before it\u2019s go time!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There will be several personnel there taking care of setting up the instrument table, making sure you\u2019re as comfortable as possible, and preparing your anesthetic.. It can be pretty overwhelming because most things you\u2019ll see in this room are new, and the environment is very functional and chilly, and not always comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most often, with a scheduled c-section, spinal anesthesia is used. This is similar to an epidural but generally offers faster and more thorough numbing.. After the spinal is placed, you\u2019ll lie down pretty quickly. Your anesthesia provider will stay at your head,\u00a0 and they can talk with you and offer you step by step updates and check in with you to see how you\u2019re feeling. Your belly will be washed, pubic hair will be clipped if needed, and you\u2019ll have a catheter placed into your bladder. Don\u2019t worry – you\u2019ll be numb for all of these steps, and staff will do their best to maintain your privacy. Then a sterile drape will go over your belly and up to your chest. If you\u2019re having a family centered cesarean, this drape may be clear, but most are blue to block any view of the surgery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The last step before starting the surgery is bringing in your support person. If you have a partner or visitor who you\u2019d like to have in the birth, most hospitals will allow you to have one person come in and sit at the head of your bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, it\u2019s \u201cgo\u201d time!<\/span><\/p>\n

Generally, the birth of the baby only takes a few minutes. During the procedure, you shouldn\u2019t feel pinching or pain. You may feel pressure, tugging, and some people experience nausea. You can communicate what you\u2019re feeling to the anesthesia provider who will still be sitting at the head of your bed monitoring you closely. They have several interventions they can use to help you feel calm and comfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once Baby is out, the doctors will also deliver your placenta, then they will stitch all of the layers back up. This takes much longer than the first stage of the surgery to help Baby be born. Hopefully you will be skin to skin with your baby during this time, which makes time fly! Lastly, you\u2019ll get a bandage or skin glue over your incision and the operating room team will move you onto a bed to be rolled into the recovery room. You don\u2019t have to do a thing, just follow their instructions and they\u2019ll do the heavy lifting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who might need a C-section?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Most C-sections are performed because of a complicating factor that could put either mom or baby\u2019s health in danger during a vaginal birth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These reasons include:<\/span><\/p>\n