Tips on After the Caesarean Birth Operation

Caesarean birth experiences vary hugely, as do women's reactions to them. However well you recover, you are likely to need to accept practical help from others. You may also like to ask about your recovery, mobility, pain relief, and, if you had an unplanned caesarean, about what happened and why. Don't be afraid to talk to health professionals, friends, and relatives about your needs and feelings.

What happens after your baby is delivered will depend on the health of your baby and to some extent, hospital protocol. You can ask for your baby to be passed to you immediately so that you can begin skin-to-skin contact. Alternatively, you may prefer to watt until you are in the recovery room or back on the ward. Unless you request to hold your baby immediately she is born you may find that the midwife will take the baby out of your sight to be checked over and cleaned up before she is handed to you. If your baby needs medical attention you could ask the staff to keep the baby where you can see her; if this is not practical (perhaps your baby needs special care) your partner could go with the baby.

You can offer your baby her first breastfeed as the operation is being finished off or you may prefer to wait until you are in the recovery room or back on the ward. Whenever you decide to feed you are likely to need support from the midwife to help the baby latch on. You may still be numb from the anesthetic and could feel very shaky. Many women find the most practical position is lying on their side.

After the operation you and your baby will be taken into a recovery room or back to the ward, where you will both be cared for by midwives who will monitor you closely for the next few hours. If you or your baby is very ill then you or she may need to be taken to intensive care, which means that you will be separated. Your partner may find this extremely difficult and feel very torn between staying with you and going with the baby; an additional birth supporter is invaluable in such situations.

Directly after the birth

Your baby will be assessed and then transferred immediately to the neonatal unit. Depending on the kind of care that you need, you may only see your baby briefly before she is transferred. While you will want your baby to be receiving the best care, it will probably feel strange to have her whisked away. However, you should be able to see her whenever you wish over the coming weeks (although neonatal units do vary in practice, and in all units there will be times when parents will not be allowed to see their babies, such as during ward rounds).

Depending on your own condition (for example, you may have had a general anesthetic), it may be some time before you are well enough to visit the neonatal unit. However, your partner will be able to go to the unit to see your baby and find out about her health, and in most hospitals parents are given a picture of their baby to encourage bonding.