Both of my children required c-sections due to them being breached. I thought I was prepared for my first one, but I didn’t have a clue (also, Pinterest wasn’t around then so I couldn’t search for all of these helpful blogs then). Here are some helpful things to do beforehand and then a detailed account of how both of mine went.
Tour the hospital
Make sure you go and tour the hospital you will be delivering at. Make sure that the operating room is included in this tour. It was so helpful for me to see the room (it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be). If you are reading this and do not have a scheduled c-section but are reading so that you can be prepared in case you need one, I encourage ALL moms to be to take this tour. Be prepared for anything and everything. This will help your nerves!
Ask About Skin to Skin Contact in OR
I can tell you that this helped me SO MUCH with the birth of my son. Immediately after birth, they checked him out and after he was looked over, they placed him on my chest. I think time just stood still! The rest of the c-section seemed to fly by!
Talk to Friends that have had C-Sections
This was probably the best thing I could have ever done! I got a detailed account of what they experienced and it really helped me mentally prepare for the day. They also gave me so much encouragement and put my mind at ease.
Here is step by step how mine went:
*Nurse prepped me for surgery. Waiting for this was the hardest part of the entire process!!! I was so excited that I just wanted to get it done and over with so that I could hold my baby. My husband caught me giving him crazy looks when I kept asking how much longer until they took me back!
*I was taken to OR and my husband had to wait until after I received my epidural and spinal tap. I can’t imagine what it felt like for him to wait!
*My husband came in pretty much as soon as they were ready to open
*Both of my kids were born within the first 10 minutes or so of the procedure. Then you get to take your first family picture that usually always looks something like this:
*One of the first things I was told that was super helpful – babies do not necessary cry immediately even when born via c-section. My son took a lot longer than my daughter but everything was all good!
*The rest of the procedure took about 30-40 minutes. I was given an option of getting extra “drugs” to knock me out but I opted to not get them with both of my kids so that I could not be out of it when I was out of the OR. At this point, it is “mind over matter”. If you let your mind start thinking about what the doctors MAY be doing, then you will get nervous and maybe even worried. Just focus on the amazing baby you now have! If your baby is not in the OR with you, then start talking to anyone in the room. I had a nurse at my head who I spoke with the entire time (especially when I got nervous). I know all about his dog and his kids! It was the only thing that kept me calm and made the time go by faster. That is what was so nice with my son is that I just got to hold onto him the entire time! It truly didn’t matter how long they took to close me up!
*After the surgery, I was taken back to my original room. I gave birth at a baby centered hospital where they believe about having the baby with you at all times (hence the reason why I was able to do skin to skin with him in the hospital). That is where they gave him a bath, did measurements, and footprints.
*And that was how it all went down! If you are having a planned c-section, you can expect things to go similar to this. If you are having an emergency c-section, obviously things will be moving much quicker. Either way, know that you are in amazing hands of doctors that this do this every day!
Lastly, no matter if the c-section was your choice or your doctor’s choice, please know that you are an amazing mother who has been given this gift of bringing a child into this world! No matter the method, you are a rockstar!
