What it's really like to have a C section
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…and SPOILER ALERT: It’s nothing like depicted in this photo!
C-SECTION HIGHLIGHTS:
Your birth is still “natural” and don’t let anyone (yourself included) tell you that your birth was anything less-than.
Many women shake during C-Sections. It’s totally normal due to the anesthesia and hormones.
They will test you to see what you can feel after the epidural before surgery starts. You should be able to feel their touch, but not feel that it is sharp or cold.
The epidural/spinal was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting.
The surgery does not hurt but you do feel pressure and them tugging on you.
Many women feel very nauseous at a certain point of the C-Section. ASK FOR NAUSEA MEDICINE right away!
RECOVERY HIGHLIGHTS
You can try to do skin to skin after baby comes out, but don’t feel guilty if you don’t feel like holding baby.
Get up and walk as soon as they let you after surgery!!! This will help with pain, healing and gas. You can take Gas-X at home for any gas pain you develop.
A Heating pad is a MUST HAVE for the gas pains and abdominal cramping.
The nurses have to massage your uterus during recovery and it HURTS (no matter what type of birth you have).
Expect to be in the hospital 3-4 nights after C-Section.
Be sure to brace yourself with a pillow when you cough.
Have the team show you how to get out of bed, then log-roll at home.
Wear your abdominal binder religiously (they give it to you in the hospital, ask for an extra).
Most women bleed a bit less than a period for a few weeks. You can pretty much use regular pads after a day or two (but NO tampons).
Once cleared for sex, it can still be painful, due to decreased blood flow and hormones from breastfeeding. You can use extra lube or talk to your doctor about dilators. Take your time and pay attention to your body. Do not have sex if it hurts.
Use Silicone sheeting and Mederma for scar appearance and scar massage for flattening and helping with scar sensitivity.
Exactly What To Expect During and After a C Section (and the best ways to recover):
As a nurse I’ve watched many different types of births. My personal belief is “to each her own,” and I support whatever birth choices someone decides to make. I personally decided to have a planned C-Section for my son due to my chronic back pain (myofascial pain syndrome).
If you find yourself in the position of having a C-Section (or you’re curious what to send your BFF who just had a C-Section, or you are just a curious person)… read ahead! I start off with my best tips for recovery and then go into a play-by play of what it’s like to have a C-Section.
My #1 Tip for the hospital: Bring a plug-In heat pad! The entire hospital unit only had 1 and I hogged it my entire admission and cried at the thought of it being taking it away from me. This one is $30 on Amazon but I found some for around $15 at Walgreens. The gas that is used during surgery can cause pain in the shoulder or abdomen after surgery. Heat REALLY helps with the pain!
C-Section Scar Massage (SO HELPFUL!!!): I started this a few weeks after surgery and it really helps to reduce the scar and sensitivity. Because they cut through nerves, some women have numb incision lines for months or even years. It isn’t awful, just weird.
The one recommendation my surgeon made to me was to use Silicone Sheeting. I used it as soon as my incision healed (1 week) and after a few weeks I alternated between this and Mederma scar gel. My scar was fairly minimal at 4 months out.
You don’t really need any special C-Section underwear. HOWEVER, C-Section “shelf” is real (where your incision tucks in and makes a small pooch hang over) and I think wearing compression undies helped smooth out the abdominal muscles (along with massage), but it could have also just been time. These are a 3 pack for $30 (only $10 a pair), so I recommend having them on hand to wear during recovery after a week or two. My biggest tip is to ask for a few of the abdominal binders from the hospital and use those religiously. If you are still loving the binder a week or two after birth, you can invest in a sturdier and more luxury version like this one.
Brace yourself with a pillow when coughing or getting out of bed. Learn how to log roll to get out of bed. Your core will be SO weak and you want to use your abdominal muscles as little as possible. Some women choose to sleep on the couch or in a recliner to make it easier to get in and out of bed. Here’s an Australian lady who will show you how to log roll:
THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS OF WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER YOUR C-SECTION:
I have chronic back pain and decided with my regular physicians that a C-Section would be the most ideal delivery method. My doctor put in the surgical referral when I was 32 weeks and the baby was breech.
Meeting with the surgeon mostly consisted of explaining risks (infection, death, bleeding, hysterectomy, having your placenta grow into the muscle in future pregnancies), doing an ultrasound to check position, and getting a packet of chlorhexidine wipes to do a special shower the night before. It did feel like she wanted to talk me out of the C-Section after the baby was head down, but we made the decision to proceed after considering all of our options.
I got a call about 4 weeks before my due date and was given an option of dates. I picked Saturday so no one would have to miss work (one of the luxuries of scheduling a C-Section). I chose June 9th and was due June 14th (they like to schedule 5-6 days before due date so you don’t go into labor). I was told to eat a carb-heavy meal the night before, nothing to eat after midnight, then only clear liquids 4-6 hours prior. I showered, then used my chlorhexidine wipes. They are very sticky and leave you feeling very gross after. I had to wake up around 2am to drink apple juice (carbo-loading… literally). I slept AWFULLY that night.
THE DAY OF:
Morning of, we were told to call the unit at 8am and be ready to go in. They told us to be there by 9am. When we arrived, we were checked in, then led to a hospital bed. I had never been more nervous in my life and was on the edge of tears the entire morning. The doctor offered to let me go home and try to go into labor naturally, but I was reminded that I made the decision to have a C-Section when I was not stressed out, believing it was the best decision for me. I had a nurse assigned just to me, who completed Admission Questions. She explained I was scheduled for 11am but may get bumped for emergencies. She also inserted an IV.
The Resident came in and did an ultrasound. She said “We like to know the baby’s position so that we know how to plan our approach in surgery.” I had a mental freak-out because she looked 14 and I only wanted my surgeon to be the one cutting. I’ve had enough to deal with my back I didn’t want to be in inexperienced hands (feel free to insert judgement here because as a nurse I had to learn on people, but it’s a personal choice). She left, then my surgeon came in and I had a little freak out. My surgeon explained the resident is an extra set of hands and my regular OB explained later that it really takes 2 people to sew you up so that each person starts from the outer limit of the incision sewing you up.
The Nurse Anesthetist came in and talked with me. She explained there was a visiting specialist who recommended for me to have a spinal + epidural (and thank God they did this!) for my post-op back pain. There was mention of something called a “TAP BLOCK” where they inject lidocaine into the abdominal muscles during surgery. Be sure to ask for it!!
I was so unbelievably nervous for my C-Section
I didn’t really end up getting bumped so I headed to the ER around 12:00 (3 hours after check in… longest wait of my life). Right before we left I was handed Sodium Citrate to drink (tested AWFUL) and chlorhexidine mouth rinse (not as bad) and given another set of sticky chlorhexidine wipes to do. They put socks on me and told me to walk to the OR! At this point your significant other is told to get into an OR gown over their clothes (hat and booties) and family is led to the waiting area. C.J. was told to wait in the hall until they were ready to start surgery (ended up being about 30 minutes).
HEADING INTO THE OR…
I was led into the OR, had a bit of a mental freak out that I would be laying on the table having surgery WHILE awake, but mentally decided to focus on the nurses and whatever task they had me doing. Lots of prayer.
They had me sit the edge of the table, round my back, lean forward and hug a nurse while they prepped me for the spinal. I was REALLY nervous for this part but it really was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. She ended up really struggling to get it in, had to re-set up everything and try again. Once they get the catheter into the correct spinal area, they inject medication to numb you from a little below your breasts down. Because of my back they left the catheter in so that I could then have an epidural during the surgery and then they gave me additional medications 24 hours later. Once the drug is in your legs start to tingle/feel very heavy. At this point it’s hard to move your legs. The nurses then assist you to lay down and frog your legs. Then they put a curtain up so you can no longer see. It’s pretty high on your chest and comes close to your face, which is a bit claustrophobic. Then the put a urinary catheter in (couldn’t feel at all) and did an iodine vaginal cleaning (couldn’t feel). This whole set up probably took 30 minutes (which is long). The urinary catheter came out later that night.
Tip: Bring protein/snacks when you check in and have your husband eat them right before it’s GO TIME. My husband got starving while he was waiting for the 30 minutes in the hall.
Then my husband came back in and was able to sit near the head of the bed. I had an IV in, electrodes to monitor my heart rate and an oximeter sticker on my finger (i.e. lots of cords!).
After a few minutes they start to test you to see what you can feel. Here is where my biggest misconception came in. I thought I wouldn’t be able to FEEL ANYTHING. VERY WRONG. You can feel everything but it doesn’t feel sharp/cold. They rub something sharp against your chest (where you should feel sharp), then on your belly and abdomen (where you should feel it, but it shouldn’t feel sharp). I didn’t realize I should still feel it (but it shouldn’t feel sharp), so I was freaking out, thinking I wasn’t numb enough.
Once I realized I would still be able to feel what they were doing but it didn’t feel like sharp pain, they started and I didn’t really feel it. Once they got going I could feel most of what they were doing and it feels a lot like someone pushing/pulling/digging into your uterus. You really can’t feel or move your legs at this point.
At the point where they push on you to push the baby out, everyone gets VERY nauseous, so be sure to let your anesthesiologist know so you can get some meds.
Very suddenly my right shoulder was KILLING ME. For you Harry Potter fans it felt like Lord V. was doing the Cruciatus curse on me. I became quite vocal and the anesthesiologist gave me more meds through the IV and epidural.
Once they pulled him out we could hear his cry and that felt like a moment outside of time. You think “how the heck was that living thing buried in my belly and LIVING this whole time?!” At this point dad can follow baby to the warmer and see him get wiped down a little and cut the cord. C.J. didn’t want to cut the cord but they made him. There is a NICU nurse present. He was born around 1:00 pm.
As they are finishing up they bring baby to your chest to hold. I had said I wanted to try to breastfeed on the OR table… what a joke! Right before the photo was taken I was crying and very vocal about how much my shoulder hurt. After they took a photo I said I didn’t want to hold him because there were so many cords and I could barely manage to keep him in my grasp. You can do cheek to cheek or have dad do skin to skin if this is the case for you as well.
My husband text photos to the grandmas and a little video, which was a great way to keep them updated.
The surgery still lasts another… 30-45 minutes, as they actually close each layer up a different way (i.e. they close your uterus horizontally, then muscles vertically, then the skin horizontally to make sure everything is secure).
When they are all done they wheel you back to your room (the same room in Labor and Delivery for me). I was managed there for about an hour or so before I was transferred to postpartum. During that time I couldn’t feel or move my legs which was SO WEIRD. I kept saying they didn’t feel like my legs. I had the catheter in. We had some time to do skin to skin, which was great. After 45 minutes or so I had C.J. go grab our families to come see, and they took photos.
Enjoying some skin to skin as we got settled into Post Partum
I was transferred to postpartum and a few hours later I could feel my legs. I wanted to get up and walk AS SOON AS I FELT MY LEGS and I recommend you do the same! The more you walk the less of a chance for blood clots or urinary retention. It will help you heal faster, poop faster, and breathe better. Around 8pm I had gone for a few laps and the nurse removed my catheter. I had some bleeding and they give you a ton of pads and those amazing mesh undies. I actually didn’t bleed a ton after the first day and it only lasted about 2 weeks.
The biggest tip I have for the hospital is to bring a plug-in heat pack!!! My shoulder really hurt after surgery as well as I felt like I had cramps. I would alternate the head pack from my shoulder to abdomen and it felt SO GOOD.
I ended up staying in the hospital for 3 nights. It was nice to have the nurses there to check in with and help with baby.
Recovering from the C-Section was actually easier than I thought it would be. You can use the abdominal binder they give you to walk and have abdominal support. Ask for another binder so you can have a clean one (my go-to M.O. is to hide helpful supplies so that they keep bringing you more. Any unused supplies they bring into your hospital room that are single-use, you can take home). The dressing comes off a day or two after surgery and then the steri strips fall off 7-10 days later. When the edges of the steri-strips start to come-up you can trim them with little scissors. After a few weeks when I felt that my incision was completely healed (no scab, etc.), I started using Silicone gels. I alternated those with mederma cream for scar treatment. I also started doing scar massage. I would call what the incision felt like “my hotdog.” The muscle is kind of knotted where the sutures are and it feels like a tender hotdog right below your underwear line, which my doctor said was NORMAL. When I would go for walks, it would sometimes get aggravated. By 3 months out my “hot dog” was gone and now I’m still doing the massage for a few minutes before bed and using the silicone gels on occasion. My incision was numb for a long time and some women still have numb incision lines after years. It’s not a big deal, just kind of weird.
In general, do some walking but DO NOT lift anything heavier than your baby for 6-8 weeks and ASK FOR AND ACCEPT HELP!!! Meal Trains were actually awesome and no one lingered while dropping off food.
Bring Your Own Toiletries to the hospital for your C Section recovery, which will be 3-4 nights.
What you ACTUALLY need to bring to hospital:
If you are expecting to deliver the baby vaginally, you can expect to be at the hospital for 1-2 nights. If you have a C-Section, it is a 3-4 night stay. The hospital has everything you NEED to ‘survive’ your stay, so just remember that as you are packing up half of your car! You are basically packing ‘Creature Comforts’. Also remember: the hospital is DIRTY, DIRTY, DIRTY. Anything you bring to the hospital (clothing-wise) should be washed when you get home and any slippers should be washed or cleaned well. These are all jobs and you won’t feel much like doing jobs when you get home, so less is more!
TRACI’S TIP: I have a toiletries travel case loaded in my closet that is always ready-to-travel. I restock the products when I come home from a trip, so it’s a breeze when it’s time to pack. I also try to include really lovely/fancy products as an extra luxury!
The Essentials:
CAR SEAT: most hospitals will require you to load baby into it in your room. 4 out of 5 car seats are improperly installed, so make sure yours is done correctly by going to aCarseat Installment Check. (Google Search: “Car Seat Installment Check + Your City”). CHP also checks installment for free, requires an appointment.
CELL PHONE CHARGER
PLUG IN HEAT PAD for your back, shoulder or abdomen for cramps.
ONE BABY OUTFIT to bring baby home in (should be pants so they can be strapped into car seat)
ONE MAMA OUTFIT to go home in
FLIP FLOPS for shower and walking around the unit (you could use slippers instead, but then you don’t have for shower)
SOFT NURSING BRA so you don’t jiggle jaggle
Soft and Cozy SOCKS
Your favorite TOOTHBRUSH AND TOOTHPASTE
DEODORANT
LIP BALM
SNACKS and Drinks for Dad!!
HAIR TIE+ if bangs bring a headband
MAKEUP REMOVER WIPES
PACIFIER (this is a bit controversial, as it can create ‘nipple confusion,’ but we used one)
Download GUVA WHITE NOISE APP on your phone for white noise for baby, you just need this PERIOD (their ears are filled with fluid so their hearing is not great)
MEDELA SOOTHING GEL PADS: these are a MUST if you breastfeed. Sweet relief!
Optional Add-Ons:NICE PILLOWS for you and your partner. Pack this in a LARGE BAGGU BAG that folds up.
ELECTRIC CANDLE (some nurses would make you leave a light on if you don’t have this)
BUCKY EYE MASK (the room is not very dark and your partner will especially need. An ER nurse shared this particular mask with me 10 years ago and I have since been obsessed)
FANCY SOAP (the shower after birth/C-Section is the most amazing shower of your life, take advantage!)
GUM (if you are told to stop eating, you still may be able to chew gum and it may help with nausea)
HAIR NEEDS like dry shampoo or travel Shampoo/Conditioner
MAKEUP (there are so many photos taken I chose to bring and use a little. It also made me feel more human)
Own, soft PAJAMAS OR NIGHTGOWN (make sure if buttons up or has easy boobie access)
ROBE for walking around the halls (the hospital usually provides an extra hospital gown)
NURSING PILLOW (make sure you have an extra, clean cover for home). I used the BBHUGME because the My Breast Friend is a little hard to use in bed. I also used this to support grandmas and other kids while holding baby ay home (note, most hospitals ONLY allow direct siblings to visit)
BABY ACCESSORIES FOR PHOTOS: like an extra outfit or two, headbands or swaddles if you care or plan to take photos
A way to PLAY MUSIC OR WATCH SHOWS (or you can ask at hospital tour about their set-up)
I always travel with a few extra BAGGU bags that fold-up so I can stash laundry, dirty shoes, hospital supplies, etc.
Have you had a C-Section? Was your experience similar?
-Traci Clark RN, BSN, OCN, PHN