What’s it like to have a baby via c-section?
When I started to write this post, I was going to outline what a caesarean section is like and what to expect but then I realised that everyone's experience is SO different, it’s just not possible to tell someone what their c-section will be like. So instead I am sharing a brief overview (I could write pages and pages on both births!) of my experiences and my own thoughts on different aspects of a c-section delivery.
I have had two caesareans, one was an emergency and one was elected. The few hours leading up to both births were very different but the procedures and recovery times were very similar.
The emergency c-section was scary. Suddenly being whisked off to theatre after hours and hours of labour was terrifying for both me and my husband. From one minute to the next everything changed and within minutes I was on an operating table with a room full of people. It seemed to take HOURS for my husband to come in (probably minutes) and I just kept asking “Where’s Rich? Where’s Rich?”. I was in a panic for sure but it all happened very quickly and I knew it was the best thing for me and my daughter.
(I threw up A LOT afterwards and barely had the energy to hold my daughter. The drugs, the lack of food and sleep, the 15 hours of labour, the surgery... it’s no walk in the park.)
With a planned c-section however, your delivery time is booked in and it’s a much calmer experience. My husband and I played back gammon (yes, we’re that cool) on his phone whilst we waited in the “holding bay”. I was still nervous (and hungry, you can’t eat for hours beforehand), but there wasn’t the same level of panic or fear. In theatre it’s much calmer too.
Top tip: Tell your birthing partner not go overboard sniffing their sanitised hands whilst they anxiously wait to come into theatre. They could end up almost fainting mid-surgery and having to ask for a cup of water (all whilst you’re lay there with 2 pairs of hands moving your organs around).
The surgery itself was, both times, pain free. Thanks to the epidural, all I could feel was some gentle tugging and movement. It actually came as quite a shock when they told me the baby was out. Having the epidural is probably the scariest bit of all because you have to keep really still so that they can get the exact spot in your back. At one point the anaesthetist hit a nerve on the way in and my left leg shot into the air. That was not pleasant and the nerve hasn’t been right since.
I missed immediate skin-on-skin contact with both babies, as one was whisked straight to ICU and the other was checked over and wrapped up before she was handed to me. I can only assume with all emergency c-sections that the baby has to be checked over before you get to hold them but I can assure you this didn’t change anything. I soon got to hold my beautiful babies and it was magical, even if it wasn’t immediate skin-on-skin.
Meeting my daughter for the first time, following an emergency caesarean.
There’s no sugar coating it, the recovery post surgery is a bitch. I was in hospital for a week both times (due to the baby, not me) and I stayed in bed 95% of the time. I think that really helped. Once I got home, I tried hard to do as little as possible (which of course isn’t easy, especially with a toddler and a baby) but the more you can rest in those first few weeks, the quicker your overall recovery will be. My husband really had to step up here, fetching, carrying, making meals, bringing cups of tea. The more you can get someone else to do, the better. It’s so important not to push yourself, even if you feel ok.
As for the scar, I haven’t found it a problem. It’s been 2.5 years since my second child was born and it’s not something I often think about. I know in the past caesarean incisions were vertical and the scar was often very prominent, but these days they are horizontal (and quite short considering!) and sit just below the knicker line. I love telling my kids it’s where they entered the world!
A few final words…
You will still bleed after a c-section, so make sure you pack your maternity pads and sanitary towels.
You will be offered pain relief… take it! I kept mine up at max strength for a good week before reducing it down.
After your c-section, you will have to inject yourself once a day for about a week. This is to minimise the chance of any blood clots.
Getting in and out of bed to feed the baby is a killer afterwards. If you’re in hospital, buzz a midwife and they will come to help you. If you have someone at home with you, ask them to pass you the baby, even in the middle of the night.
Walking for the first week or so is really hard and really tiring. Try to stay at home and rest as much as possible. Your body and your scar will thank you later.
