Motherhood has so many different elements, stages and experiences. And that starts right from the beginning! Birth can happen in a variety of ways, a Planned Caesarean being one such way.
If it’s the first time, a Planned Caesarean [like the first of all kinds of birth] can bring uncertainty and questions. Having information is key to women feeling empowered and ready for what’s to come.
Dr Sarah J Murphy has very kindly shared her expertise with us as a Practitioner in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
She has shared invaluable insights as to what to expect and what may happen. Amazing information for any mom about to have a Planned Caesarean …..
- You will usually be advised to arrive at the hospital early, with your bags and having fasted (no food from midnight, you can have clear fluids)
- You will wait on a ward or room. A midwife will ‘check you in’, go through info and may take bloods. You may also be seen be the doctors
- At some stage during the day you will be called to theatre. This can be late in the day, even afternoon if it is very busy!
- In theatre, you will be checked in by a nurse and brought into the operating room itself in your gown.
- There will be a LOT of people in the room! And there may be noisy beeps etc. There are usually 4-5doctors (2 anaesthetics, 2 obstetricians, 1 paediatrician), 3-4 theatre nurses and a midwife!
- Your details will be checked again (you will sick of telling us you have no drug allergies). Then a cannula will be put in and monitors will be attached to your chest.
- Then you will be set up for your spinal. You will sit up and lean forward. It is SO important to keep still. The anaesthetic doctor will then feel your back – this can feel like a lot of pushing and poking. This will be followed be a bee sting of the local anaesthetic. The spinal then should not be painful! You will start to feel warm and tingly as it goes in and then will lie down. A wedge will go under your back at the right or the bed will be tilted. You WON’T fall.
- Next is to put a tube in the bladder. You will feel your legs moving and touch but no pain.
- The anaesthetic doctor will then check your ‘block’ with an ice cold spray to see if the spinal is working! You WILL feel touch but you should not feel the cold
- It is at this time that you may feel dizzy and nauseated + as your blood pressure drops. This is a normal response and your doctor can fix it – make sure to tell them as you start to feel like this. You may also feel shaky – this is also a Normal response.
- If pubic hair is where the incision will be, this will be shaved and then the doctors will ‘paint’ (disinfect) your tummy. You WLL feel this.
- A clean drape will be placed across your tummy and up at your head.
- A last check will take place to make sure the spinal is working. This may be done in silence between the doctors.
- Then the surgery will start and your partner will be brought in, to sit up at the top of the bed with you.
- There are two points which may be uncomfortable. One feels like a BIG stretch with lots of pulling as the doctors make their way in. The second can have lots of PRESSURE as baby is born. These should not lost long.
- Baby is usually born 1-5min after starting and then the rest of the surgery is usually about 20min!
Thanks so much Dr Sarah J Murphy. We are very grateful that you shared your expertise with us. The information will be so helpful for so many women. Knowledge is most definitely power.
