Preparing for your caesarean birth
Getting ready for a caesarean birth is just like getting ready for any type of birth - there is both an element of mental and physical preparation required to make you feel calm, confident and ready. A caesarean can be planned or unplanned and around 1 in 5 babies are born by caesarean, so here we talk about everything you need to know to be prepared, even if your caesarean is unplanned. But don’t worry, there isn’t a whole new school of thought you need to prepare for a caesarean birth. The knowledge, tools and techniques you learn in hypnobirthing are a game-changer for both vaginal and caesarean births.
Using hypnobirthing during a caesarean
Using hypnobirthing during a caesarean birth
Your internal dialogue is the key to remaining relaxed and enjoying that moment that you meet your baby. Oxytocin is really important during caesareans and will be supportive of your milk production, so you will want to create an environment that makes you feel good! It is true that there can be some limitations to making changes to the physical environment in theatre, but when you meet your practitioner before the operation, you can ask for reasonable adjustments. So think of each of the senses we talk about in The Hypnobirthing Pack to generate those good vibes!
Sound – You can listen to music of your choice, relaxation audios or positive affirmations to get you in the zone! Most theatres have modern speaker facilities where you can plug in your phone, so this is easy to arrange, but if this is not the case you should be able to play music quietly on your phone or through your headphones.
Sight - Dimming theatre lighting is quite difficult, it is naturally bright and required to be able to safely carry out the procedure. Some theatres do have multiple light sources and obstetricians that are happy to work in dimmed lighting, but this can be a more difficult physical adjustment. If you are finding the lighting intense, closing your eyes, focusing on your birth partner and using your breathing techniques can be very helpful. You could also use an eye mask.
Touch - The use of gentle touch of your head or arms can be really calming and grounding during a caesarean, your birth partner can practice this in advance too.
Smell - you can use aromatherapy oils, dabbing your wrists or soaking some cotton wool and taping it to your hospital gown.
Taste - Like we said, prepare with a big meal the night before and look forward to that tea and toast that’s coming your way!
Up-breathing is going to be your friend during a caesarean. The theatre environment can be quite busy and any major surgery is enough to get your mind racing, so using your breathwork to calm you down is incredibly powerful. You can learn all the techniques you need in our Hypnobirthing Pack.
Creating a birth plan for a caesarean birth
Whether you are planning to have a caesarean or not, you should prepare for the possibility when you write down your preferences. That way, if you do have an unplanned caesarean, you and your partner will know what to ask and advocate for. As well as all the environmental factors we’ve mentioned, there are a few more things you can think about:
Who you want with you at the birth (in theatre and recovery – which is where you’ll be taken once the caesarean is complete)
If you’d like the midwife to take photos for you
Having the drapes lowered so you can see your baby be born
Aiming to have immediate skin to skin contact and for the weight, measurements and Vitamin K injection (if you’ve consented to it) to be done in recovery afterwards.
Keeping your placenta (to bury, have prints, have encapsulated etc)
The Hypnobirthing Pack includes a dedicated section all about gentle caesareans, this might help you to complete your birth preferences
Packing your hospital bag
Particularly for caesarean births, a really well organised hospital bag with everything clearly labelled can be super helpful. It means that nurses or your birth partner can find what you need without you needing to help! We have a comprehensive hospital or birth bag packing list that covers everything you might need, but here are a couple of extra tips for if you are having a caesarean.
Pack extra pillows. With reduced mobility, an extra pillow for nursing can be helpful and you can then use it on the way home across your tummy to protect you from any bumps. This is also a good technique for sneezing/coughing/laughing!
Ensure you have big pants (we mean GIANT pants!) and loose clothes packed so you are comfortable post birth. A nightie will be best for post op recovery as you will have a catheter.
Pack chewing gum, peppermint teabags/cordial or peppermint oil capsules to relieve post-operative wind.
Know the process
Knowing the lay of the land and how things will look on the day can help with both mental and physical preparation. The best person to talk to about what happens during your caesarean is your midwife as policies, practice and protocols are slightly different at each hospital, but here are the basics:
The night before: The night before a planned caesarean is booked, have a large, carb-heavy meal to sustain you for a longer period. At around 10pm take your pre-surgery medications if required (some hospitals give you this in the morning instead). Dependent on what time your caesarean is likely to be (morning or afternoon) and how your hospital operates will alter the times of you being allowed to eat and drink on the day of surgery – so ask about your particular situation. Usually, people need to be ‘nil my mouth’ meaning no foods or drinks for about 6-12 hours before your operation. However, if you don’t have a caesarean planned, you should eat like normal during labour. Don’t fast because of the potential outcome of requiring an unplanned caesarean, there are other ways to mitigate risks of having eaten before a caesarean if need be.
On the day: You will be taken through the procedure and risks once more before the operation and be asked to sign consent forms, this is the same for both a planned and unplanned caesarean. You are likely to meet your consultant, anaesthetist and midwife to talk through the procedure. You’ll be issued a gown and compression stockings and may also be asked to wear a face mask. If this is a planned caesarean, you will then effectively just sit and wait your turn. Your prioritisation will come down to the other procedures booked for that day and any emergencies that come in. Be prepared to wait! If it is unplanned, you are likely to be pushed up that list, but again depending on other emergencies.
What happens during your caesarean surgery: In theatre you will be asked to sit on the edge of the bed and lean forward. You will have a local anaesthetic injection in your back before the epidural/spinal block is sited, you’ll then lie down, be assessed to check you can no longer feel your tummy and legs and a catheter will be inserted. The drapes will go up between your upper body and tummy, everyone will introduce themselves and the surgery will begin. It usually lasts about 45 minutes, in total, but your baby will be born in around 5 minutes!
Caesarean recovery: Following the caesarean you’ll be moved to recovery, which is usually a room or small ward where you’ll be closely monitored for between 1 and 4 hours before going to the postnatal ward. Your baby will be with you throughout. Once on the postnatal ward, you will be given the same care as anyone who has had a vaginal delivery. Midwives will assist with feeding and will monitor your recovery, taking regular observations and proceeding with the usual newborn check. Your catheter will remain in overnight so this does restrict your movement that day. Once it’s removed, you’re encouraged to move around on your feet regularly.
How long until you are discharged after your caesarean: Some people leave hospital the day after a caesarean and some remain for a couple more nights. The nurses will want you to pass urine before you leave and you will want to feel able to walk to the car park and undertake the journey home. While you can be eager to get home to other children or your own bed, consider this recovery period in hospital as an important transition for you and your baby.
Birth partners: Birth partners are generally able to be with you throughout surgery and recovery. When you’re admitted to the postnatal ward, they may be restricted by visiting hours, so this is something to ask your midwife in advance. Birth partners will be required to wear scrubs and a facemask.
Gentle Caesarean
Traditionally caesareans were viewed as a surgical procedure first, and a birth second. This meant that there was less focus on the choices of the woman or birthing person, and traditional operating theatre behaviours were the norm. Recently we have seen an increase in maternity units recognising the need to amplify the voices of those giving birth, and finding more and more ways to personalise a caesarean birth.
In hypnobirthing, when we talk about the birth environment, we employ our five senses. We read the environment around us through our senses, and we aim to meet each one of these with something that will encourage feelings of calm, contentment and safety. For example, you may have created a playlist of songs that give you an Oxytocin high - the first dance at your wedding? ‘Your’ song? The song that always reminds you of that amazing gig you went to with your best friend, or that your mum sang to you when you were small? Or perhaps you favour tinkly spa music? Whatever! Many theatres that are attached to labour wards have a stereo that you can link to (ask your midwife), and if not you could consider a small Bluetooth speaker or headphones in your birth bag.
In a gentle caesarean, the baby is encouraged to be born slowly through the abdominal incision. The head and shoulders are supported to be born by the obstetrician, and then the uterus is given time to surge and push the baby out. This goes some way to mimic vaginal birth, by squeezing the baby’s chest to help expel fluid from their lungs. If you would like to watch your baby being born in this way, it may be possible for the surgical drapes to be lowered allowing you to see your baby emerging into the world! Optimal or delayed cord clamping can then be supported, so long as both mother or gestative parent, and baby are well enough for this time to occur.
Skin-to-skin contact in theatre should be supported, as there is much evidence that immediate and ongoing skin-to-skin is incredibly beneficial to babies, bonding and to breast/chest feeding. During skin-to-skin, babies are more able to regulate their temperature, heart rate and breathing rate. If you are keen to have skin-to-skin in theatre, the staff can support this by putting your heart monitoring on your back, and keeping one arm out of your theatre gown to allow easier access to your chest after the birth. If you do not feel comfortable holding your baby at this point, your birth partner may want to hold your baby in skin-to-skin contact for you. This again promotes bonding and helps the baby to stabilise their vital signs.
Don’t be afraid to ask
Don’t be afraid to say you are feeling unwell during your operation. You will have an anaesthetist at your head end during the birth and if you are feeling dizzy, nauseous or just a bit odd please make sure you tell them – they’ll be able to fix this pretty quickly with some anti-sickness medication or fluids. This goes for recovery too. If you’re not feeling right, speak up as generally, it is nothing serious but something the nurses can swiftly help you with, for instance, iron levels.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help generally. This might be asking a midwife to help you position your baby to comfortably feed them, or your birth partner to pass things. Everyone is here to help you and make you as comfortable as possible, but if you vocalise your needs that makes it much easier for the people trying to care for you.
Get your home ready and think about after-care
Getting your home ready ahead of time can make life so much easier and more comfortable once you arrive back there after the birth of your baby.
Have baby bits in a portable caddy – nappies, wipes, flannels, cream, muslins and a couple of changes of clothes. Have a couple in places around the house so you have everything you need close by.
It’s also handy to keep pain relief for yourself (Ibuprofen and Paracetamol) in this caddy so you have that readily available.
It can be useful to get some prophylactic laxatives to help you with bowel movements after your surgery as well as getting some peppermint tea to have available for trapped wind.
Put a couple of extra pillows (rather than cushions) on the sofa, so they are there and ready for you to be able to get yourself comfortable.
Make sure you have plenty of big pants that will cover your wound and loose-fitting, comfortable clothing.
Have some large sanitary towels for when you can ‘downgrade’ from the hospital pads.
6 weeks after birth commence gentle daily scar massage and book in for a mummy MOT with a local service provider to get you recovering as well as possible.
For more information on how hypnobirthing can be used for caesarean births, take a look at our Hypnobirthing Pack.
Caesarean births might be your first or second choice of birth, but regardless they can be just as magical as a vaginal delivery, the key is to be well prepared and empowered that you are doing the right thing for you and your baby.
More From The Positive Birth Company
Our Ultimate Birth Course can be used for any type of birth, yes even cesareans! Click below to read how you can use it to feel calm, confident and excited about your birth!
