Why You Should Plan for a C-Section (Even if You Don’t Want One)
Inside: Why you should plan for a c-section during pregnancy, even if your goal is natural childbirth.
I did not plan for a C-section. In fact, every part of my “birth plan” had the end goal of avoiding a C-section.
However, nothing went according to my plan.
Why Every Mom Should Plan for a C-Section
I chose the midwife route. She was (and still is, of course) fully accredited. Only about 1 in 25 of her patients ended up needing to have a surgical birth, compared to the 1 in 3 national average. I knew that meant I was in the right place.
Well, I was that one person out of 25. After five hours of pushing and a stuck baby, we both knew that I wasn’t getting her out on my own, so it was off to the hospital. (Read my birth story here)
I had never been to this particular hospital in my life. I knew absolutely no one here. My midwife did not have any privileges here and could not accompany me, though she called ahead to fill them in on my situation. This wasn’t my plan, remember?
That was the problem.
I was in such denial that a C-section could be the outcome of my birth that I made zero preparations. I wouldn’t even entertain the possibility in the ten months leading up to this day.
As a result, I had almost no say in what happened.
What to consider when you plan for a C-Section
(even if you never end up having one)
What are the deciding factors for a C-Section?
It’s important to know the specific situations that require a C-section. If you know what to watch for, it won’t come as a total surprise. Ask which issues are simply recommendations (labor is taking a long time) and which are true emergencies.
Where will the surgery take place?
This applies mainly if you’re planning to deliver at home or in a birth center, as opposed to a hospital setting. If you wait until the actual need arises, you’ll be heading to wherever is closest.
If I had a “do-over,” I would establish a relationship with that hospital and those doctors beforehand so I wouldn’t be a completely unknown patient coming in. As a new patient, I had to get ALL of my blood work redone while waiting for surgery — not fun. I also had months of insurance screw-ups to fix when I got home because they didn’t ask me when I arrived and they got it wrong.
What type of anesthesia will be administered?
You might not have a choice, but it’s good to know what the options are and in which specific situations they would be used, as well as the recovery process for each. The three main options are epidural, spinal block (that was what I had..and you’re pretty much paralyzed for an entire day), and general anesthesia (aka lights out!) –Source
Who is allowed to be in the room with you?
Likely only one other person (for me it was my husband) and only if you are not under general anesthesia. Make sure that person is ready to act fast when it’s “go time.” They will have mere minutes to change into scrubs.
Will you be strapped down?
I wasn’t asked if I was ok with this, and it came as a surprise to be fully restrained. I hated feeling like I was a prisoner. Your doctor may prefer this, and again, you migt not have a choice, but ask! At the very least, you might ask if you can be un-shackled to hold your baby. “Gentle cesareans” are rising in popularity, so ask your doctor if that is an option for you.
Do you want skin-to-skin with your newborn?
You’ll have to ask for it. Everything happened so fast in my case and I didn’t know I had to ask (or demand!) to hold my baby immediately after birth. I was doped up and exhausted after 20+ hours of labor and I didn’t know my rights. They whisked my baby away before I knew what was happening and I will forever miss that moment.
You shouldn’t have to ask, but in many cases this is the reality. Make your wishes very clear beforehand and make sure that the person in the room with you will stand up for you if you are too out of it.
Do you plan to breastfeed?
Make it known! You might end up in a recovery room while your baby is carted off to the nursery. If breastfeeding is a priority and both you and the baby are healthy, make sure that there is NO mistake and insist that they bring your baby to you at regular intervals to try. (If they “let you rest” and feed the baby formula at first, this can make establishing breastfeeding more difficult).
I DID get this across to my nurses and I had an hour with my baby while in the recovery room to try (we were both exhausted and fell asleep), and then they brought her back a while later to try again (success!) Do not be shy to ask for any and all resources available to you!
How long will you be in the hospital?
Ask in advance what the standard hospital stay is for post c-section recovery and what the doctor will look for before allowing you to go home. I was actually discharged on the early side (2 days post-op) but we ended up staying for 5 days while my baby was treated for jaundice.
Where will my incision be located?
The scar for me was such a worry, and it is an adjustment to see at first. I was scared to look at it, much less touch it! We are fortunate that every attempt is made to leave minimal scarring, and the incision is usually located below your bikini line. (In most cases, it will barely be visible in a year’s time, so don’t freak out like I did at first!) However, there are still exceptions. You don’t want a surprise here, so ask what the plan is and in what case (if any) would there be a change this plan.
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The point of me writing this is not to scare you…I promise!
I would never recommend electing a C-section if it is not medically necessary because it IS a major surgery, BUT it is not the end of the world and if it gets your baby here safely then that is the most important thing.
The point of me writing this is to share what a huge mistake it was for me to have no plan in place for the possibility of my birth being a C-section. With no plan, I was at the mercy of the doctors. They had no personal relationship with me and their goal was likely to get me in and out of surgery as quickly as possible and go on with their morning. The doctor I ended up with had terrible bedside manner, but I was VERY lucky that she was apparently a skilled surgeon.
If you are planning for a vaginal birth or a fully natural birth, I hope with all my heart that is what you get. However, life has a funny way of changing things up on you, so having an “alternate” birth plan (and a plan for a c-section) can help ensure that your birth experience is still a positive one.
READ THIS NEXT: 5 Things All C-Section Mamas Need to Hear
Disclaimer: This post is based on my own personal experience; I am not a medical professional and this is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Please consult with your health care provider when creating your birth plan.
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Wish I would’ve read this over 3 years ago when I had my daughter. I never in a million years thought that I’d have a C section but I did and was very unprepared. My mother had had vaginal births, I had a pretty smooth pregnancy, baby was measuring fine, I had never had any health problems and had “wide birthing hips” ? turns out, that doesn’t matter because my little 7lb girl wouldn’t fit through my pelvic opening. You never know if it will be you! Great post! ♡
Thanks Abilene! It’s hard to prepare for an outcome that you don’t want, but I wish I had made some kind of plan! You’re so right…you never know if it will be you!
Try traumatized mama! C section was not what I wanted but it save both of our lives. ❤️ That is what is important and I agree it seems to minimize the experience by calling it something cute. Because my blood worst nightmare of surgery while awake and an epidural that didn’t fully take is not cute. It’s traumatic. Its PTSD. And I’m due in two weeks to repeat the ordeal. I made clear that opting to knock me out needed to be on stand by and I only need to ask once for it…. not repeatedly scream that I can feel everything. My dr agreed to it. Good luck to all the mamas out there.
I never plan to have a C-section birth too but no matter how often my contractions were, my cervix won’t open. Both my two kids were born through C-section.
I had an epidural with my emergency c-section. It was awful. I had already had an epidural placed so they just pumped me up with more for the c-section.
My scheduled c-section was a spinal and it was SO much better. It only lasts 4 hours. At 4.5 hours post op I walked from delivery to post partum.
You definitely weren’t numb for 24 hours but maybe you just didn’t get up for 24 hours. But the sooner you start walking the better with c-sections.
Oh I was definitely numb for the first day and unable to walk! For my second c-section (also an emergency) I had to go completely under anesthesia, which was scary. However, when I woke up I was able to feel my toes and move. I was walking as soon as they took the catheter out – big difference! I actually preferred that to the spinal because my recovery went much faster. Though I would imagine it’s different for everyone 🙂