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My Slightly Chaotic Life

Balancing Life, Children and Chaos

Pregnancy

What to Expect During a C-Section

February 11, 2019 Comments : 30

Nervous about having a c-section? Here is what you can expect to happen before, during and after a c-section birth. | C-Section | New mom | Birthing options | Baby | Newborn | #csection #birth #pregnancy #birthingoptions #baby #delivery

It has been 10 months since Avery was born and I have received so many questions around her birth and the c-section I ultimately had with her. When my first was born over 7 years ago, I ended up with a c-section then as well. I had no idea waht to expect during a c-section at that time. This time around I had a scheduled c-section planned, but after going into labor at 37 weeks I still felt completely unprepared as they wheeled me into that operating room.

Part of the fear of having a c-section is the unknown. I have had first time moms and even second time moms ask me what it is like to have a c-section. Here is what to expect before during a c-section as well as before and after.

What to Expect during a C-section

Nervous about having a c-section? Here is what you can expect to happen before, during and after a c-section birth. | C-Section | New mom | Birthing options | Baby | Newborn | #csection #birth #pregnancy #birthingoptions #baby #delivery

You will be nervous

Once that decision is made to proceed with a c-section you will start to feel nervous. You will also feel sad, relieved and scared all at once. Sad that your birth plan is gone, relieved that labor is almost over and baby will be out safe and scared off the surgery and recovery. No one plans to have a c-section as a first time mom and an increase in nerves is to be expected.

There will be a lot of people

The room will be packed with people. I had both my children at a teaching hospital so my experience may be skewed. I had an anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthetist, my labor and delivery nurse, the OB attending, an OB resident, surgical tech, a nursing student, and a pediatrician resident and attending (standard for an unexpected delivery as it was for Avery). My point is there will be a lot of people there but they are all there to support you and your baby.

The spinal block is amazing

The spinal is way stronger then your traditional epidural. This basically numbs you from your nipples down. It will feel weird but you will be thankful it’s there.

Yes, you will need a catheter

They will place this after you get your spinal thankfully. It is a little tube that gets inserted into your urethra into your bladder. You won’t even know it is happening but it is an important part of making sure your bladder is empty. In fact, the catheter generally remains in place until you are up moving around.

You may feel sick to your stomach

This is typical with the anesthesia. I always get extremely nauseous during and post c-section. Just let them know and they will give you medications to counteract that.

You will feel pulling, tugging and pressure

None of this will hurt but you will feel those sensations and they are completely normal sensations to feel during a c-section.

You will be able to hold your baby and do skin to skin 

I think that this is one of the biggest fears that new moms have when the thought of a c-section comes up. Not being able to immediately hold your baby after delivery. At the hospital I had both my children at, they had the baby cleaned, suctioned, weighed and measured in under a couple of minutes and then promptly placed them on my chest.

They also had a clear screen so that as soon as she was pulled out they held her up so that I could see her. While the doctors did cut the cord, Aaron was able to help trim the umbilical cord and be right next to Avery when she was getting weighed and measured. While it is not immediate like in a vaginal birth, the nurses and doctors make every effort to let you hold and see your baby right away.

Shaking is normal

Hormones combined with the effects of anesthesia will make you shake. This is to be expected and it doesn’t last for very long. I was shaking from a combination of those, nerves and the fact that the operating room is extremely cold.

Moving sucks

Those first few days after a c-section when trying to get out of bed, up from a chair or even picking up your baby will be uncomfortable. Don’t even think about coughing, sneezing or having that wonderful first bowel movement. You will be sore and I suggest having a pillow on hand to brace against your incision when moving. It will help with the pain.

You are still a badass

Just because you didn’t have a vaginal birth does not make you any less of a mom. You are still amazing and recovery from a c-section is no joke. Some will say that a c-section is the easy way out and honestly they suck. There is nothing easy about a c-section and you are amazing no matter which way you birthed your baby.

Nervous about having a c-section? Here is what you can expect to happen before, during and after a c-section birth. | C-Section | New mom | Birthing options | Baby | Newborn | #csection #birth #pregnancy #birthingoptions #baby #delivery

Hopefully knowing what to expect during a c-section birth will help you be more prepared for your delivery. Whether you deliver vaginally or through a c-section knowing what to expect helps calm the fears a little bit.

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Comments

  1. Joanna says

    February 11, 2019 at 2:08 pm

    I don’t have children but I know women who have gone through C sections and they said it’s not nice at all. The recovery is so much more painful than a natural birth.

    Reply
    • Mary white says

      December 17, 2019 at 8:26 am

      Since you have not had a baby you should probably not be giving an opinion about pain. I had both types of deliveries and do not see it as one more painful than the other. Every delivery is unique.

      Reply
  2. Deb says

    February 11, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    You’re so brave! I never knew many of these facts about c sections
    Debs @ https://tiger-mint.com

    Reply
  3. Tonya says

    February 11, 2019 at 8:03 pm

    Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story. My mother had a c-section with my brother.

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    February 11, 2019 at 9:46 pm

    I was amazed at all the shaking with my first c section. It took forever to stop too. My other two weren’t as bad.

    Reply
  5. Nicole Anderson | Camping for Women says

    February 12, 2019 at 2:49 am

    This was such an interesting read to truly try to appreciate all that a mom will go through in the process of having a c section. I’m sure you must go through a number of emotions: scared, elated, all at the same time! This is a great resource for expected moms to read.

    Reply
  6. Amy-Lynn Denham says

    February 12, 2019 at 8:50 am

    Whether scheduled or emergency I think that c-sections are scary (even though the doctors are well-trained). I have a lot of respect for women who endure this.

    Reply
  7. Geraline Batarra says

    February 12, 2019 at 11:14 am

    Mothers are still mothers whether they had a c section birth or normal. They both had a painful and un ending sacrifices.

    Reply
  8. Folabest says

    February 12, 2019 at 11:58 am

    This is highly informative. I never heard of this before. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  9. Sincerely Miss J says

    February 12, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    Congratulations. I had a c-section and I agree that spinal block was amazing but the pain and recovery was super tough. Don’t want to go through that again.

    Reply
  10. HilLesha says

    February 12, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    I know someone who had a c-section and they said that it didn’t wasn’t a walk in the park. Childbirth, whether delivering vaginally or via c-section, is an incredible (and excruciatingly painful) process. Therefore, I have nothing but respect for women who have to endure it.

    Reply
  11. Julie Trujillo says

    February 12, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    It’s amazing what a c-section does to our body and scary how many times it’s performed in the US.

    Reply
  12. Chelle Dizon says

    February 12, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    I really cannot imagine if I’ll be the one in your shoes. I have so much respect for moms who had a C-Section.

    Reply
  13. Clare Minall says

    February 12, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    I ahve 3 kids adn all of them are from C-Section. It was not as painful as people think but it was a very critical procedure.

    Reply
  14. Alexandra Cook says

    February 12, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    I really don’t know how it feels like but it sounds very painful. Salute to all moms who undergone C-section. You were so strong.

    Reply
  15. Preet says

    February 12, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    Sounds like it was really hard. I have a normal delivery with my kids. It was so painful never thought that a CS can be so painful too.

    Reply
  16. Christa says

    February 12, 2019 at 9:19 pm

    As a two-time mom, I’m constantly amazed at how little I know about aspects of the birth procedure. This was very informative and is great info for soon-to-be mamas.

    Reply
  17. Czjai Reyes-Ocampo says

    February 13, 2019 at 12:20 am

    The pain of giving birth via C-section usually comes after you have given birth. I did not want to go under the knife when I gave birth to my son, and thankfully, he was born via NSD. I also wanted to save on medical expenses because C-section deliveries are very expensive here in my country, unless you have a health insurance.

    Reply
  18. Purva Bhatia says

    February 13, 2019 at 12:21 am

    Well summed up. I went through a csec to deliver my baby. The recovery period is more than normal delivery but I couldn’t have been able to bear the pain I think.

    Reply
  19. Shannan P says

    February 13, 2019 at 1:36 am

    Thank you so much for sharing your experience. While I ended up having vaginal births with my kids, we were teetering on the brink of a C-section with my youngest and I remember being terrified and not knowing what to expect.

    Reply
  20. Jasmeet Singh says

    February 13, 2019 at 6:11 am

    You are so brave. Thank you for sharing this information. This will surely benefit other expecting moms

    Reply
  21. Elizabeth O says

    February 13, 2019 at 7:17 am

    This such an informative post. You’re so strong and I appreciate your time for writing this article.

    Reply
  22. Kalyan Panja says

    February 13, 2019 at 8:13 am

    This is an useful post for would be mothers. Thought provoking post.

    Reply
  23. Woodeline says

    February 13, 2019 at 9:46 pm

    I don’t have any kids, but I don not want to push. I don’t think I’ll have the strength. But c-section may not be up to me. Yeass you are still badass

    Reply
  24. Karen Monica says

    February 14, 2019 at 3:56 am

    This is such an informative post about C section. This will definitely benefit expecting mums.

    Reply
  25. Monidipa Dutta says

    February 14, 2019 at 5:50 am

    I am actually terrified of having kids. But I must say that you r strong…

    Reply
  26. sarah camille says

    February 15, 2019 at 6:59 pm

    C-sections are one of the things that scares me the most about pregnancy, but I’m so glad I read your post. I didn’t know about several things you mentioned but it feels a little less scary now!

    Reply
  27. Henrietta says

    February 17, 2019 at 9:05 am

    I have bookmarked it for obvious reasons 🙂 I especially love this “Just because you didn’t have a vaginal birth does not make you any less of a mom.” Thank you so much for sharing this!

    Reply
  28. JASMINE VARGAS says

    February 17, 2019 at 5:59 pm

    I had two c-sections and I remember recovery was the hard part. I hated to move lol

    Reply
  29. Ida says

    March 5, 2019 at 2:21 pm

    I had my first born “naturally” and twins by c-section. When I was told there was no other option than a c-section with the twins based on their positions, I completely lost it. I was upset for days and it took several discussions with doctors and my husband to come to terms with it. I was scared to death of the procedure, recovery, breastfeeding afterwards, how I would be able to cope with twins and a 2 year old, etc. And honestly yes I did feel like a failure.. Everything went however well, “giving birth” was a breeze, I recovered relatively quick (not as quickly as many, but still) and managed to breastfeed without any issues for a year. I think the most important way to prepare is face any concerns or questions and come to terms with the surgery. Were I ever to have another child, I would definitely opt for natural delivery given the possibility, but either way, a baby is always a baby, no matter how they’re born ❤️

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Danielle. I'm a mom, wife and ED nurse. I love sharing my honest take on being a mom, traveling with kids and lifestyle content.

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Thinking back on the time I made my son get up wit Thinking back on the time I made my son get up with me to go watch the sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain in @acadianps. 
Acadia is my absolute favorite place to visit and having my kids there to hike and explore with makes it that much better.  One day they won’t want to do this with me so for now I’ll enjoy it while I can even though he may have whined just a little about getting up that early. 
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I’m happy that my body finally feels like my own I’m happy that my body finally feels like my own again but I’m sad that I may never experience another newborn and baby stage. 
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