Download Preparing for Cesarean Birth

Patient Education
Perinatal Education
Page 109
Pregnancy and Giving Birth
Preparing for
Cesarean Birth
Not all babies can be born
vaginally. Sometimes they
Your health care provider may recommend a Cesarean
section if:
need to be born by a surgical
• You have had a Cesarean for a previous birth.
procedure called “Cesarean
• The baby is in breech position (bottom, feet, or hands
first).
section.”
You may also hear it called
Cesarean birth, C-Section, or
• You have:
just Cesarean. The surgery
- Diabetes.
consists of entering the uterus
- High blood pressure.
through the abdomen to
- Certain vaginal infections.
remove the baby.
Some Cesareans are
scheduled in advance. Others
take place after labor has
- Placenta previa (when the placenta is blocking the
opening of the cervix).
• Your baby shows signs of stress during labor.
begun or when there is an
• Your baby is too big to pass through the birth canal.
urgent situation before there
• Labor is not progressing to ensure a vaginal delivery.
is any labor at all.
Having a Cesarean Birth at University of
Washington Medical Center
Cesarean sections take place in an operating room in the
Maternity and Infant Center (MIC) on the Labor and Delivery
Unit. Your partner is invited to sit close by you during the
surgery and birth of your baby, as long as you are awake.
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Pregnancy and Giving Birth
Perinatal Education
The MIC is staffed 24
hours a day with
obstetricians,
anesthesiologists,
nurses, and other
support staff who
specialize in obstetrics.
Typically, there are
several staff members
present in the operating
room to assist with the
delivery of your baby.
Whether your Cesarean
is an emergency or
planned in advance,
everything is close at
hand on the Obstetric
Unit.
Preparing for Cesarean Birth
If you are having a planned Cesarean, you will be scheduled
for a pre-operative visit shortly before surgery for a
physical, lab work, and to talk with the anesthesiologist.
You will also be given a bottle of antibacterial soap to use
when showering before surgery. Your provider will let you
know the date and time of your surgery.
Sometimes an amniocentesis and/or an ultrasound is
scheduled that same day. You will be told when and where
to arrive on the morning of your birth.
If you are a patient on the Antepartum Unit and will be
having a Cesarean, we will prepare you for your surgery in
your room and then take you to the operating room (OR).
We suggest you begin gathering your belongings before
surgery to make your transfer to the Postpartum Unit easier.
If you need a Cesarean after labor has begun, you will be
taken to the OR on the same floor and you will return to
your labor room to recover. Your family and belongings
may remain in your room during surgery.
Getting Ready for Surgery
Before surgery, talk with your partner about what to do if
your baby needs to be taken to the nursery after birth. Your
partner may stay with you, or can go with the baby. This
should be decided before you have your surgery.
Depending on your situation, preparation for surgery may
take place either in your room or in the OR. Please note that
operating rooms are very cold to decrease infections.
When we prepare you for surgery, we will:
• Ask that you do not eat or drink anything for at least
8 hours before your scheduled surgery.
• Start an IV in your arm for fluids and medicines.
• Draw blood for tests your provider requests.
• Insert a tube into your bladder to drain your urine
into a bag.
Pregnancy and Giving Birth
Preparing for Cesarean Section
• Wash and clip hair from the area where your incision
will be.
• Apply an antibacterial solution to the area where your
incision will be.
Anesthesia
Most Cesareans are performed using spinal or epidural
anesthesia. With a spinal, there is a one-time injection of
anesthetic into your spinal fluid, resulting in complete
numbness in the lower half of your body from below the
breasts.
An epidural is different in that the anesthetic goes into the
space between the vertebrae and does not enter the spinal
fluid. A small catheter is kept in place for repeated
injections. With an epidural, there is also complete
numbness from below your breasts to the perineal/groin
area. There may or may not be feeling in your legs. The
sensations you may feel with an epidural or spinal are
pushing, pulling, or pressure, not pain.
If a mother’s or baby’s medical condition makes it
necessary, general anesthesia may be used. Whatever
anesthetic is used, the anesthesiologist will stay with you at
all times during the surgery.
How long does the surgery take?
From the time the spinal or epidural takes effect (usually 5
to 30 minutes) to the birth of your baby is about 10 to 15
minutes. The final phase of the surgery involves closing the
incision, which takes about 45 minutes. The entire procedure
from beginning the anesthesia to closing the incision takes
about 1 to 1½ hours.
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Perinatal Education
Page 112
Pregnancy and Giving Birth
Perinatal Education
Preparing for Cesarean Section
After Your Baby Is Born
Questions?
Your questions are
important. If you have
questions about
yourself, call your
obstetric provider during
office hours. Clinics are
closed 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.
and on weekends.
When your provider’s
office is closed, call:
Labor and Delivery:
206-598-4616
After your baby is born and the cord is cut, she will be
handed to the pediatrician and moved to the baby warmer,
just steps away from the operating table. In the minutes after
birth, your baby will be checked by the pediatrician and then
swaddled in a warm blanket and hat. Provided your baby is
healthy and stable, she will be brought to your partner so
you can feel close in the minutes after birth.
Sometimes, the baby is taken to a small nursery next to the
OR for more specialized attention. This is especially
important for premature babies. Some of these babies are
transferred in an enclosed crib to the Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit (NICU) on the 6th floor for special care and
observation.
Once the surgery is complete, you and your baby will return
to your room, along with your partner. As soon as you are
ready, your nurse will help to place your baby to your breast
and find a comfortable position to hold her. Meanwhile,
your nurse will be paying close attention to your physical
needs as you begin your recovery from the surgery. Most
times, parents and their new baby remain in the labor/
delivery suite 2 to 3 hours before moving down to the
Postpartum Unit on the 5th floor.
Perinatal Education
Box 356159
1959 N.E. Pacific St. Seattle, WA 98195
206-598-4003
© University of Washington Medical Center
07/2003 Rev. 12/2007
Reprints: Health Online