What to Know About Your Scheduled C-Section & Recovery

I had a close friend ask what she should know about a scheduled c-section as I have had two. Before I knew it, I was sending her a novel about exactly what I experienced. My goal was to be informative and encouraging. Did I have two ideal experiences? No. Am I incredibly thankful that my children are here and healthy? Yes! Did I still "give birth"? Duh. The amount of people asking me if I had the boys "naturally" was so frustrating. I understand the curiosity especially when each of my kiddos was over 10lbs, but it felt minimizing. I really tried to prepare for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) with my second delivery, but The Lord had other plans. One day I can ask why I wasn't able to have that experience, but for now, I look at my deliveries with gratitude.

Before having my boys so many people told me "You've got this!" The reality is, I did not have it. I had one gal tell me "God's got this!" and it completely changed my perspective. How true is that? I could prepare my body to the best of my ability, but ultimately the success of my deliveries was not up to me. Maybe they happened so this information could reach a mama who is scheduling a c-section with fear and apprehension. I pray sharing my story and including my c-section recovery essentials is helpful to you. If you feel alone in your decision or ever need someone to talk to, please reach out to me. I would love to listen to your story and support you in any manner I can.

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Birth

Each of my boys was delivered via c-section. I had gestational diabetes with my first, so they took him at 39 weeks, and I timed out to try a VBAC with my second because my doctor didn’t want me going too far past 40 weeks. (I understand I could have asked for more time to go into labor naturally, but I trusted my doctor implicitly, and he was nervous about a uterine rupture due to my first c-section scar location.)

My first c-section was nerve-wracking because I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, with a scheduled c-section everything is very calm and peaceful. I was able to communicate with the anesthesiologist that I was anxious and he was so kind and walked me through what was going to happen and that he was going to be right there making sure I was comfortable the whole procedure. You get an IV placed and go over some questions with a nurse who gets you all prepped. For the first c-section, my doctor told me to shave my pubic area down to a certain point, and for my second one, the nurse did it that morning, so it just depends on the hospital/care provider.

When everything is ready, you go to the operating room with a nurse and your partner will wait outside while they do your spinal tap. You’ll curl into a C shape while sitting and facing a nurse who will hold onto you for this portion. They’ll numb the area with a few small injections before doing the spinal nerve block. I’m not great with needles, but thankfully you don’t see anything. The numbing stings a bit, and the spinal tap sent a little zing down my back which I wasn’t expecting, but it’s not as scary as it seems.

Then they’ll have you lie down since you’ll start to become numb. They make sure you’re truly numb before doing anything at all. In my first c-section, they used a blunt needle to gently poke me along my side so I could tell them what I felt and what I didn’t feel. Second c-section they used a can of cold air. I was a bigger fan of the blunt needle lol. With the air, I was a bit panicky and couldn’t determine if what I felt was the air blowing on me or if I was feeling the cold sensation. Thankfully, they were very patient and reassuring with me.

They’ll put a sheet up and bring your partner into the OR. My husband could look across and see what was happening, but I did not want to see anything. If you don’t want to see what is happening, be careful about looking up at the lights because they reflect the table/your procedure.

It’s kind of odd because you can tell that they’re moving your belly, but there’s no feeling to go along with it. It’s super speedy and they’ll hold up your babe and drop the sheet a little bit so you can see him or her. We gave our phone to one of the nurses so she could get some pictures during the birth.

They’ll get the baby cleaned up and measured and the doctor will work to get you closed back up. I was sewn up and had surgical glue both times. Gals I know who had staples weren’t a fan, so I’d check with your doctor to see what their usual method is and ask about the pros and cons of recovery.

I wasn’t comfortable holding the boys while I was still lying down on the table so my husband held them until I was able to. They’ll move you from the operating table to a rolling hospital bed and then wheel you to a recovery room & that’s when I got to snuggle them.

You have the option of doing a “gentle c-section” and you can have a clear sheet for more of a view of the procedure so you can see the baby being delivered. I’m just a bit queasy. You can also request skin-to-skin in the operating room, but I had noodle arms for a minute.

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Recovery

The goal is to get up and use the bathroom as soon as you can after surgery. It’s counterintuitive to think that moving helps heal, but it really does. Don't feel the need to overdo it, but shuffling around helps. I also lived in these knee-high compression socks for the first few days after my second c-section because after my first c-section my feet swelled up and it was uncomfortable and annoying on top of everything else. Compression socks right after birth seemed to prevent that the second time!

Pain management is so important. After my first delivery, we didn’t realize I needed to ask for pain meds and it’s hard to get back ahead once the pain hits. The second time around, I asked the nurses how frequently I could take medicine and to have it written on the whiteboard and put in my chart which medication I needed and what time I needed it. Staying on top of the meds made the second recovery so much better. Request stool softeners. And gas medicine(!!) I didn’t know that trapped air could get up into my ribs and shoulder & after my second delivery, it did and I was miserable. Gas medicine helped alleviate that and so did shuffling around. Eating well also helped me in recovery. Because I had gestational diabetes with my first, I wanted to go crazy and eat some candy right after delivery. Not my finest moment or greatest decision. That recovery was my hardest. Now, I can feel inflammation in my c-section scars if I eat a bunch of sugar, and they become tender and almost painful. Super frustrating.

I needed help getting to the bathroom and back. I also needed help the first few days sitting down on the toilet and standing back up again. Somewhere in that process you also have to pull your underwear back up. Or in my case, my sweet husband had to do it. I say underwear, but I didn’t like the weird mesh underwear and giant pads from the hospital. The mesh rolled down and bunched up right on my scar. I used these high-waisted adult diapers and they were so much more comfortable and ripped on the sides so you could easily remove them and toss them when you needed a new one. Super glamorous! Attn:Grace makes pads as well if you'd like to go that route. I also needed help showering. At the hospital, they should have a chair or stool in the bathroom to sit on. My husband had to wash and rinse everything. You don’t realize how much you use your core each day until you can’t for a few days.

I’ve never felt more helpless, but at the same time, I've never felt more cared for? It was difficult to be so reliant on someone (even my husband) because I like to be independent ... especially when using the bathroom. It can be a strenuous time, but it will also bond you. Accepting help was hard, but it helped me focus on resting and healing. My husband changed every diaper for the first few days & would bring me the boys and help position them to nurse.

There should be a lactation consultant who comes by and helps you find the best position so your baby isn’t putting too much pressure on your abdomen. Also - colostrum is what you’re feeding babe the first few days and then milk comes in on day 3/4. Their stomachs are itty bitty so don’t let anyone freak you out about milk production needing to happen immediately. Our kids needed a hybrid approach with formula since they were both in the NICU. If your baby ends up needing to be apart from you, you can request a hospital breast pump and send milk to the NICU. I would pump every 3 hours to be prepped for when I was able to nurse. With my second baby, I sent my husband home for my pump because it felt like having an old friend nearby. I also used Silverette Nursing Cups with both boys. They protected me from painful rubbing, but they also made me look like I had robot boobs lol. Worth it! I needed the XL size - see the picture below for help with sizing. They're a bit pricey, but for something you truly use every day they are a great investment. Some moms turn their silver cups into jewelry when they are done having babies!

I didn’t use any creams or oils for my scars, but I know Earth Mama makes a C-section ointment you can find here. I bought some of their skin and scar balm but didn't end up using it. I’ve seen some people use a giant silicone patch, but the idea of peeling something off of my scar seemed painful to me so early on. When in the hospital, I found these break-and-shake ice packs to be super helpful. The hospital also has pouches that you can fill with ice for a stronger effect. They provided a belly band for me as well. You wrap it around yourself to add support to your abdomen. I felt like I could move better when I wore mine. Speaking of support, when getting up from a laying down or sitting position - grab a pillow and push it against your belly to help counter some pain when standing. It seems weird, but it’s supportive!

If you have a two-story home, I would make a pallet on your couch so you don’t have to go up and down the stairs unless you need to shower. Also, have a baby area downstairs with a basket of diapers, wipes, and burp rags so you do not have to take trips back and forth.

A meal train (www.mealtrain.com) was a lifesaver for us and it’s super easy for a friend (or yourself) to set up online. Then you share your link and people can sign up for times to bring you food or send you gift cards for food delivery. I used the Ebook Healing Freezer Meals for Postpartum and Breastfeeding to prepare easy snacks and freezer meals for myself and my friends. I'm not affiliated with Birth Eat Love, but I think their E-book is fantastic! You can find it here.

There’s a ton of info to process through here. Take what you need and ignore what you don’t need. Before giving birth, I had people trying to share helpful advice and all it did was overwhelm me. I’m always here if you have questions or want to share about your experience.

Blessings,

Birdie