Cesarean Births
Cesarean Delivery
Our nursing staff has put together some helpful hints to assist you in preparing and recovering from your delivery.
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A cesarean birth is a surgical procedure to deliver a baby through the mother's abdomen. Being scheduled for a cesarean birth (c-section) can be an anxious time, however if you're doctor is recommending a c-section, it's because it's believed to be the best delivery option for you and your baby.
At Sturdy, our labor and delivery team offer a Family Centered Cesarean Birth for those who are eligible. This approach to a c-section allows you, your support person, and your baby to remain together during the birth. Your support person will be able to experience the birth in the surgical suite with you. You'll have a nurse and neonatal practitioner in the surgical suite to assess your newborn's health and who will help you achieve early skin to skin and breastfeeding, when desired. During a family centered cesarean, you may ask to view the birth of your baby, if you do, we will use a special surgical drape to provide a clear viewing area so you and your support person can witness the birth.
Preparation
If you are scheduled for a cesarean (C-section), you will be admitted to the hospital on the morning of your delivery date. When you arrive on the floor, your nurse will bring you to your LDRP suite and assist you in getting comfortable.
You will have all of your preoperative labs completed in your suite and will meet with the OB/GYN conducting the delivery as well as the anesthesiologist who will go over your plan for anesthesia. A spinal is the most common form of anesthesia during a cesarean.
After you have met with your doctor and the surgical team, you will walk to the operating suite, you will be brought to the operating room (OR) on the Weber Maternity Unit. After receiving the spinal, your partner will be able to join you at your side during the procedure.
After Delivery
Once your baby is born, he or she will be brought into the warming unit which adjoins the OR. The neonatal nurse practitioner, from Women & Infants Hospital, will complete a quick evaluation. Once the short evaluation is done, your baby will be brought to you in the OR for bonding.
Skin-to-Skin Contact
Your baby may be placed skin-to-skin in the OR if the situation permits. Skin to skin helps to keep your baby warm and allows your new baby to adjust to the world. Your skin will provide the warmth, your heartbeat will provide the soothing sound they are used to and your voice will comfort your baby during this transition. Nurses will assist to ensure you and your baby are kept safe. Once the procedure is complete, you will be brought back to your LDRP suite to recover and bond with your baby.
