Cesarean (C-Section) Delivery : Types of Cesarean Section, C-Section Delivery Steps, Symptoms, Tips, Labor & Delivery Time

Types of Caesarean Section incisions

It is not one incision that will be made on your abdomen, it is followed by an incision on uterus. Both incisions are about 4-6 inches just enough to take the baby’s head and body.

For the abdominal incision, two types of cuts are there. A classic cut or vertical cut from between your naval to pubic line and a bikini cut or horizontal side-to-side cut in your lower abdomen. These days bikini cut is more preferred over classic cut as it is less painful and is less visible afterwards. The incision made in classic cut is painful and more visible.

If you have a side-to-side horizontal incision on your abdomen, your doctor will make same kind incision on your uterus. Either you have a classic incision or low vertical incision, if the incision is classic on abdomen.

Similarly, closing the incision includes different procedures. Dissolvable stitches that are made from material that can be dissolved by the body are used for closing the uterus incision. For closing the abdomen, surgical staples or non-dissolvable stitches are used. Staples are fast and simple method. Both of these will need to be removed a week later by the doctors.

Symptoms of C-Section Delivery or Common Reasons for Cesarean section

As a pregnant woman, you will experience some symptoms throughout the delivery. Depending upon the same, your birthing plan can be decided.

You are all well for the normal delivery. Everything is going fine as per the plan. You have packed the hospital bag, the symptoms are normal, you are experiencing labor, suddenly your doctor might ask you to prepare for emergency C-Section. The emergency could arise due to following common reasons: 

• Labor pain is not progressing as it should.
• The water bag burst and is empty in short span of time.
• The baby is in fetal distress. Change in heartbeat rate could be the reason.
• The loop of umbilical cord around neck or the cord enters the birth canal before the baby
• The mother is in distress or not co-operating for normal delivery.

Your doctor might have scheduled your C-Section from beginning or in mid of your pregnancy. These are known as scheduled C-Sections. This might be done due to some medical complications involved in your pregnancy.

• The mothers who have previously had C-Section are more likely to deliver the next baby through C-Section only.
• The breech birth or the baby’s position is sideways in the womb. The position can be changed during the labor as well, but you have to get ready for C-Section if the position is not right throughout the pregnancy.
• The mother has low lying placenta which covers the cervix.
• the baby has certain birth defects (such as severe hydrocephalus)
• the mother has high gestational diabetes or other complicated medical condition that could take mother and baby at risk.

Caesarean Delivery Preparation

Getting prepared for the C-Section delivery is important. It is not only the physical preparation, but you should be mentally strong to handle the C-Section. You should know that your hospital stay will be longer after C-Section delivery. The recovery time after caesarean delivery is usually more than normal delivery. Also, you must understand that an incision scar on your abdomen is a permanent smile mark of your baby there.

Preparation just before the C-Section

Stop taking solid food at least before 8 hours of scheduled caesarean. This will be reduce the chances of vomiting.

Have a shower with anti-septic soap. The goal is to kill any bacteria thus reducing the chances of infection.

Don’t shave your pubic hair. It can promote infection on the skin. If required, nurses will do the same for you.

Discuss any pain or other feeling with your doctor.

As in normal delivery, packing the essentials in your hospital bag is important so on C-Section. This list would remain same, however, your post-delivery bag should more clothes as your stay will be longer in hospital this time.

Caesarean (C-Section) Delivery Time

Normally, doctors plan to have caesarean at the full term only. Surgery before the full term is done only if he seeks the medical emergency. Usually, the caesarean takes thirty to forty five minutes after the incision has been made.

If you are experiencing labor, you will be given time to go ahead with normal delivery. However, if the emergency caesarean needs to be done, it could be as short as 10 minutes to usual time of approximately 3o minutes.

Recovery after the Caesarean (C-Section)

As with any other surgery, the pain and discomfort will be there. The recovery period is also little longer than the vaginal birth. The stay in hospital after C-Section delivery is usually 3 nights 4 days.

You will be transferred to your hospital room after the surgery followed up with some medication for relief in pain. The anaesthesia will wear off within 3-4 hours of surgery and you will be asked for a small walk. Nurses will help you to move in the hospital room itself to help you prevent any possible blood clots.

Take a shower after consulting your doctor(do not hurt your family tradition). Do not scrub your abdomen, let the soapy water flows down and pat dry yourself after the shower.

You will experience heavy bleeding for a month or so after the delivery. The large size maternity pads will help to soak the blood.

Keep in mind, that you have to visit your doctor after a week to get your stitches removed.

Visit or call your doctor if you experience any of below symptom:

• fever
• foul-smelling vaginal discharge
• heavy vaginal bleeding
• access pain or infection around your incision
• trouble breathing
• trouble breast-feeding
• pain while peeing or pooping

Post C-Section Delivery Tips to take care of yourself

Your body requires extra care after C-Section delivery. It’s important to properly take care of incision and your body.

Take Rest

Take proper rest. You should not be in hurry to shed extra fats. Do not start exercise after delivery. Taking proper sleep along with your baby is very important.

Take Nutrition

Taking nutritious diet is very important. You will experience heavy blood loss, loss of iron from the body is the consequence. Take iron and calcium rich diet. Take diet which helps in digestion.

Take help

Remember, too much stress on your body will lead to late recovery. Ask for help you’re your partner or family members for household or baby work.

Postpartum Depression
Your body has gone through several changes during pregnancy. The change in hormones after delivery leads to depression or mood swings. Handling the postpartum depression is very important.

Side Effects of Caesarean (C-Section) on your baby

Though c-section are safe procedure, however, there are few side-effects of the same. The side-effects are not common in all babies or mother after caesarean.

Side-effects on mother

• Slow recovery after delivery. You might take little, longer time to get fully recovered than after normal delivery.
• Reaction to injections given during caesarean lead to back pain in future.
• Reaction to anaesthesia like stomach or leg pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever etc.
• Excessive bleeding after caesarean is common that may require blood transfusion.
• Infection at the stitches on abdomen lining or uterus lining might be possible.
• Blood clots or haemorrhage. About 6% of caesarean deliveries results into blood clot or haemorrhage.
• Although rare, but surgical injury might occur during the process. Another surgery required to heal the same.
• Risk in future pregnancies such as placenta previa or excessive thin uterus lining may lead to pre-term delivery in future pregnancies.

Side-effects on baby

Your baby might be at little risk of breathing problems after caesarean. The bacterium swollen by the baby during vaginal birth is missing in the c-section.

Rarely, there may be injuries to the new-born skin from the instruments used in surgery.

The bonus earned by babies born after c-section delivery often have nicely shaped head. Their skull bones do not compress via pelvis bones, as they would during a vaginal birth.

Becoming a mother is a beautiful experience. No matter what the delivery process is, you and your baby should be safe and healthy. Always try to remain positive and active throughout your pregnancy to promote the chances of normal delivery, however, for any reason, if the caesarean proceeds do not worry.

You can choose the best doctors at hospitals near to your location and book your complete pregnancy package with Parentlane. Book now to talk to a counsellor for free!