By . Marilyn Smith. BSN, RN, MIDWIFE, MENTOR, CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR

Did your doctor tell you that you need a Cesarean Section?

If your answer is “yes” you have come to the right place!

Get your FREE C-Section Birth plan now!

Hello Mama! Welcome back to our blog. Today we are going to learn about 7 Most Important Things to to Remember When your doctor tells you you need a Cesarean section!

Many women are not sure what to do or how to respond after their doctor tells them they are up for a C-section. Most women will be pretty nervous just by the thought of being put under the knife. I know it can be scary that this is the way your little star needs to be born.

If you want to say to you ” Fear not ” and let’s explore how to take this approach. Let’s dive in mama!

Alrighty welcome to the 7 Most Important Things to to Remember When your doctor tells you you need a cesaean section! With so much focus on the hospital based vaginal birth, I considered that there is not sufficient focus on the Cesarean birth.

I also have observed during my practice as a midwife more of the moms who gave birth vaginally, seemed more prepared mentally better than the Cesarean births. And then there were times when some moms expecting to have a vaginal birth ended up having a C-section. THIS MAKES THE SITUATION EVEN SCARIER! So I was to serve you by digging deeper into this topic and giving you hope that all is not lost.

Understanding what it means when your doctor tells you that you need a C-section will help you in the following ways:

• Relieve your anxiety and fears about the upcoming surger
• Empower you to stay in control and have some input
• Help you to prepare yourself mentally for what is to come.
• Ask the important questions

1.Accept the fact that you must have a Cesarean section

So your care provider has told you that you need a Cesarean section and you are just shocked that you are having your baby via same! Or you have begun your normal delivery routine and during some the journey you are told that a Cesaean is necessary. Have no fear, I have good news for you today.

If your doctor tells you that you are having a Cesarean section then there is hope for you and your baby. There is no need to fear mama we are trusting God in this situation. The most thing you can do now is prepare for it .

2.There are various reasons for a Cesarean section

There are different reasons for you having to need a Cesarean section:

• Placenta problems. This includes placenta previa, in which the placenta blocks the cervix. (Premature detachment from the fetus is known as abruption.)
• Certain conditions in the mother, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or HIV infection
• Active herpes sores in the mother’s vagina or cervix
• Twins or other multiples
• Previous C-section
• Abnormal position of the fetus during birth. The normal position for the fetus during birth is head-down, facing the mother’s back. Sometimes a fetus is not in the right position. This makes delivery more difficult through the birth canal.
• Problems with labor. Labor that fails to progress or does not progress the way it should.
• Size of the fetus. The baby is too large for your provider to deliver vaginally.
• An abnormal heartbeat of the baby. The normal heartbeat is 120 -160 beats per minute.
• Your doctor might have other reasons e.g fibroids

3.Know the risks involved

If you are having a Cesarean section then you by all means should know the risks involved. Your care provider should explain the procedure to you in clear language that you understand.

The following are some potential side effects of a C-section:

• Reactions to the anesthesia drugs used
• Bleeding
• Abnormal placenta separation, especially in women who have had a previous cesarean delivery
• Damage to the bowel or bladder
• Uterine infection Wound infection
• Urinary tract infection or difficulty urinating
• Problems with resumption of bowel movement
• Clots of blood

Here is a list of the perfect answers to during your care takers visit:

4.Get answers to the most important questions you need to know!

5. Have your birth plan ready to go!

Having your birth plan ready is something that will definitely empower you to have some say in your baby’s birth like if you want to have delayed cord clamping to breastfeed after birth. You can get your free birth plan here.

• You can ask questions as your healthcare provider walks you through the process.
• You will be required to sign an authorization form giving the go-ahead for the procedure. Carefully read the paperwork, and if anything is unclear, ask questions.
• When was the last time you had anything to eat or drink? You will be instructed to fast for eight hours prior to your planned C-section if it necessitates general, spinal, or epidural anesthetic.
• If you are sensitive to or allergic to any medications, latex, iodine, tape, or anesthesia, let your healthcare professional know.
• All prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbs, and dietary supplements that you take should be disclosed to your healthcare physician.
• Inform your healthcare professional about any prior surgeries, or medications you may be on.

5. Be grateful for the second best way to deliver your baby

Did you know that Cesarean Sections were performed in the 18th century to save the fetus within a dead or critically ill mother. In the nineteenth century, mothers’ lives were saved through caesarean sections. CS has become a more popular and safe operation with the use of safe anesthesia, suturing methods, antiseptics, asepsis, blood transfusion, and antibiotics.

The reasons for Cesarean section have changed significantly over the years. Despite the fact that Caesarean Sections still have a mortality rate that is 3–4 times greater than vaginal deliveries, CS is often performed on demand and without any medical necessity.

Furthermore, The World Health Organization (WHO) determines maternal mortality as the death of a woman while she is pregnant or within 42 days of the pregnancy’s termination, regardless of the length and location of the pregnancy, for any cause associated with or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental cause.

By the end of 1800, maternal mortality attributable to CS had decreased to 5–10%, and by 1950, it had reached 0.1% .
According to estimates, there are 5.81 to 6.1 maternal deaths following CS for per 100,000 procedures . This is great news.

Conclusion

Having a Cesarean section yes can be scary, but finally accepting the fact, and moving towards empowering yourself for the journey is is certainly the best thing you can do to face the fears of the unknown.

In the field of having kids it is correct that everyone prefers a normal delivery—one in which, after a full-term pregnancy, a healthy mother gives birth, in an appropriate period of time, to a healthy, nice-sized baby that passes through the vagina, the normal birth canal, without excessive harm to mother or baby. Nature actually makes sure that this is the case in more than 80% of situations.

However, there are a number of circumstances where delivery through the normal birth canal is not possible, such as when the baby is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvic girdle or the procedure is too dangerous, such as when the placenta in the mother’s womb lies ahead of  the baby and covers the neck of the cervix. This is just one situation that can give reason for a Cesarean section.

Being thankful, grateful, and hopeful , putting your trust in the living God is one of the ways to begin. I want to say congratulations on your little star and consider taking one of our classes to prepare you for the journey ahead.

Register today to begin the preparation by attending our next available virtual class