Preparing for the birth of your baby can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience for any expectant family, regardless of the way that you plan to birth your baby. Caesarean birth can be planned or unexpected, regardless of your ideal plan is is so beneficial to at least consider how your would like a caesarean birth to feel, enabling you to enter your birth with feeling of positivity and preparation no matter which twists and turns your journey to birth may take.
Here are some tips to help ensure a positive caesarean birth:
Educate yourself: Take the time to learn about the Caesarean procedure, what to expect before, during, and after the operation. Talk to your Midwife, read books, and take a birth preparation course that discusses caesarean births.
Build a support system: Having a strong support system can help you stay positive and ease any fears or anxieties you may have. This could include your partner, family members, friends, or a doula. Consider discussing with your Midwife who can be present in the operating room and what they should expect too.
Stay positive: A positive mindset can go a long way in making your Caesarean birth a positive experience, Hypnobirthing is a fantastic tool to aid this.
Plan for recovery: Recovery from a Caesarean can take longer than vaginal birth. Plan ahead by arranging for help with household tasks and childcare, if necessary. If possible find a specialist in your area to support with your recovery, such as a women pelvic health specialist or a Mummy MOT practitioner.
Practice relaxation techniques: Stress and anxiety can affect the body's ability to heal. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, or meditation to help manage stress and promote relaxation - See also Hypnobirthing
Be prepared for the unexpected: While caesarean deliveries are planned procedures, unexpected circumstances can arise. Make a thorough birth plan, this will arm you with information to combat coercion and make the best decision for you at the time.
Caesarean is a very positive choice for so many families. As always it is about informed choice: Educate yourself, build a support system, plan for recovery, practice relaxation techniques, and make sure that your partner is as well informed as you are.
Writing a Caesarean birth plan
If you are preparing for an elective (planned) Caesarean it is still so important to think about your options, because you still have SO many. You don’t have to put your preferences aside just because you are opting for a caesarean (it is ALWAYS you opting for a caesarean, not people telling you that you must, because it is ALWAYS your choice! - See also Human Rights in Childbirth Blog)
Things to consider when writing an elective Caesarean birth plan:
(research these things further using the Resources page of the website)
Gentle/Woman centred Caesarean
Vaginal Seeding (boost the microbiome)
Music
ECG Dots on your shoulders
Skin to skin
Talk me through it
OR I don’t want to be told what’s happening
Catheter Insertion Privacy
Optimal Cord Clamping (yes it’s a thing in caesarean birth)
I do/don’t want to see/keep my placenta
Screen lowered or not
Partner Squeemish?
Photos?
1 or 2 partners present (yes two is possible with prior arrangement)
If baby needs special care
If Mum/birthing person needs special care
I plan to feed my baby…
Any cultural requirements
If baby needs resuscitation… (for example, …I want my partner to stay close and talk to baby)
Writing a birth plan & including an emergency caesarean plan
The Birth Prep In A Box set of birth planning cards have all of these above tips and so so much more. They include information and birth plan writing tips on all of the essential subjects.
Visit my website shop now to nab yourself a copy.
Sarah x
Comments