Can you feel a cesarean

Just let it heal. After that, if you want the scar to fade faster, Eskridge suggests trying scar-fading ointments, though the scar might not disappear completely. Yes, you just had major surgery, and yes, you need to rest and recover. But getting up and hobbling around as soon as humanly possible is a good idea.

Most doctors recommend the day after your surgery, but of course, wait until yours gives you the green light. Phillips advises making a point to get out of bed every few hours. She earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University in Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such.

You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances. C-Section Recovery Tips. Considering a Gentle C-Section? Read This First. Getting Pregnant. Popular links under Pregnancy First Trimester. Popular links under Baby Baby Month by Month. Popular links under Toddler Toddler Month by Month. When you're packing your hospital bag , adding a few extra items can improve your stay in case you have a C-section.

Some women pack cranberry juice, which is believed to reduce the risk of a post-catheterization urinary tract infection; others bring chewing gum or molasses to hasten notoriously balky post-surgery bowel function. If you already have an epidural in place, the anesthesiologist will increase the dosage. If not, your obstetrician and the anesthesiologist will most likely choose an intrathecal spinal.

Both involve an injection in your back, and both numb you from the rib cage down. Next, you'll drink some chalky stuff called Bicitra to neutralize your stomach acids, and you'll be given a catheter and IV. Then it's on to the operating room, where your partner suits up in scrubs and a mask. You're likely to hear a fair amount of activity: a scrub nurse, another nurse or two, the anesthesiologist, and perhaps a hospital pediatrician.

In a teaching hospital, an extra doctor may be observing. A nurse will shave just enough of your pubic hair to clear the way for the incision, which is usually about four to six inches long. But according to Anne Wigglesworth, M. Most doctors do a horizontal cut through your abdomen and uterus, although vertical cuts may be done on rare occasions. Soon you may feel a fair amount of painless prodding, which means the baby is being moved into position.

This part is not all that different from a vaginal birth , at least for the doctor. Because the mother can't push, she says, "I push the top of the uterus and elevate the head out of the pelvis, getting the shoulders and body to follow.

Before you know it, there will be a baby in the room. How long does a C-section take? From the time the incision is made, the baby can be delivered in as little as two minutes or as long as half an hour, depending on the circumstances. Usually you get to see your baby before he's whisked away for care.

Now the spotlight moves off you as all those people across the room clean your baby, administer the APGAR test , and place him in the "warmer," which has radiant heat above it and keeps the baby's body temperature steady. Once the baby has been given a clean bill of health, the obstetrician comes back to close you up—the most complex part of the C-section. Your provider will stitch up the uterus, realign the outer layers, and close the skin with either dissolving stitches which take longer to put in or staples which require removal a few days later.

Your legs will start coming back to life—sometimes gradually and sometimes in spurts. As the anesthesia wears off, you may feel itchy all over for a while; if it gets bad, you'll be offered an antihistamine. After the birth, ask if your partner can hold the baby while you are being stitched up, if the baby can accompany you to the recovery room, and if you can breastfeed immediately. Avoid driving a car until your wound has healed usually about six weeks.

Talk with your doctor about when they think would be a safe time to start driving again. It is unlikely that you will have the same problem again with future pregnancies or births. However, the fact that you have had a caesarean section can cause different problems for future pregnancies or births.

If you become pregnant again, you will need to talk to your doctor about whether your next birth will be a caesarean or a vaginal birth. Many women who have previously had a caesarean section can safely give birth vaginally. This is commonly referred to as 'vaginal birth after caesarean section' or VBAC. One of the risks associated with VBAC is rupture of the uterine scar. About one in every VBACs attempted results in rupture of the uterine scar. For those women who do have a uterine rupture, there is an increased risk of hysterectomy and stillbirth.

If you have had a previous caesarean section, to make an informed decision, it is recommended that you:. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Androgen deficiency in women and its treatment is controversial, and more research is needed. An appendectomy is usually carried out on an emergency basis to treat appendicitis.

Most people can resume normal activities around three weeks after an arthroscopy. IVF in-vitro-fertilization and ICSI intracytoplasmic sperm injection are assisted reproductive treatment ART procedures in which fertilisation of an egg occurs outside the body.

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Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Reasons for a planned caesarean section Reasons for an unplanned caesarean section Things to consider before having a caesarean section Anaesthetic for a caesarean section Types of caesarean sections Preparing for a caesarean section During a caesarean section After a caesarean section Special care for your baby after a caesarean section Risks and complications of a caesarean section First six weeks after a caesarean section Long-term health outlook after a caesarean section Vaginal birth after caesarean section Where to get help.

Reasons for a planned caesarean section There are several reasons why you and your obstetrician may decide on a planned elective caesarean birth. These include: You have previously had a caesarean section. Your cervix opening to the womb is blocked by the placenta this is known as placenta previa. Your baby is lying sideways transverse and is not able to be turned by the doctor. You have a twin pregnancy, with your first baby positioned bottom or feet first. You are having three or more babies.

Your labour does not progress — your contractions are not strong enough and your cervix opens too slowly or not at all. Your baby shows signs of distress or their health is being compromised. The umbilical cord, which provides important nutrients and oxygenated blood to your baby, has fallen down prolapsed through the cervix and into the vagina after your waters have broken.

A health problem, such as high blood pressure, is making labour riskier for you and your baby. Anaesthetic for a caesarean section There are three types of anaesthetic you may be given so that you do not feel any pain during your operation: They include: spinal anaesthetic — the most common anaesthetic for a planned caesarean.

A needle will be inserted between the bones in your spine and local anaesthetic will be injected though the needle. This will block the pain from your chest downwards. You will be awake and able to breathe normally.

As your baby is being born, you may feel tugging and pulling sensations, but no pain epidural anaesthetic — often used to lessen the pain of labour. If you have already been given an epidural during labour, and it is working well, the epidural can be topped up for an emergency caesarean.

The epidural is a plastic tube that will be inserted into a space around the lining of your spine. Local anaesthetic will be injected through the tube, which will block any pain sensation from your waist down. As your baby is being born, you may feel tugging and pulling sensations, but no pain a general anaesthetic may also be given if your baby needs to be born very quickly.

You will breathe oxygen through a mask and you will be given medicine through a drip, which will make you drowsy and put you to sleep.

Types of caesarean sections Caesarean sections differ in terms of where the cuts incisions are made to the uterus. The two types of cuts that can be used when you have a caesarean section are: a lower segment incision — will be used wherever possible.

These cuts heal better, are less visible and are less likely to cause problems in future pregnancies. The cut on the abdomen may be horizontal or vertical. This type of incision is usually only used for extreme emergencies or in specific situations, such as if the placenta is lying very low, if your baby is lying sideways or if your baby is very small.

It can increase the chance of having problems in later pregnancies and births. Preparing for a caesarean section To prepare for your caesarean section: You will need to fast. That means no food or drink, including water, for six hours before a planned caesarean. If you are having an emergency caesarean, the doctor will ask you when you last had any food or drink so they know how to proceed with your operation.