What to expect if you end up needed an unplanned C-section.

Many of us plan on vaginal births. Not all of us wind up having vaginal births. So it’s good to be prepared for a C-section, even if you aren’t intending to have one. This is a list of facts that can be really helpful if and when you learn you need to have a C-section.

1. That baby’s a’comin. Once a C-section starts, the baby is out fast. Like, within fifteen minutes. So if you’ve been laboring all night and you’re exhausted and someone says “I think we should consider a C-section,” remember what that means: you’ll be meeting your baby very very soon.

2. It’s bright in there. If you’ve been laboring in a delivery room, you might be used to low lights and hushed voices. The operating room might be a bit of a shock. But at the same time,  you want those lights bright so the doctors and nurses can see what they’re doing.

3. You’ll most likely  be awake. It’s rare for mamas to be put fully under anesthesia for a C-section these days. More likely, you’ll have a spinal or an epidural to numb you from the waist down, and you’ll be alert through the whole experience. That can be difficult, since you can hear them counting sponges (did you count two sponges or three?! don’t lose sponges in me!) but they know what they’re doing. 

4. There is a longer recovery. Yes, it’s true that a vaginal birth often (not always) has a shorter recovery time. And C-sections do mean it’s harder to get around those first few days. It helps if you get yourself up and moving a little (but don’t push too hard). Try not to get discouraged if you’re not able to do much the first few days after delivery, and know you slowly improve week by week.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, please try to remember that C-sections are NOT a failure. Very often, we have a sense that if we try hard enough, we can do a vaginal birth. Often a vaginal birth is called “natural,” which makes the more medical options sound far inferior. The truth is, C-sections are there for a reason; they reduce risk, and help you get to the finish line. No matter why you wind up needing a C-section, you haven’t failed. Quite the opposite: you went through a hard labor and came out with a baby on the other side. Good job, mama.