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Home › Articles › Dads-to-Be › A Guide to C-section Births

A Guide to C-section Births

What Dads Need to Know about Cesareans

By Angela Harris

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

"In a scheduled case, the same preparations will take place but at a more leisurely pace," says McNitt. "Again, Dad does not go into the operating room until Mom has received anesthesia and is draped for the surgery. Dad then will leave the operating room when the baby is brought to the nursery and will catch up with Mom in recovery when she is brought out of the operating room."

After the C-section
"During recovery, expect frequent vital-sign monitoring and close monitoring of [the] surgical site for two hours," says McNitt. "This is the post anesthesia care required after surgery. If Mom has had regional anesthesia, expect her to be awake and generally pain free. Adjunct medications for complaints of nausea, itching and pain are available as needed. If Mom goes to sleep for surgery, expect her to be groggy and in pain when she wakes up. A patient-controlled analgesia pump will be started to control the pain."

About two hours after surgery the baby will be brought into the room. "The baby can stay with Mom for as long as she prefers," says McNitt.

Expect Mom and Baby to remain in the hospital for two to five days, which varies depending on the circumstances of the surgery and on how the new mom is feeling and healing. As long as everything is well, family and friends will be permitted to visit on the same day the baby is born.

In your role, be prepared to offer emotional and physical support to the new mother. "After my emergency C-section I was violently ill with the dry heaves," says Joanne Smith, a mother of two from Buffalo, N.Y. "It meant so much to have my husband there holding my hand. He was wonderful about asking the nurses for things, getting me things I needed and making sure I was well cared for. I don't know what I would have done without him there to be my voice at certain times."


Pages:  1  2  3  4  

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A Guide to C-section Births by sixt9boss429princess2@gmail.com on 05/25/2009 03:57PM

I had an emergency c-section with my son 3 yrs ago. It was scary at first, while the drs were going through their process, but you just have to remember that they are doing everything they can and the more stress you feel, the less help you will be. I am now pregnant with my second child and must have a planned c-section. The first time around I was given 2 epiderals, which were useless, and then for the surgery a spinal tap, which completley numbs you from the bra strap down, I was conscious and fullt aware of my surroundings and am opting for the same this time around. Even though my body won't allow general labor, I still want to be as aware as i can be of whats going on, so that I feel like I'm still part of my baby's birth.

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