Elective Caesarean

Elective Caesarean

If you are having a planned Caesarean section at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, you will have had this explained to you during your antenatal appointments.

We have an enhanced recovery programme, which will make your caesarean efficient, user friendly and enables you to go home as soon as you are ready with the right package of care in place.

Watch an introduction video below on our enhanced recovery programme:

The following patient information leaflet fully details the process of having an elective caesarean at our hospital:

Planned Caesarean Birth at Worcestershire Royal Hospital with Enhanced Recovery

On the day of your elective caesarean 

The videos below detail what will happen on the day of your elective caesarean.

Your caesarean – how the day begins:

Spinal Anaesthesia for caesarean section:

Caesarean creating a natural experience for you 

A Caesarean section is a surgical procedure and as such needs to be performed in a safe, clean and organised way. However, we try hard to make the environment you deliver in, to be as relaxed and friendly as possible. 

• We will ensure you birth partner is with you throughout the procedure, from when you enter the theatre until the procedure is complete. We usually have music playing and could play your own playlist.
  
• Your baby will remain connected to you for 1 minute (“delayed cord clamping”) to receive as much blood as possible from you before the cord is cut, unless there are any concerns either with the surgery or your baby that would prevent this.
  
• Your baby can be held up or the screen briefly lowered at this stage for you to see them. 
  
• Once your midwife has dried and briefly checked your baby, she will bring him/her to you and your partner to hold for the rest of the procedure. At this stage we encourage skin to skin contact or breast feeding if you wish. 
  
• As soon as we have transfer you to the recovery area, we encourage you to have skin to skin contact, feed your baby, have a drink and even something small to eat. 

After your Caesarean section  

We would hope to have you back to the postnatal ward after about 30 minutes in the recovery area.

At this point you will be able to have visitors if you wish and we will be starting to focus on your recovery and establishing care for your baby.

The following factors will be very important over the next 24 hours: 

• Ensuring you are taking enough of the correct pain relief 
• Establishing feeding your baby 
• Planning when to remove the catheter tube from your bladder 
• Making sure you are well enough to start eating and drinking normally as soon as possible 
• Getting you up and out of bed as soon as you are able and is possible 
• Planning how to get you home as soon as you are ready and discussing how your journey will continue over the next few weeks

Exercise and activity after your caesarean section

You will be seen by the Postnatal Physiotherapy team the morning after your delivery.

They will go through specific exercises to strengthen up your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles and provide advice on movement and activity after surgery.