You might think that a C-section means everything is out of your control; you’re a patient, and you just do whatever the doctors tell you, and simply go in the direction you’re pointed.
In reality, there are lots of options available to you for a C-section, as long as you communicate with your midwives and let them know your wishes. You might have to be assertive and advocate for yourself (or get your birth partner or doula to do this for you), but with the right discussions there are lots of ways you can make your C-section individual and positive.
Here are some ways you can influence what happens during your C-section:
- Have your music played in the theatre
- Dim the lights at your end of the theatre
- Decide if you want the screen up or down – if you’d like to see what’s going on, you can ask for the screen to be down
- Walking your baby out – discuss with your caregivers if you’d like to reach down and help your baby out
- Immediate skin-to-skin
- Place the monitors on your back instead of your chest to help give room for skin-to-skin
- Wear your gown back to front – with the opening at the front – to allow easier skin-to-skin
- Optimal cord clamping
Lots of parents don’t realise how much you can impact on how your C-section unfolds, but with the right discussions and advocating for yourself, you might be surprised.
These are things to discuss with your birth partner before you go into labour. You might not be planning for a C-section, but knowing your wishes should it happen can mean you feel happier about the experience. Talk it through with your midwife too; your preferences for a C-section can be ‘just in case’, but being prepared for anything removes that element of stress and the unknown.
With C-section rates increasing in the UK, it’s important that you consider what you want to happen, and remember you’re deserving of individualised care, not just ‘this is policy’.