Birthing and Assessment (B & A) | Counties Manukau | Te Whatu Ora
Elective Caesarean Section
If you are having a planned caesarean you will be admitted to Theatre Admissions and go to theatre from there. This department is on the second floor of the Harley Gray Building to the rear of the Atrium.
If you think you are in labour and you are having an elective caesarean section you need to come to B & A to be checked over. Sometimes you will go into labour before the planned date. If this happens we will usually take you to operating theatre early.
The caesarean is an operation where your baby is birthed through a cut in the uterus. The uterus is the muscle bag which holds the baby, placenta and the fluid. It is very good at growing and, in the later stages of pregnancy, a lower part or segment will form. This is where the cut is usually made and you may hear the operation called a lower segment caesarean section or LSCS.
It is important that everything is kept very clean during any operation to try and stop any infection. This is why we take you to operating theatre. This is a big room with lots of equipment. There will be quite a lot of people too. On average there will be 8 to 10 people, each with their own job to do. One supporter can go with you to the theatre.
The bed is narrow and we tilt the bed to the side. This is so you can lie flat without it squashing the blood supply to your baby. Do not worry we will not let you fall.
Most women stay awake for their LSCS and have an epidural type anaesthetic which makes you numb from the breasts down. While you may feel some pulling in your tummy, you should be pain free. Once the doctors begin it is a very short time until baby is born. As long as both you and your baby are well after the birth, you can hold him/her skin-to-skin. If you do not feel up to it, your supporter can have baby skin-to-skin.
Once the operation is over you will spend up to an hour in the recovery area. Often baby will have his/her first feed there. From here you will go to Maternity Floor.
The top to toe check which every baby has soon after birth will be done on the Maternity Floor. Vitamin K is usually offered at this time.
https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/public/obstetrics-and-gynaecology/birthing-and-assessment-b-a-counties-manukau/