If you are not progressing in labour or there is concern about baby’s well-being, delivery by caesarean section may be a safer option than continuing on in labour. The decision making around this will always be done with you and your partner. Only very rarely does this need to be done very quickly and in almost all cases a caesarean section can be performed with an epidural for pain relief and your partner coming with you into the operating theatre. Very occasionally, a general anaesthetic is needed and then your partner is not able to come with you into the operating theatre. A team of experienced anaesthetists and support staff are always close at hand should a caesarean section be the safest way for baby to be born.

If your baby is born by caesarean section it will stay with you in the operating theatre until you are moved to the theatre recovery area and your partner can help weigh and dress baby. You can usually give baby a cuddle and have “skin to skin” contact with baby within a few minutes of it being born. You can also usually start breast feeding your baby in the operating theatre or as soon as you are in the theatre recovery area.

If your baby is going to be delivered by a planned or “elective” caesarean section then you will usually attend a pre-admission clinic a couple of days before to meet one of the anaesthetists who will review your medical history and answer any questions you have about epidural or general anaesthesia and post-operative pain relief. Some blood will also need to be taken to check for any possible problems with cross matching blood in the unlikely event of you needing a blood transfusion. You will be admitted to the hospital a couple of hours before your caesarean section time. Usually, baby is born close to the planned time of your operation but occasionally elective cases are delayed by unexpected emergencies.