After discussion with the doctors caring for you at the RVI's Maternity Unit, it has been decided that your baby will be born by caesarean section on a planned date. This operation is the way that one in five babies is born in the UK and is a safe way for your baby to be born.

When you come to clinic the doctors and midwives will explain about the operation and give you information about the day of your baby’s birth.

Some women are concerned that they may go into labour before the date of their caesarean section. Please don’t worry if this happens to you. Call the Maternity Assessment Unit on telephone (0191) 282 5746 and tell them what is happening.

If labour is confirmed, then the section will be done as a ‘planned emergency’ at any time of the day or night. This is not common

Come to Ward 32 where the doctor and anaesthetist will come to discuss the operation and complete the consent procedure.

At the RVI about three babies are born by elective caesarean section every weekday with the help of the theatre team of obstetricians and midwives led by our theatre sister Pat Middleton.  They will put you at ease and help your partner to be comfortable in theatre.

96% of women giving birth by elective caesarean section will have a spinal anaesthetic. The advantage is that you are awake and aware of what is happening, but do not feel the pain. 

Your partner can stay with you if you both want this and you can see and hold your baby straight after birth if all is well.

Side Effects of the spinal anaesthetic

About one in 500 women having a spinal anaesthetic will have a headache. This can be treated with another spinal type procedure.

About one in 1000 women could be left with a small patch of skin which stays numb for a few weeks after the spinal. This will resolve in time.
The chances of being left with more serious numbness or weakness are in the range of one in a hundred thousand.

4% of women having a caesarean section will have a general anaesthetic (GA) for the operation. This may be because the spine is a difficult shape for the spinal anaesthetic, or the women has had surgery to her back in the past.

Discuss this with the doctor before the date for the Caesarean Section.

After your baby is born, the surgical team will make sure that all is well before transferring you and your baby to the recovery room where the midwife and anaesthetic nurse will care for you as the spinal anaesthetic wears off. Your partner may stay with you all the time if you wish.

As soon as you no longer need the care of the theatre team we will take you to the postnatal ward where you can stay until you feel well enough to go home or to be transferred to your local hospital for your postnatal care.

At first you may feel sore and tired. The midwife will make sure that you have the pain medication that you need. You may want to make sure that you have a supply of simple analgesia such as paracetomol at home.

The midwife will help you with baby care and establishing feeding. And when you go home, the community midwife will call by daily for the first few days to see that you are all doing well.