Medically reviewed by Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Shera.
Pregnancy is the most miraculous thing a woman can experience. Not only does it change your body, but also changes you from within. But, as auspicious as the journey of pregnancy is, it comes with its own set of risks. No matter how big are your plans and how well your pregnancy is going, there is always a chance of some mess up. Therefore, despite of being sure that vaginal birth is the answer to your pregnancy, it’s smart to learn what it involves if it goes down to a C-section.
Along with that, if you are someone who is choosing to give birth via a C-Section, this article is definitely for you! So, let’s go ahead.
· You will be awake during the procedure
Even though caesarian sections are major surgeries, the doctors mostly prefer doing it under local anesthesia. They will inject an epidural injection in your spine, which will numb you towards all the pain signals down there. As you will be awake, you will most likely feel things pulling or going inside your belly, may even feel pressure. But pain will most likely be out of the picture.
And when your baby is born, you will be able to hear them cry and hold them immediately.
· Your shoulders will hurt
Now this is a fascinating yet a painful situation that many women experience post C-section. Your abdomen is not used to being exposed to air. So, when a caesarian section is going on, air enters the abdomen and gets ‘locked’. Once that happens, a referred pain in your right shoulder that feels like someone is stabbing you with a cold ice pick occurs. It’s painful, and may even leave you breathless at some instances, but don’t worry because it’s just gas and taking a walk as well as a painkiller will surely help!
· Don’t be afraid of the elephant legs
We all know that pregnancy makes you get all swelled up! What we don’t know is that it may get worse post pregnancy, especially after a C-section. That’s because, during a caesarian section, they give you extra fluids to maintain blood pressure. And it takes about 2 weeks to get rid of all the fluid.
So, don’t stand on the weighing scale just yet, and let your body get back to normal.
· Your incision will burn
Post-surgery, despite of heavy medications, your incision will hurt. So, be vigilant when it comes to changing positions during recovery, and make sure that you are not moving around too much.
The medicines are lactation friendly, so keep taking them even while breastfeeding. The good news is that the incision pain will go away within two weeks and you will feel better soon.
All in all
Even though the points mentioned above are necessary for a pregnant woman to know, it does not in any way mean that you preoccupy yourself with the negative thoughts of labor and giving birth. Think about the wonderful experience of motherhood and having to love someone like never before!
Lastly, take care of yourself and eat healthy during pregnancy to experience a hassle free pregnancy plus delivery!
Guest Credits: Dr. Maleeha Syed
