People, and even those without vaginas themselves, care a great deal about how mums give birth. Around one in four births in the UK are now caesarean style. That’s up about six times more compared to the Seventies. The popularity of the C-section is probably due to the fact that with C-section you can pick your day, your time, your anaesthesia and then go home with the baby at the end of the day. If you do opt for a C-section, either by choice or medical reasons, we do have some helpful tips so that your C-section can go as smoothly as possible.
1. For a planned caesarean, wash your body before giving birth
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To reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin incision area, do wash yourself with an anti-bacterial soap beforehand. This way you will have a lower risk of infection after surgery, which is one of the most common risks associated with a C-section.
2. Stay warm
Getting cold either before or during surgery can increase the likelihood of infection. When you’re waiting for your surgery or during your surgery, ask for warm blankets as most operating rooms are ice cold.
3. Use clippers not razors
One of the steps in preparing for a C-section is to shave the hair near where the incision will be. This has been done with a razor in the past, but now it is shown that using clippers removes enough hair and yet lowers the infection rate compared to shaving.
4. Walk soon after surgery
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To decrease the risk of blood clots, do try to move around as soon as you can after your C-section. It helps to get you back on track sooner and reduce the pain from movement. It will also be better, especially if you will be the only one taking care of your child at home.
5. Proper wound care
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Follow instructions on how to care for your incision and do watch out for signs of early infections. A little bit of negligence can really be detrimental to both your baby and your health. Make sure to follow the instructions to the “T” because health comes first. Whether you opt for the C-section or go au natural, we wish you the very best of luck during your up-coming childbirth. Did these tips help in making you more aware of what you should do when going in for a caesarean style delivery?