Caesarean section (C-section)
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The role of a midwife in a c-section
Even in case of a c-section the midwife is one of your primary caregivers and stays with you and your baby throughout the whole process.
Regardless whether the c-section is planned or becomes necessary during labour, midwives care for the parents-to-be before, during and after surgery. With all the new staff in the OR it is reassuring to have a familiar face at your side all the time.
Preparing for a c-section:
Before going into surgery, many preparations are necessary. A lot of them are done by your midwife, e.g. insertion of the permanent urinary catheter, administering drips to support your blood pressure, monitoring the fetal heartrate, etc.
It’s time to go:
Midwives accompany the patients into the OR and assist the anaesthesist in giving you the epidural anaesthesia, which is the most frequent form of pain management in a c-section.
The first cry:
As soon as the baby is out of the uterus and the umbilical cord cut, the midwife takes the newborn and assists the pediatrician in a first assessment.
Getting to know your baby:
In some hospitals it is possible to enjoy skin-to-skin contact already in the OR if you and your baby are doing fine. The midwife assists you in finding a comfortable position for the first cuddle and has an eye on the baby’s well-being and adaptation processes.
Cuddling with daddy / your partner / the support person:
If a separation of mother and child is unavoidable due to medical reasons, the bonding needs to be postponed for the moment. In theses cases the partner / support person can offer skin-to-skin contact and support the baby’s recovery by talking to the baby and cuddling it.
Back from the OR:
After surgery the mother directly returns to the delivery room or the ward. Then it is time to cuddle and the first steps towards breastfeeding. The midwife supports you, for example, by assisting you in finding a comfortable position and helping you with the first latch-on. Other tasks of the midwife involve carrying out the necessary checks, examinations and activities to ensure the wellbeing of mother and child after surgery.
The postpartum period:
Midwifery care doesn’t stop after birth: regardless of the type of birth, a midwife supports women and young families in the postpartum period, e.g. by consultations on breastfeeding, baby care, healing, postpartum changes, involution, etc.
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