C-section procedure & how long does it take

Hi! The spinal works almost instantly. Within a couple of minutes you’ll feel your body slowly get numb. After that they’ll take about 5-10 mins to get everything set up and put the screen up. They’ll pinch your skin real hard to make sure you’re numb as well before they start. Your baby should be out within 10-15 mins, they showed me my baby as they were sewing me shut. Getting sewn back up takes the longest, I would say 30, maybe 40 mins. The whole procedure took about an hour. My team played my favorite music the whole time and my husband was with me so the process wasn’t too terrible considering the circumstances.

@Brianna thanks so much Brianna. Do they normally start straightaway when you get into theatre? The wait time is normally before going in isn’t it? Also do they wheel you out straightaway?

I was in and out within about 40 minutes. It went smoothly

@Louise Yes they will most likely start straight away, assuming they have everything prepared. I would take some deep breaths before going in. That is what helped me, I was also anxious before mine since I had never ever had surgery before so it was nerve wracking considering I would be awake for this one. ❤️

So I've had two "emergency" c sections one was actually life and death for my first born the second was I went into labour and was in active labour 4 days before my scheduled c section so they took me down within 2 hours to get my second out. My first one I already had an epidural so they topped it up on the way down the hall to theatre my second they walked me down and then did a spinal the spinal took all of 5 mins to be done and I was laid on the bed waiting to start both procedures took less than 10 mins (if I hazard a guess id say 6-7 mins) and baby was out then both times it was about half an hour to 45 mins to be stitched up and taken to recovery. My first time I couldn't move for 12+ hours after due to having an epidural for 10 hours prior to the op and my second whilst in recovery with my partner and baby within 30 mins of being in there I was moving my legs myself everyone was really shocked and approx 6 hours after surgery I was up wandering around the ward and bending down to mop

My blood up off the floor as I completely forgot I had a catheter in still so had no pants and no pad on to catch the bleeding the nurses were all really shocked. Either way with both I was sent home on day 3 (first one was due to a hospital incident and this second one they let me stay for a bit longer due to the incident with my first to make sure I was comfortable in going home) and went to Aldi and did a full weekly shop pushing the pram around the shop like nothing had happened. My biggest tip, keep on top of pain killers and laxatives and move as much as you can it sounds counterproductive but moving really aids in healing. And if you can have one ask for a Pico dressing you'll be externally healed in 7 days or less

Mine was an emergency so might be a big different. Your feet go warm when the spinal starts working. They help you lift your legs because it works very quickly. They spray you will cold air and ask if you can feel the cold (you'll feel air but no cold if its working). Catheter went in after spinal, didn't feel it but they told me when it was going in. Litrally after that screen went up and baby was lifted 30 seconds later (they had to push down on my ribs to get her out but I was a CAT 2 emergency, they wanted her out fast). I just stared at the ceiling and blue screen till my baby was placed next to my face all wrapped up. You'll probably get to so skin to skin in there for an elected c section. My baby had to be checked over to make sure she hadn't breathed in macodeum. About 30 minutes later I was in recovery. She came into the world at 8am and by 4pm I was standing out of bed

@Brianna that’s a really good tip. Thanks so much. Do they wheel you out straightaway after the procedure? You don’t really get any alone time with the baby then do you?

@YazmynJade so the procedure itself only took 6-7 minutes? Wow that’s fast!

@Louise it's really fast they don't mess about. Someone I know personally at a different hospital said it took them 15 mins to get baby out so either way it's super fast to get baby out and see them for the first time! My partner both times was allowed to wander back to where they take baby behind you to do vital checks and then with our second he was allowed to walk her over to meet me properly and as best I could have a cuddle and the nurses took loads of photos for us. With out first due to the reasons of it being a severe emergency once my partner cut the cord he was asked to stand aside while they did more checks and it was probably 20 mins before I could see him properly and we weren't allowed to hold him until they knew he was breathing safely on his own and then my partner was sent to recovery to have cuddles and wait for me and then he was put straight onto me for a cuddle and stayed there until we were moved to the ward where my partner had to push the cot thing up behind me

@Louise just to answer this, once you've been stitched up your partner and baby are usually in recovery just to keep them out of the way you stay in recovery in a little bay with curtains for up to a couple hours so you can have some alone time they only bother you right when you get there and once or twice on that time just to check bleeding and your observations etc and then you go to the ward. With my first we were there 3 hours my second was 2 as I was already moving my legs myself and had eaten recovery out of everything that they had on hand so they knew I needed to get to the ward for dinner time 😂

So for a planned procedure you should be in and out within 40 minutes? So all the waiting time people talk about is waiting to go to theatre?

@Louise pretty much! I was fortunate I didn't have to do the waiting around all day to go down but that's the longest part of it all c

I had an epidural during active labour that ended in a cat 2 emergency c section so was already number from belly to feet. Once in theatre they topped up and I was then numb within 10 minutes from armpits to feet. From first incision to baby being lifted out was less than 2 minutes. Whole process took just under an hour before I was in recovery and gaining feeling back. I was up and walking and showered 6 hours after my c section. I was then wheeled to NICU to meet my little boy x

I’d recommend following c-section UK on Instagram, they share so much useful information about what to expect and the midwife that runs it is really good at replying to your questions/concerns. I’ve actually bought the course from them which covers prep, birth and recover and it’s given me so much information to make me feel more at ease!

@Louise to answer a question you asked someone else,I had my baby on my chest the entire time they were stitching me up in theatre. She was then pushed in the cot back to the recovery room later for safety but then given straight back to me. So I didn't feel I missed out on that side of things due to having a csection really. And no waiting once you're in theatre. There's usually a queue and they don't want people in there longer than necessary

I don't know. Because both were emergency. But as soon I went in there for my daughter, it wasn't 10 mins later she was out and ready. But she wasn't breathing when I got the OR My second, my son, was very quick as well. But I didn't get to see him as soon as he was born. Because he was preemie and needed life-saving suction and needed to be rushed to the NICU as soon as he came out. But once I got to the OR it wasn't 10 mins later he was out and I could hear bis faint cries. I don't remember how long stitches took for each one

from cutting and getting my son out only took 9 minutes (emergency section) and I think It was about 30 minutes stitching me back up x

I had an emergency c section and my timings were they put the knife to my skin at 00:11 - cut my uterus at 00:14 and baby was out at 00:16 so a total of 5 minutes from the knife first touching my skin. Stitching back up took a total of 30 minutes with my partner cutting the cord and me and him both having skin to skin with our little boy the entire time they were doing what needed to be done and then moved straight to our delivery room for some time to ourselves after for a couple of hours before being moved back to a ward.

My spinal worked almost instantly and they laid me down and sterilized where they were gonna cut and put my catheter in. It took a bit for them to start because it was scheduled after a bad snowstorm and my doctor was late so they got another guy to assist and start while we waited for him and my OB finished it. I was wheeled in for 8 and baby was born at 8:34. If the doctor is there on time I would assume the baby would come quicker than 34 minutes. It’s the stitching up and then waiting afterwards for a bit to make sure I’m okay that took the longest. I didn’t get wheeled back to my room until between 9:30-10. They let you or whoever is in with you hold the baby.

The hospital I went to did 3 planned c sections every morning. They said one was around 8, 9:30 and 11ish. Depending on any complications etc these times would change. They usually take in the complicated cases first (if someone has diabetes etc). I arrived at 7am at the hospital for both of mine, one I had at 8am and once at 11am. Either way you have a room in which you wait with your partner and it goes pretty quick! So depending on which hospital you are at - I don’t think you would be waiting long considering you are fasting while waiting for the procedure!

Please bear in mind everyone’s experience is totally different, some women recover quicker, some take longer. Try not to worry too much - just take each part as it comes on the day and go easy on yourself xx

@Meena thanks so much! Which hospital were you at? They seem very efficient. Were you in and out of the theatre within an hour or so then?

I had an emergency section and it took them 1 minute to get baby out, and about 45 mins to close me up, spinal took about 5 mins to kick and wore off after 2 hours, thankfully my baby cried straight away so literally held him after a couple of minutes after they got him out, considering it was an emergency it was actually really chilled, I felt really at ease, it was so calm and I was being told what was happening each step of the way... The feeling of things being moved around inside is very weird and a bit uncomfortable but honestly so worth it

@Louise I was at Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, Berkshire. Yes I was - they took around 10-15 mins to prep me for surgery. Another 5-10 mins or so to take the baby out and then stitching me up and checking the baby over for about 30-40 mins. In the time they stitch you up - they usually put the baby on you. But please bear in mind - everyone’s experience is different and also every hospital works differently xx