Operating room

When it’s time for your surgery, a staff member will come to you. They will check your armband and blood bank band (if needed) and double check the information in your chart. You will walk to the operating room together. 

Protective clothing

Everyone in the operating room needs to wear special clothing, hats, shoe covers and masks. There are several people in the room, including: 

• anesthesiologist and any assistants 
• obstetrician and any assistants
• nurses
• neonatal intensive care unit staff, if needed 

Surgery

Once you have your anesthetic, a tube called a catheter is placed in your bladder to empty it. 

Most C-sections take around one hour from the time the anesthetic starts until you go to the recovery room. The baby is usually born five to ten minutes after the surgery starts. 

You may feel some pulling and pushing at the time of birth, but you should not feel any pain. If you are feeling uncomfortable in any way, tell the nurse or anesthesiologist. 

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, we may ask the support person to leave the operating room. The support person may go with the baby, but they will not be allowed to return to the operating room without permission from the team. 

After the birth

The baby normally stays in the operating room unless you or the baby are sick. If you are both doing well after the birth, you or your support person can usually hold the baby in the operating room. 

If the baby is moved to our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the staff will explain the reason. 

Skin-to-skin contact

We will make every effort to help you or your support person have skin-to-skin contact with your baby as soon as possible.  Talk to your care team about your preferences before your surgery. 

Photos and videos

Your support person can take photos of the baby after the birth. For safety reasons, they cannot take photos or videos before or during the C-section.