Elective & emergency Caesarean sections are performed at Albury Wodonga Health - Wodonga Campus (AWHWC) Perioperative Service.
Your doctor will discuss the decision as to whether you require a Caesarean section delivery with you either before admission to AWHWC, or during your labour if the need arises.
From the delivery or obstetric ward you will be transported to theatre on a bed/trolley. Your midwife and support person will accompany you. The midwife will be present for the delivery phase whilst you are in theatre. Depending on the type of anaesthetic you require, and if the surgery is an emergency, the support person may or may not be able to remain with you during the surgery. For routine elective Caesarean deliveries, performed under spinal or epidural anaesthesia, the support person will be able to sit by your side throughout the delivery.
On arrival to the perioperative suite, the anaesthetic nurse will check you in. Checks include consent, allergies, fasting times and other questions discussed in the ward prior to transfer.
You will be transferred to an anaesthetic room, where the anaesthetist may ask you questions and take a medical history, if you have not previously seen the anaesthetist. An intravenous infusion drip, will be commenced at this stage. Monitoring dots and a blood pressure cuff will be applied. These will be attached to leads inside the operating room. Your anaesthetist will discuss anaesthetic options with you.
Whilst this is happening to you, your support person will be getting changed into theatre attire. They will come into theatre once the surgeon and the anaesthetist are satisfied with your condition. Transferring to the operating room, you will be asked to move to another bed. It is narrow; and you will notice the large overhead lights and another two nursing staff setting up the instruments for your operation. Monitoring leads will be attached and the blood pressure cuff will become tight & begin to take readings at regular intervals. The anaesthetist will commence the anaesthetic appropriate to you and your baby. (SeeAdult Anaesthetic Section).
A small positioning wedge will be placed under your hip to prevent faintness, which can happen when you are flat on your back. A mask will be placed on your face, supplying oxygen, which will benefit you and your baby. If you are having a spinal anaesthetic, a catheter will be placed in your bladder to drain urine in the immediate postoperative stage.
An antiseptic skin wash will be painted onto your abdomen, and a large sterile blue drape will be placed, covering you from your toes to your chest. It is clipped to two poles to ensure you, and your support person, cannot view the procedure. Many women experience touch and movement due to the delivery but pain should not be experienced. If the sensations are painful the anaesthetist can alleviate this quickly. Suctioning of the fluid from around your baby occurs just prior to delivery.
Your midwife will accept your baby from the obstetrician and bring your baby to you for a quick viewing. Photographs may be taken at this stage. The use and type of photography equipment able to be used in the operating suite can be discussed with your doctor and midwife before coming to the operating suite.
The baby will then be taken into the anaesthetic room where a warming cot has been prepared. A paediatrician and your midwife will check, dry and warm your baby. Pre-checked nametags will be attached to your baby, then baby will come back into theatre for you & your partner to view and cuddle. Photos can be taken as this time also. The baby will be transferred back to the obstetric ward with the midwife. The support person usually accompanies the baby and midwife. This allows your support person to change and they can then return to see you in the post anaesthetic care unit.
The obstetrician will continue your operation, and once complete, the nursing staff will ensure you are cleaned up, before transfering you to an obstetric ward bed.
You will be transferred from the operating room to the Post Acute Care Unit, where nursing staff will check your observations. These include pulse, blood pressure, dressings, and abdomen checks and urine output via the catheter if you have one inserted. These observations continue ten minutely for at least half an hour. All being well you will be taken back to the obstetric ward for the rest of your recovery.
