Night Before C Section: Six Simple Steps to Calm Your Nerves
Our c section was scheduled for November 29th, 2021.
We knew early on that a c section would be the safest route for us because one of our twins was head up, and the other was head down. Both twins would have to have their heads down for a vaginal delivery. To be honest, the idea of someone cutting me open and pulling my children out was pretty darn scary.
I asked all my friends who had this surgery in the past what the procedure was like, what I should prepare for and what happens after. This cursory research didn’t stop me from freaking out as the date got closer. So I began searching for a way to calm my nerves and relax the night before my surgery.
Spend the night before your c section resting, confirming appointments with family and the hospital and enjoying time with family. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided by your doctor.
This article will walk through how to stay calm the night before, enjoy the time with your family and ease into your c section.
Have dinner with your family
The night before our c section we wanted to prioritize enjoying our last moments as a family of three. We didn’t know how having two children at the same time would impact our family and we wanted to make sure that we made time to enjoy the little family we’d built so far.
Additionally, we wanted our older daughter to know that she would still be a priority in our life as our family expanded.
So we decided to go out for a fancy family dinner.
We had four qualifications for our last meal:
- Specialty in seafood (because that’s our favorite cuisine)
- High quality (because this would be our last meal together as a small family and we wanted a guaranteed experience on both staff and flavor)
- Nearby (because the two babies bouncing around in my belly did not like long rides)
- No dress code (because I needed to be comfortable and I didn’t want to worry about what outfit I was wearing… and I was 100% wearing sneakers.
While we’re normally frugal, we spent lavishly on this dinner because we cared more about the experience than the budget. We knew that we’d have two small babies that would need our attention and we did not know when’s the next time we would get to have an experience like this.
Many people worry about what to eat, but I believe it’s much more important who you’re eating with, what you’re talking about and how much fun you have.
Prepare Your Post-Procedure Living Area To Maximize Your Comfort
There’s no doubt about it – moving around after arriving arrive home from your c section is challenging.
While we discuss c sections like they’re a simple thing because so many people get them, it is a difficult process and an even more difficult recovery.
Preparing your home in advance will make sure the return isn’t met with more strain and struggle than necessary.
If you haven’t considered what area of your home you’ll spend the most time after your c section, now is the time to do that. Make sure that space in your home has everything you need to survive – without walking up or down stairs to get it.
Here’s a quick checklist of the basic items your space should have:
- Bathroom with shower within walking distance
- Water to stay hydrated and take your medications
- Snacks you enjoy
- Your preferred tech (ex. laptop, tablet, phone) and chargers to power them
- Entertainment (ex. books, games, etc.)
It’s also important to consider that while you’ll be taking care of your child (or children if you’re having multiples like me), you’ll also have limited mobility and have to manage your pain post c section.
Confirm childcare arrangements for older children
When new babies are one day away there’s a lot to prepare for the new bundles of joy, and in the process you’ll have to make sure any older children are both prepared for and cared for.
At a minimum, you’ll be in the hospital after your scheduled c section for a few days so you’ll need childcare for all of the planned days. You’ll also need a contingency plan for the event that you’re in the hospital longer than expected.
Our daughter was 13 at the time of our c section so she was mostly able to care for herself. We wanted to make sure that she had fun while her parents were away from home. We called up her favorite grandparent (I know kids aren’t supposed to have favorites, but let’s be real – they do!) and asked if she could take her out for something fun on the days we were gone.
In addition to finding the childcare, talk with your older children about what’s happening next and how long you’ll be gone so they know what to expect at every step of the process.
Follow the step-by-step instructions from your doctor for preparing your body
Your doctor will provide you with a step-by-step list of instructions, which will typically include no eating or drinking after midnight the night before your surgery, taking a shower with the special soap you’re provided and what time to arrive at the hospital the next morning.
I read this documentation like 10 times to make sure I wasn’t missing anything!
Talk with your spouse about any fears you have
Some of the most cliché advice you’ll ever get on relationships is marry your best friend. But if I’m being honest, there was no time that I appreciated my relationship with my husband more than the days leading up to my c section.
I was filled with fear, asking questions like…
“What if things go wrong?”
“What if I don’t make it out of this thing?”
“What if both of our babies don’t make it out?”
No one wants to have these thoughts but if you’re anything like me, these negative thoughts come up and it’s difficult to get them out.
I spent the night before laying in bed and chatting with my spouse about the my fears. I asked him out loud what we would do in any of the situations I was afraid of.
And, while they were all hypothetical answers, I felt better talking through some of the scariest potential outcomes and situations with my husband.
Some people may not feel comfortable talking about negative outcomes, but it made me comfortable to know that my needs and desires were communicated to my husband and he’d know what I wanted in the event of a negative outcome. It definitely made me feel better to share my fears with someone I love and not having to keep them to myself.
Set your alarm and head to sleep
I was exhausted after a full day of shopping, organizing, planning, eating and talking with loved ones.
I have the type of personality where I can’t sleep if I have outstanding to-do items on my mind. If I need to take care of something, I’ll be up all night thinking about it. Because this day was full of both fun and focus, my mind was at ease by the end of the night and I felt confident drifting to sleep and greeting my two little boys the following day.
The first c section can be a very scary experience, but we can choose to lean into self care, calm and loving relationships to support us through the journey.
