Whether you're set for a planned C-section or want to be ready, preparing for a C-section both physically and mentally is key for a smoother, less stressful experience. Here's everything you need to know to own your C-section preparation.
Making the Call: Deciding on a C-Section
You’ve got the power to choose a C-section, even if it’s not the ‘medically necessary’ option. Your hospital must listen to your reasons and provide personalized information on risks and benefits. As C-Section Mum Megan says, “No woman should be judged for her decision to have a C-section. It’s a huge physical and emotional sacrifice that marks the first of many selfless things you’ll do as a parent.”
Your body, your choice.
The Planned C-Section: Here’s What You Can Expect
Before your planned C-section, you’ll have a preparation appointment to ask questions, get a blood test, and any necessary meds. On the big day, you’ll receive spinal or epidural anesthesia to stay awake and comfortable. Dr. Chris Barnick explains that once it takes effect, a catheter is placed, and your skin is prepped for surgery. A screen will be set up as the doctor makes a small incision near your bikini line to bring your baby into the world. After hearing your baby’s first cry, you’ll have immediate skin-to-skin contact.
The rest of the procedure takes about 25 minutes, focused on removing the placenta and closing the incision to ensure the best recovery possible.
What happens during a C Section Operation? | with OBGYN Matters:
Creating Your C-Section Birth Plan: Take Control
The Naked Doula offers some solid advice: “You need a birth plan...by looking at your options, you’re educating yourself and making it easier to understand what’s available and what you can say no to.” Pre C-section preparation means owning your experience and avoiding stress the day of.
Consider these for your birth plan:
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Who you want with you
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Bringing your own playlist
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Asking if a camera can capture the moment
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Planning the hospital bag
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Whether you want the screen lowered to see your baby
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If you prefer silence so your baby hears your voice first
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Immediate skin-to-skin contact after delivery
How to have a Positive Birth Experience: Vaginal Birth or C Section | with The Naked Doula:
Setting Up for Recovery: Preparing Your Home for Post-C-Section Life
Prepare your space for a smooth C-section recovery. Keep baby essentials close so you don’t have to move much. Add plenty of pillows to support your body while sitting. Invest in full cotton briefs that cover your C-section wound for comfort and to avoid irritation. Loose, comfortable maternity clothes are perfect for recovery. Stock up on essentials like paracetamol, maternity pads, and breast pads, and consider prepping meals ahead of time or asking family for help.
If you have older kids, arrange for childcare while you’re in the hospital, so you can focus on your recovery.
Emergency C-Section Prep: Just in Case
No one plans for an emergency C-section, but preparing for the possibility can help you feel more grounded and empowered if things don’t go as expected. While your focus might be on a vaginal birth, knowing what could happen and what your options are helps you stay in control.
Situations that might lead to an emergency C-section include your baby being in the wrong position, labour not progressing, signs of fetal distress, or a medical condition that means your baby needs to arrive quickly.
Even in an emergency, many of your birth preferences can still be honoured. Add a short section in your birth plan that covers what matters most to you in that scenario, like delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin contact, or whether you want to discover your baby’s sex yourself.
Keep a small emergency bag ready with things that bring comfort, like a spill-proof cup, peppermint tea, comfortable underwear or a curved pillow for holding your baby. It doesn’t have to be in your main hospital bag. Leave it in the car or at home for your partner to bring if needed.
And if you're harvesting colostrum, storing it ahead of time ensures your baby still gets that golden first milk, even if you're recovering.
Preparing for a C-section, even an unexpected one, is not about expecting the worst. It's about giving yourself every chance to feel confident and cared for, whatever path your birth takes.
The Day Before: Final Checks & Mental Prep for the Big Day
The day before C-section preparation is about finalising your preparation. Pack everything you need for your hospital stay, including items to pass the time like books, a tablet etc. Comfortable cotton or disposable pants are your best friends for the first 12 hours. Let your scar breathe. Consider getting a night dress for your first night — your usual pyjamas won’t cut it.
Make sure you’ve got your maternity pads and wet wipes stocked. Peppermint tea can help soothe any digestive discomfort after surgery. In preparation for C-section delivery, remove any make-up, nail polish, piercings, or contact lenses, and avoid eating or drinking before your procedure.
Get Ready for Recovery: What to Expect and How to Handle It
The hours and days after your C-section can feel like a blur. Your midwife or nurse will encourage you to eat and drink when you feel ready and to get up and move gently as soon as you are able. Even a short walk to the bathroom helps improve circulation, supports healing, and keeps things like blood clots and constipation at bay. You might feel sore or notice a tugging sensation across your belly, which is completely normal. Your wound will stay covered for the first twenty-four hours, then you’ll be shown how to gently clean and dry it.
Around day two, it may be time for your first shower. This might feel intimidating, but water running over your incision is safe. Let it flow, then pat dry with a clean towel. You may also notice lochia, a mix of blood, tissue, and mucus. It can be messy and a little confronting, but it’s all part of the process.
Breastfeeding may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, especially if lifting your baby is difficult. Ask for support, take your time, and try different positions until something feels right.
Breastfeeding After A C-Section | Tips for Support:
After a few days in hospital, you’ll likely be heading home. Some women can’t wait, while others feel nervous leaving behind the round-the-clock care. However you feel is completely valid. Once home, slow everything down. Keep taking your pain relief, use an ice pack if it helps, and keep your scar clean, dry, and exposed to air when you can.
Now is the time to nourish yourself. Eat iron-rich foods like leafy greens, eggs, meat, or lentils. Add fibre to support digestion, sip water regularly, and keep peppermint tea nearby to ease bloating and shoulder pain. Probiotic foods such as yoghurt or sauerkraut will help restore gut balance, and continuing your prenatal vitamins will support healing with essential nutrients like zinc and vitamin C. Let others look after you while you look after your baby. Rest as much as you can. You are healing. You are doing beautifully.
For further information take a look at our C-section recovery guide
Post C-Section Scar Care
C-section scars carry stories of strength, but connecting with that part of your body can take time. In the early weeks, even looking at your scar might feel overwhelming. That is completely okay. As Warrior Mum Anya shared, “With my first, I couldn’t even look at my tummy for the first 10 weeks. I certainly didn’t touch it or come close to massaging it. I didn’t know about scar tissue build-up.” If you feel disconnected from your body after surgery, you are not alone. Healing takes time, and your confidence will grow with it.
Once your scab has fully healed, usually around six weeks postpartum, you can begin gentle scar massage. This is where our Scar Saviour balm becomes your best friend. Formulated with skin-loving ingredients, it helps soften scar tissue and supports your body’s natural healing.
Women’s physiotherapist Clare Bourne explains how to massage your scar. Start by warming a small amount of Scar Saviour between your fingers. Begin massaging above the scar with light side-to-side strokes. Let your touch be gentle and guided by what feels good. Try small circles across your lower tummy and under the scar itself. When you feel ready, begin working directly on the scar. Use two fingers to sweep side to side across the scar ten times, then switch to soft circles.
How to Massage your C-Section Scar | with Clare Bourne Physio:
If you feel discomfort, listen to your body and pause. Scar massage is about reconnection, not pressure. Take your time, stay consistent, and let this moment of care become a quiet act of love for everything your body has carried you through.
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