Caesarian Section (C-Section)

The time for the arrival of the new addition to the family is here! The first step is to get mommy safely to the hospital and admitted into the maternity ward – and off they go to theater for a Caesarian section under spinal anesthesia – making the operation to deliver the baby by C-SECTION painless for the mother.

Daddy is an integral part of the birth process. He supports his wife emotionally and takes lots of photographs for memory’s sake. Mommy moves onto the operation table and the nursing staff places the necessary monitors and ECG leads to enable the anesthetist to monitor his patient’s vital functions during the procedure.

The anesthetist carefully inserts a needle into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord and injects a local anesthetic into this space.

The theater is a beehive of activity with the nursing staff, the anesthetist, the pediatrician, the obstetrician and the surgical assistant all doing their little bit in preparing for this wonderful event of safely delivering a new baby into this world.

The registered nurse is preparing the sterile surgical field by cleaning the skin with an antiseptic solution, then meticulously draping the site with sterile drapes and finally placing the transparent barrier drape.

The obstetrician makes final preparations for the procedure and tests the effectiveness of the regional anesthetic block by pinching the skin with a forceps.

Sterile instruments ready, suction ready, lights on and the anesthetist subtly nod at the obstetrician – signaling his approval for the show to get on the road.

Retractors are placed strategically to help the surgical team to visualize the procedure better and to protect the adjacent important structures like the bladder.

Daddy is holding mommy’s hand in support, and the Caesarian section starts with a horizontal incision through the skin, and then layer for layer – connective tissue, abdominal wall muscle, the lining of the pelvic cavity and finally the lining covering the uterus.

The obstetrician now carefully incises the vascular uterus with bleeding and then suddenly a quick surge of amniotic fluid appearing!

There is an urgency in the air now and the obstetrician identifies the position of the baby by inserting his hand into the uterus – he struggles somewhat to get his hand around the head – but with a bit of persistence he succeeds and safely performs the delivery, then removes the umbilical cords from the baby’s neck.

The baby announces his arrival by taking his first breath and giving a loud cry. The umbilical cord is cut and a sample of umbilical cord blood is collected for laboratory tests.

This is also the opportunity to harvest umbilical stem cells for possible future use.

The baby is handed over to the pediatrician and from this point in time she is responsible for the new-born’s health and wellbeing.

Excess amniotic fluid is suctioned with a small catheter out of the baby’s mouth, nose and throat – but keep in mind that routine suctioning is not recommended anymore.

The newborn baby’s skin is covered with a white-grayish substance called vernix (short for vernix caseosa literally meaning cheesy varnish!) Excess vernix is wiped off the skin.

The pediatrician thoroughly examines the baby before handing him over to be weighed. The baby is now snuggly and securely placed in a blanket and handed to the beamingly proud father – and he shows the baby to mommy – and she again becomes emotionally overwhelmed by this wondrous event.

The obstetrician and assistant are suturing the uterus and the various anatomical layers closed.

The team works calmly now – knowing tht both mother and baby are well. The baby is taken to the new-natal section of the maternity ward.

The wider family all stretches to get their first glimpse of the new arrival – but only daddy is allowed inside.

For most people – receiving a new life into this world is a deeply spiritual experience and all the family and friends bow their heads in gratitude to their Creator for this amazing gift – a new, beautiful and healthy baby!