Caesarean
The short definition
A caesarean is an operation to birth a baby through a cut in the abdomen and the uterus.
What it actually means
It is common. Around 4 in every 10 babies born in Australia in 2023 were born by caesarean. It is not the rare outcome the antenatal classes can make it sound like.
There are two kinds, and the names are the problem:
- Elective, or planned. Decided in advance.
- Emergency. Recommended quickly, after labour has begun.
"Emergency" is the hospital's word for "not planned". It describes when the decision was made — quickly, after labour started — rather than how the room feels. It is the most useful thing on this page to know before the day.
A caesarean can be done under an epidural or a spinal block, with her awake, or under a general anaesthetic, with her asleep.
Where Dadda will hear it
Possibly in the third trimester, if one is planned. Possibly in the room, said fast, by somebody already moving.
And this is the one where his own job changes. A support person can usually be in the operating room. He is given scrubs and a theatre hat, and he must wear closed-in shoes. Thongs will not get him through the door.
The exception is a general anaesthetic. If she is asleep, the support person is not in the room.
The operating room is busy. An obstetrician, an anaesthetist, three nurses, a paediatrician, a midwife and an operating room technician. Eight or so people, and none of them are there for him.
Not to be confused with
- An induction. An induction is an attempt at a vaginal birth, started off by the hospital. A caesarean is an operation.
- An epidural. The epidural is the pain relief; the caesarean is the operation. She may have an epidural and no caesarean, which is the usual case.
- The end of the options. After a caesarean, a vaginal birth next time may still be possible. The hospital calls it a VBAC — vaginal birth after caesarean.