How women feel after their Caesarean birth will vary greatly. Some will feel very positive about their experience, others accepting but disappointed, a few will feel devastated or traumatised. Emotions can also be very mixed before, during and after the operation.
If the Caesarean was planned you will have had time to digest the decision and possibly come to terms with it, you may even have wanted the operation or preferred that this were the case. For others where the Caesarean was unplanned or the decision was sudden, there can be many issues to deal with, sometimes taking a long time to resolve them.
The following examples are a range of some feelings that have been expressed by women who have had a Caesarean birth. It is not a definitive list, but an introduction to exploring how some women feel about their Caesarean Birth experience.
Feeling nervous about having the operation.
For many women the unknown of the operation can be scary (as can the unknown of labour and birth). Reading the information in this birth.com.au class is aimed at helping you prepare for what will happen. For a lot of women, having a baby is the first time they will come in contact with a hospital, let alone have an operation. This can feel a little overwhelming for some.
Talk with your caregiver and family, you may wish to talk with others who have had a Caesarean to help you understand what is involved and perhaps come to terms with it. Just be aware that your experience will be different from others'. You may wish to have a look at the operating theatre before hand, ask the staff if the hospital can organise a tour.
Feeling comfortable with having a Caesarean, preferring it as way to give birth.
There are many women who prefer to have their babies by Caesarean. They like the fact that it is planned, it is 'known' to a degree and they do not have to go through the process of labour, or feeling tired after a long labour and giving birth vaginally.