In most countries of the world, a vaginal birth following a cesarean is not unusual. The past 15 years have witnessed a surge of new information in this country strongly supporting the position that...

Because having a cesarean involves major surgery, you will be sore afterwards and will require longer to fully recover than if you had delivered vaginally. Postpartum exercises will need to be delayed for a...

The average stay in the hospital after a cesarean is 3 to 4 days. The IV and catheter will remain in place for approximately 24 hours following the surgery. The IV will provide you...

No two babies are alike, cesarean babies included. One noticeable difference between vaginally delivered and planned cesarean babies is that the head of a cesarean infant is nicely shaped because it was not molded...

Once the repair work is completed, you will be taken to the recovery room. You will stay there until the staff feels that you are stable, usually about 1 to 2 hours. During this...

A cesarean delivery requires two incisions—one in the skin and one in the uterus. Both can be done either vertically or horizontally. Most commonly, both incisions are made horizontally. If a woman has had...

Depending on the hospital, your delivery will take place either in the labor and delivery area or in a surgical operating room. The location might be a factor in your partner’s participation. Some hospitals...

If you are having a planned cesarean, you have the choice of entering the hospital the day before the surgery or on the morning of the baby’s birth. Some women choose the second option...

There are two types of cesarean births—planned and unplanned. Most primary (first-time) cesarean births are unplanned. Many of the same routines are followed for both types of cesareans, although they might be done in...