Your midwife will walk you and your birth partner down to theatre. You will be wearing a theatre gown and theatre stockings so we advise you to pack slippers and a dressing gown to wear also.
You will need to bring a set of baby clothes, a hat and nappy (and a ready made bottle of formula if bottle feeding) down to theatre with you.
Phones are allowed in theatre to take photos of your baby.
Whilst in theatre you will firstly have an intravenous drip inserted and then you will have your spinal anaesthesia, once your spinal is effective you will have a catheter inserted and then the operation to deliver your baby will start.
You are usually in theatre 1-2 hours.
Your birth partner will be in theatre with you the whole time (unless for some reason you have to have a general anaesthetic).
We always aim to do delayed cord clamping and skin to skin contact for you and your baby whilst in theatre. If you have any specific birth plans then please discuss with the midwife who is going to be caring for you in theatre on the day.
There are usually between 8-10 staff in theatre including midwives, theatre team, anaesthetists, obstetricians. It can be quiet overwhelming but your midwife will be there to support you.
You can choose to have music playing during your Caesarean if you wish.