Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Health and wellbeing
  3. Living well
  4. Pregnancy and trying for a baby
  5. Labour and giving birth

Giving birth by caesarean section

There are situations where the safest option for you or your baby is to have a caesarean section. As a caesarean section involves major surgery, it will only be performed where there is a real clinical need for this type of delivery.

Guidance for pregnant women and information on what is happening in their regional unit during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak can be found at Northern Ireland maternity and parenting.

About caesarean section

During a caesarean section, your baby is delivered by cutting through your abdomen and then into your uterus. The cut is made across your abdomen. 

If you are expecting twins, triplets or more, it is more likely that you will be advised to have a caesarean section. This will depend on how your pregnancy progresses, the position of your babies and whether the babies share a placenta.

Whenever a caesarean is suggested, your doctor will explain why it is advised and any possible side effects. Do not hesitate to ask any questions you might have.

Urgent (emergency) caesarean

Urgent (emergency) caesarean sections are necessary when complications develop and delivery needs to be quick. This may be before or during labour.

If your midwife and doctor are concerned about you or your baby, they will suggest you have a caesarean right away. Sometimes your doctor or midwife might suggest a caesarean section if your cervix does not fully dilate.

The operation

In the UK, most caesarean sections are performed under epidural or spinal anaesthesia, which minimises risk and means you are awake for the delivery of your baby. A general anaesthetic is sometimes used, especially if the baby needs to be delivered very quickly.

If you have an epidural or spinal anaesthesia, you will not feel pain, just some tugging and pulling as your baby is delivered.  A screen will be put up so you cannot see that is being done. The doctors will talk to you and let you know what is happening.

Planned (elective) caesareans

A caesarean is ‘elective’ if it is pre-planned. This usually happens because your doctor or midwife thinks labour will be dangerous for you or your baby.

It takes about five to ten minutes to deliver the baby and the whole operation takes about 40-50 minutes.

One advantage of an epidural or spinal anaesthetic is that you’re awake for the delivery and can see and hold your baby immediately. Your birth partner can stay with you during the operation.

After a caesarean section

After a caesarean section, you will be uncomfortable and will be offered painkillers. You will usually be fitted with a catheter (a tube connected to your bladder) for up to 24 hours and you may be prescribed daily injections to prevent blood clots called thrombosis.

Depending on the help you have at home, you should be able to leave hospital within two to four days.

You will be encouraged to become mobile as soon as possible and your midwife or hospital physiotherapist will give you advice on postnatal exercises to help your recovery.

As soon as you can move without pain, you can drive, as long as you are able to make an emergency stop. This could be six weeks or sooner, though your insurance company may have specific post-operative conditions.

Future pregnancies

If you have your first baby by caesarean section, this does not necessarily mean any future baby will have to be delivered this way. Vaginal birth after a caesarean can and does happen. You should discuss this with your doctor or midwife.

More useful links

  • Going into labour and the labour process
  • Complicated births and special cases
  • Preparing for labour
  • Your choices for giving birth
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Labour and giving birth

  • Complicated births and special cases
  • Giving birth by caesarean section
  • Going into labour and the labour process
  • Preparing for labour
  • Your choices for giving birth

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS