In an emergency, however, the preoperative period can be quite rushed and can appear
chaotic as hospital personnel hurry to complete all of the necessary tasks rapidly.
Commonly, some preoperative procedures are initiated in the mother’s room before transfer
to the surgical suite. Immediately after surgery, a woman typically will be wheeled to
the recovery room, which usually is located in, or adjacent, to the operating rooms.
Usually, a woman spends about one hour in recovery. Then, she is transferred to a room
in the postpartum unit. With changes in insurance reimbursement policies, most women
spend only three days in the hospital after a cesarean section, and about two days after a
vaginal birth.