Mothers in Wales are raising alarms about insufficient postnatal support as caesarean section rates reach an all-time high. New figures indicate that 42% of births in Wales occurred via C-section in 2025, with more than half of these procedures being emergency operations. Women share stories of feeling abandoned during recovery, describing a system where they were “left to get on with it” without adequate guidance.
Carys Louise Brandon, a 29-year-old content creator from Swansea, underwent an emergency C-section for her first child in 2022. She described feeling completely unprepared for the physical demands of recovery. Brandon stated she did not feel physically capable of leaving her home for nearly three weeks, and even then, her initial outing was limited to the end of her street. Although she received good care from hospital staff and community midwives during her subsequent deliveries, she noted a persistent lack of information regarding normal healing processes, such as how scars should appear at different stages.
The lack of standardized recovery information left Brandon with significant anxiety. She recounted an incident where she fainted in the shower after removing her wound dressing, unsure if her symptoms were normal. In response to her own lack of preparedness, she now shares her experiences online to help other expectant mothers, noting that many women contact her for advice because they wish they had access to such stories before giving birth.
Official data highlights the scale of the issue: while 42% of Welsh births were via C-section in 2025, the figure stands at approximately 45% in England. The NHS notes that most women can be discharged one or two days after the procedure, but recovery is generally slower than after a vaginal birth. A Welsh government report published in February flagged the rapid increase in C-sections and inductions, warning that the consequences for families and the National Health Service had not been fully evaluated. The report also criticized postnatal care for being inadequately staffed.
Ceri Ann Roberts, 29, from Gwynedd, described a traumatic experience following her second child’s birth last year. After an emergency C-section, her daughter was transferred to neonatal intensive care due to breathing difficulties. Roberts said she was left alone on the recovery ward for seven hours because no staff member was available to transport her to see her baby. It was only when her husband arrived at the hospital that she was able to visit the unit. “It was awful, I just cried and cried,” she recalled.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board acknowledged the distress caused by separation but stated that midwives support mothers and facilitate visits as soon as it is medically safe to do so. They declined to comment on individual cases but emphasized their efforts to enable contact at the earliest opportunity.
Nicola Rous-Morgan, a trained midwife and postnatal yoga instructor, argued that maternity services remain heavily focused on vaginal deliveries, leaving C-section patients to rely on private services or social media for basic recovery advice. She questioned the equity of this model, asking, “What happens to the women that can’t afford that luxury?”
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Wales attributed some of the care gaps to severe staffing pressures. Julie Richards, the RCM director, highlighted that 94% of surveyed midwives felt unable to provide the care they desired. Many midwives are working extra shifts and covering shortages across maternity services. Richards called for increased investment and a comprehensive workforce plan, noting that postnatal care for C-sections should include robust support for pain management, wound care, surgical recovery, and infant feeding.
In response, the Welsh government stated that every woman is entitled to high-quality, tailored postnatal care. A spokesperson explained that maternity teams provide assessments and referrals to specialist services, such as obstetric physiotherapy, based on individual clinical needs. The government added that where women feel they have not been listened to or supported, services are expected to learn from feedback and take action.
Twenty-two days stuck inside feels excessive, but at least she’s now helping others online. Standardized discharge info for C-sections is desperately needed.
The staff shortages are heartbreaking. How can women expect proper recovery guidance when midwives themselves feel unable to provide the care they desire?