Wales has recorded its highest-ever caesarean section rate, with 42% of babies born via C-section in 2025, according to Welsh government figures. Just over half of these operations were classified as emergency procedures. The rising rate has prompted concerns about the adequacy of postnatal care services, which healthcare professionals say have not evolved to meet changing demands.
Multiple women have shared experiences of feeling abandoned during their recovery periods following discharge from hospital. One mother described being unprepared for her post-operative needs after an emergency caesarean in 2022, noting it took nearly three weeks before she felt physically able to leave her home. Another reported being separated from her newborn for seven hours after giving birth, unable to receive assistance to visit her infant in neonatal intensive care. These accounts highlight gaps between hospital care and community-based support systems.
Healthcare professionals have identified specific shortcomings in current service provision. The Royal College of Midwives noted that postnatal care for C-section patients should encompass pain management, wound care, surgical recovery support, and assistance with infant feeding and care—services that may not be consistently available. A trained midwife and yoga instructor working with postpartum women reported that patients frequently describe feeling abandoned once they return home, with recovery support concentrated on vaginal births rather than addressing the needs of those recovering from major abdominal surgery.
The Welsh government acknowledged the issue in a February report, which highlighted concerns about staffing and support levels across maternity services. The government has committed to a three-year improvement program. However, healthcare advocates contend that women should not need to rely on private services or social media to access basic recovery information, underscoring the gap between current support infrastructure and patient needs.
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