Cesarean Birth

The birth of your baby is something that you are going to remember for a very long time. Most women daydream about the day their baby is born and what it is going to be like for them. The danger in this is that it rarely goes as one thinks, especially with the first child. Some babies come early and birth is scary and they do not get to hold their babies right away. Others have complications in which they or the baby is in danger, and a Cesarean birth is in order. Some choose to have a Cesarean even when nothing is wrong. Learn more about this procedure so you are ready if this is in the cards for you.

A Cesarean birth is when the baby is taken from the body via an incision in the womb. The doctors may make a vertical or horizontal cut across the uterus, depending on the situation and the problem with the birth. When this happens, a woman is usually given a spinal block so that she can not feel from the waist down, but she is alert and awake. A blanket is put up so that she can not see the incision, but the father can watch if he chooses. The baby is then taken through the incision and if there are no complications, the baby can then be presented to the mother.

If the mother can not see the baby right away after a Cesarean birth, she may have to wait even longer to go to the nursery or the NICU to see her newborn. This is because she can not walk right away. She won't be able to move until the spinal has worn off. In some cases, she can be helped into a wheelchair, but most hospitals want her to be under her own power, even as she is transported in a wheelchair, for safety reasons. If you find you are in this predicament, try to be patient and do what the nurses urge you to do. They know how to help you get to your baby as soon as you can.

The reasons why some have to have Cesarean birth are many. Some women ask for this and may get it, but most doctors think a natural birth is healthier for all involved and do not want to do the Cesarean unless they have to do so. When a baby is overdue and very large, or just very large and on time, this may have to be done. It happens when baby is breech and does not move, or when the baby is in distress. If the cord is around the neck and can not be moved, a Cesarean birth may be in order to save the baby. The mother may not have a choice in the matter at that point.

Having a Cesarean birth does not make you less of a woman. It means you put your safety and the health of your baby first. While some women feel cheated out of a normal delivery, most are just relieved that everything turned out okay when it could have been a disaster otherwise. If you have had one Cesarean birth, you may not have the option of a natural birth after that, but it is not out of the question. This is a discussion to have with your obstetrician. They will know what is best for you in your current situation.