subject: Giving Birth Through Cesarean Section [print this page] Although it takes longer to recover from giving birth by Caesarean, mums who have their babies this way are still able to hold and breastfeed their babies soon afterwards.
Giving birth by Caesarean entails an operation with an obstetrician making a cut through the tummy and into the uterus (womb) to lift the baby, or babies, out.
Mums usually stay awake during the procedure and can see the moment their baby is lifted out of them. Partners can be present too.
There are two types of Caesarean, a planned (also called elective) one and an emergency one. If you have a Caesarean birth you can still deliver vaginally the next time.
A woman having a planned or elective caesarean will be made fully aware of all the birthing and pregnancy information she needs well in advance.
There are several reasons why a woman may have a planned Caesarean. These include:
oYou or your baby developed a complication during pregnancy or labour.
oYou've already had two (or more) Caesareans.
oYou have an infection which could be passed to your baby during a vaginal birth.
oYou've requested a Caesarean.
oYour baby is lying transverse (sideways) or keeps moving around (unstable) or is a bottom-down, or breech, position.
oYou have pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.
oYour baby is not growing properly.
oYou have a pre-existing medical condition, such as heart disease or diabetes which puts you or baby at risk.
oYour placenta is low-lying (placenta praevia).
oYou are having a multiple birth.
oYou have lost a baby during or just before a previous labour.
Only around six percent of Caesarean births are classed as emergency.
They may occur because of:
oA complication during pregnancy or labour affecting you or your baby.
oProlapse of the cord (when the umbilical cord gets ahead of your baby and there is a risk of it becoming squashed and blocking babys oxygen).
oYour labour is taking too long and you are not dilating sufficiently.
During pregnancy, information about what is happening to your body and what changes you can expect is vital and never more so than when you are having a Caesarean.
You will be given a full explanation of the procedure and all possible risk scenarios and you will be asked to give your consent before the operation goes ahead.
The main disadvantage of a Caesarean birth is the pain and discomfort after the operation which can last a few weeks.
Medicines will help you cope, but your day-to-day activities could be affected for several weeks.
