C-Section Recovery, Health & Preparation

Having a c-section birth is anything but natural, but the cesarean procedure is working hard to fashion itself as much as it can to creating as natural an experience for women as it can.

Every woman wants a positive birth experience but the word ‘c-section’ just automatically seems to toss that the ‘positive’ right out the window.  All of a sudden things get scary and the whole birth experience takes on a new form.

Well according to an article by Joene Hendry at Reuters, the Childbirth procedure is starting to take on more of a “woman centered” approach which means the c-section procedure is incorporating more natural childbirth elements making the look and feel of having a cesarean seem more like having a natural birth.

Hurray!  I’ve been promoting this for a long time and it seems like it may becoming more of a standard for women who want to participate more in their cesarean childbirth.

I’m thrilled that we’re seeing more and more of this type of delivery but the actual participation for parents is still fairly minimal, after all, how much can you really participate in your own surgery?  All it really means is that there is more observance for the parents, the incision itself is blocked off but once the incision is made the mother can then see the half-delivered baby and watch the rest of the birth.

Once the baby is delivered she is placed directly on the mother’s chest for bonding.  This is already done in many hospitals however in many cases you must request it.  Making this procedure standard is a good thing in my opinion. 

When I had my first c-section I wasn’t much for wanting to see anything.  I was just scared hoping things would go well and be over soon.  My hubby was all eyes and ears, he wanted to see over that ugly green drape and take it all in.  As long as the hospital staff was sure that he wouldn’t pass out on the floor they were ok with it.  So for husbands this has probably been an option all along, for us women however, most of the action was off limits to viewing, or touching.

Would I have participated more if I had the opportunity to? I don’t know, but I think I would have considered it and the experience may have been more fulfilling.  I definitely would have considered it for my second c-section.

In an article by Denise Mann from WebMD Health News titled ‘C-Sections Affects Moms’ Response to Baby’ I was happy to hear that having a c-section doesn’t mean you should feel like less of a mother but it did indicate something interesting and that is that moms who deliver naturally may be more responsive to their newborn’s cries than moms who have had a c-section.        Read more »

If you’ve had a c-section and are considering a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-Section), then you will want to read on about some good information that may help you decide if a VBAC is right for you and your baby. 

One of the things that makes knowing if a VBAC is right for you is that every woman and her situation is different, so there’s no way of determining if your VBAC will be successful or not or if there will be health implications.  With so many variables the only options we have are to research, discuss and weigh the pros and cons. 

One of the things I’ve discovered through having my own c-sections and discussions with others is that you should not be influenced by what others say.  We all have family members that have their own opinions and friends with horror stories and the like, however this is your body and your baby, you must evaluate your situation and do what feels right to you.  

But you do want the facts; you want as much information from a professional standpoint that you can get.

Start by talking to your doctor. If you’re not comfortable with the doctor you have find one that you are.  However before speaking to your doctor there’s an excellent document put out by the American Academy of Family Physicians titled “Trial of Labor After Cesarean” (TOLAC). Don’t be thrown off by the title, it’s synonymous with VBAC.

Start by reading over the document carefully and jot down any questions you have, there are plenty of places to make notes within the document. Then be sure to bring this with you when you speak to your doctor.  He may or may not have seen it, but it’s a very good reference point and it deserves careful discussion. 

Here’s where you can view the document which is in PDF format: Trial of Labor after Cesarean

Have you had a c-section?  Then share with us your c-section experience by letting us know why you had it.  Was it for medical reasons or did you choose to have a c-section? 

Also how was your experience and what were your feelings afterwards about having it.  Were you disappointed that you had a c-section or did it matter?  Were there any adverse affects on your baby? 

Your experiences and thoughts would mean a lot to others so won’t you share with us? 

When I had a C-Section with my second child I had a tubal ligation done.  One of the reasons for doing this was that it just made sense that as long as the doctor was in there I may as well get the tubal done.

At the time my husband and I had agreed that two children were enough, I was not in total agreement since I am a strong and faithful Catholic and this is an issue for my Catholic beliefs, however, I did promise to love honor and obey so I made the conscious decision to go with no more babies.  Read more »

Preeclampsia, also known as Toxemia, is a problem that occurs in some women during pregnancy.    It and is related to increased blood pressure and protein in the mother’s urine. The usual signs of preeclampsia are high blood pressure, swelling that doesn’t go away and large amounts of protein in your urine.

The serious side of preeclampsia is that it affects the placenta from getting enough blood and that prevents your baby from getting enough air and food.  It can also affect the mother’s kidney, liver, and brain. It can be a life threatening situation. Read more »