Caesarean section or natural childbirth?

There is an opinion that a woman can give birth on her own "in the field." Indeed, childbirth is a "natural process", and if a woman is absolutely healthy, the fetus is small, she can give birth on her own. But, unfortunately, there are not so many absolutely healthy women now. We have an aggressive environment, an aggressive diet, and we generally develop according to a different scenario than our mothers and grandmothers. In addition, healthy women may also experience some complications during childbirth, which can be dealt with in a matter of minutes in a maternity hospital, if the necessary equipment is available, and the expectant mother will not even notice this.

Obstetrics is an area where the doctor has only a few minutes to make the right decision. At the time of delivery, two lives are in the hands of the doctor at once – the mother and the child. Or even more with multiple pregnancies. Therefore, the qualification of a doctor is what you need to pay attention to first of all when planning childbirth.

Most experts agree that women should have no doubts about what to choose, caesarean section or natural childbirth. They need to choose a modern maternity hospital, where they will have everything they need to provide any assistance during childbirth, and a doctor they can trust.

But with the current abundance of information, women are increasingly delving into the medical intricacies of childbirth, reading reviews from women in labor who, for one reason or another, believe that doctors have done something wrong. And such situations arise from the fact that doctors do not explain to women what is happening, but dryly do their job, periodically giving women in labor to sign various consents.

It is for this reason that at the EMC maternity hospital, we prepare a birth plan for each woman in labor in advance. During the conversation, which can last up to an hour, the doctor finds out how the woman imagines childbirth, what is important to her, whether she expects a natural birth or a cesarean section, and why. The doctor describes the situation from a medical point of view, explains what is possible and what is not desirable in this case, what complications may arise, and what doctors will do. This allows women to feel more confident, and during childbirth, they do not think about what doctors are doing, but about what they need to do themselves, how to breathe properly, how to tune in to the right wave.

Caesarean section

Caesarean section is primarily a surgical procedure. No matter how perfect the surgeon's work is, the operation always carries additional risks. Therefore, doctors resort to surgery only when the risks of natural childbirth exceed the risks of surgery.

Advantages and disadvantages of cesarean section

It is incorrect to talk about the pros and cons of cesarean section as such. For example, for a woman who is contraindicated in natural childbirth due to vision problems, the operation will have solid advantages, because it will not allow her to go blind.

Therefore, we will not talk about the advantages and disadvantages, but rather about some of the nuances of surgery and recovery after it.

1. The genitals and pelvic organs do not undergo major changes, there are no ruptures. BUT: there is a seam that can take a long time to heal. The abdomen may hurt, and there is often an unpleasant tightness in the suture area. A scar remains on the skin.
2. There is no pain during the operation. BUT: the pain is felt fully during the recovery process, which is also accompanied by unpleasant sensations when the anesthesia stops and severe pain in the suture area when the anesthesia completely ceases to work.
3. The operation is faster than a natural birth. BUT: this is not good for the child. A baby is born bypassing the processes that help it adapt to the outside world during natural childbirth, including the gradual squeezing of amniotic fluid from the lungs as it passes through the narrow birth canal.

Natural childbirth

Natural or physiological childbirth includes three periods. The first period (the opening period) is the longest, and in primiparous women it can last 8-11 hours. At the second and subsequent birth – 6-7 hours. The second period (the birth of the baby itself, or the period of exile) usually lasts from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and the third ("birth of the placenta", or the subsequent period) - up to 30 minutes.

The doctor monitors the condition of the mother and child throughout the delivery. The midwife helps you to take the most comfortable positions and breathe properly. The tactics of childbirth in each case is individual and depends on many factors, such as the size and position of the fetus, the presence of a scar on the uterus and possible somatic diseases in the expectant mother.

Are there advantages and disadvantages of natural childbirth?

Let's go back to the fact that childbirth is a natural process. No one talks about the advantages and disadvantages of hair growth or sweating! There are only physiological features of this process.

Does it hurt? Painfully. But most moms agree that this pain is forgotten. And if women in the delivery room often think that they won't give birth anymore, then a week or even a couple of days after giving birth, their opinion changes.

How long? It can take a long time. But during prolonged painful contractions, experienced anesthesiologists come to the aid of expectant mothers.

Ruptures and weakening of the pelvic floor muscles? If you prepare for childbirth responsibly, go to mom's school for practical classes, and listen to doctors' advice, then the appearance of ruptures can be completely avoided or minimized. And after giving birth, we recommend that you undergo physical therapy to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

The choice between cesarean section and natural childbirth

We hope we have managed to convince you that the most important thing for a future mother is not to think about how a doctor should deliver her, not to look for answers to her questions on the Internet, but to find a good doctor and discuss all issues with him.

Come to the maternity hospital on Pravdy St. for a free individual tour, ask your questions, get the opinion of experts and enjoy your pregnancy!