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Getting Ready for Breastfeeding Getting Ready for Baby — Baby Necessities Getting Ready for Baby — Bringing Baby Home Childbirth — Cesarean Delivery Getting Ready for Baby - Packing for the Hospital What is a Pregnancy Calculator? What is a Chinese Conception Chart? What is Implantation Bleeding? Getting Ready for Baby — Planning your Parenting Style What is an Ovulation Calculator? What is an Ovulation Predictor Kit? What Should I Expect My Second Trimester? What Should I Expect My Third Trimester? What is a High Risk Pregnancy? 10 Tips for Better Sleep During Pregnancy? What is Safe to Eat During Pregnancy? 10 Things Your Non Pregnant Girlfriends Should Know Now That You're Pregnant What Should I Expect in My First Trimester? What is a Professional Labor Assistant? What are Some Safe Medications to take During Pregnancy? Finding or Starting a Mom's Group How to Handle a Sympathetic Pregnancy Is Breastfeeding During Pregnancy Safe? Top 10 Gifts for Pregnant Women 5 Things You Should Never Say to a Pregnant Woman Differences Between an OB and a Midwife Is There a Male Biological Clock? What is Secondary Infertility? Coping with Depression during Pregnancy Coping with Postpartum Depression What Affects How Long You Stay in the Hospital after Delivery? What is Artificial Insemination (IUI)? Unwanted Hair Growth During Pregnancy What is Hyperpigmentation During Pregnancy? |
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Childbirth — Cesarean Delivery Written by: Olivia Wallace |
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Cesarean, or c-section, deliveries are on the rise, especially in the United States, with close to 30% of babies born in this manner. While a cesarean is usually an option for preexisting conditions or emergency situations, more women and doctors are making the controversial decision to opt for an elective cesarean delivery for other reasons. These may include the desire to "schedule" the birth of a baby, concerns for pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) as a result of vaginal delivery, and extreme fear of vaginal delivery. It is important to educate yourself on the pros and cons of a c-section and discuss all your options with your doctor. Planned Cesarean Delivery Many women must have a c-section delivery due to many reasons, including:
When you plan a cesarean delivery, you get the benefit of choosing your baby's birthday (subject of course to your doctor's and hospital's schedules). This can be beneficial if you have a spouse who travels a lot, family out of town, or a due date around the holidays. Plan ahead for a longer hospital stay and recovery than you would for a vaginal delivery. It's also wise to make plans for who will help you take care of the baby, other children and household when you get home — a cesarean will require additional rest and recovery time. Unplanned Cesarean Delivery When unexpected complications arise, some women must deliver their baby via c-section. These complications may include:
It is important to be open to the potential of an unplanned cesarean delivery, regardless of your birth plan. At the same time, some doctors are quicker to recommend a c-section due to a busy schedule, etc., so unless there is an emergency, ask if you can try a bit longer to delivery your baby vaginally. The Procedure Despite how common the c-section has become, it is still major surgery, and is treated as such. A typical cesarean delivery will take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour for the complete procedure. The baby is usually delivered within the first five to 15 minutes, and then the remainder of the time is spent closing up the incision. Depending on the circumstances, anesthesia is usually a spinal or epidural, which numbs your body from just above your abdomen, down. General anesthesia is used in some circumstances, typically when an emergency c-section is necessary. To expose the uterus, the abdomen is cut open, usually with a horizontal cut, which is also known as a bikini cut. Vertical cuts are also used as well, but most moms prefer the horizontal cut because it can be hidden below a bikini or underwear. With a horizontal cut, the abdomen muscles aren't cut, but rather, pulled apart. The doctor will then cut the uterus using one of two cuts: either the classic incision which is a vertical cut, or the low transverse incision which is horizontal. The classic incision is typically used in emergencies only as it is a faster cut to make and allows more immediate access to the baby. The low transverse incision is more commonly used and carries with it the lowest risk for complication and is safer for a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). The risks of a cesarean delivery include:
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