As an expectant mother, you will have a hoard of decisions to make. Aside from post-birth decisions, you also have to make choices regarding how to bring the baby into the world. Natural birth or a C-section. Both these have their advantages but the goal ultimately is to bring the baby safely into the world. According to the NHS, about 1 in 4 pregnant women undergo cesarean birth. Sometimes a C-section can be a necessity due to emergency medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Other times a mother may choose to opt for a C-section without any medical emergency because of the complications she faced during her last vaginal birth.
However, this could prove to be a difficult choice for you. This is because of the distance and artificiality that a C-section creates between a mother and the baby at the time of birth. In a usual C-section, a curtain is set up to separate the belly, which is to be operated, from the rest of the body. After the operation, the baby is immediately taken to another room for initial tests and checkups. This delays parental bonding with the baby and messes with the maternal satisfaction of a mother. The baby is kept away from a mother’s affectionate embrace for a while and many scientific studies have proven this initial bonding moment to be essential in the mental well-being of the baby and his general adaptation in life situations.
So is there a solution for you as a parent to experience those initial bonding moments with your baby? There is a new mother-friendly technique of giving birth called the Gentle C-section. Gentle C-section is getting traction by the day in the UK and is becoming the definite choice of the mothers who cannot have a natural birth. It is also sometimes referred to as ‘Baby friendly’ C-section.
According to CNN, a gentle C-section is the reinvented technique and is as safe as the original form of C-section as confirmed by Dr. Felicity Plaat, who helped develop this technique and works as a consultant anaesthetist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London.
Gentle C-section has more aspects of a vaginal birth like immediate skin contact with a mother and the ability to breastfeed. It integrates the parents, especially the mother, into the birth scene as much as possible. Instead of a blue curtain, a transparent barrier is used to allow the mother to watch the baby coming out. In the case of Anesthesia, it is injected in sufficient doses to numb the abdominal area only so the mother won’t feel any discomfort but so the upper body remains in motion to cuddle with the baby.
You can have your choice of music or affirmations playing, or ask everyone to keep noise to a minimum, whatever you prefer. The baby will be immediately passed to you for skin to skin contact and the initiation of breastfeeding. Doctors will wait at least a minute to clamp and cut the baby’s cord, allowing them to get the benefits of delayed cord clamping. If there are any issues, the Paediatrician and Midwife will be on hand, but the baby stays with you and your partner, right through to the recovery room so you are never separated.
If you are thinking of having a gentle C-section for your planned Cesarean, talk to your Doctor and Midwife so your preferences are made clear and accommodated. Most UK NHS trusts have policies in place to facilitate a gentle c-section. If your c-section is an emergency, some of this may not be possible, so it’s important to do what’s right in the moment. Below is a video showing you a baby friendly cesarean section, from the NHS trust I used to work for. They employ the use of a Kanga cardi, a wrap designed for skin to skin contact after birth and is particularly useful in a gentle c section.
Just so you are clear, a gentle C-section is still an operation and is in no way gentle. You will still face all the hassle that comes with a cesarean. But this provides a gentle way out for a mother who wanted a natural birth but couldn’t have one due to unforeseen circumstances or chooses to have a planned c-section. It is an experience of a natural birth incorporated in a C-section as much as possible.
I wish you a healthy and warm birthing experience, however it happens.
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