Options for Cesarean Birth
/Here it comes: the C word. Yes, that’s right. CESAREAN. (Why? What did you think we were going to say?)
As doulas, we’re plenty familiar with Cesarean sections and the multitide of reasons why clients have them. Sometimes you find out your baby is in a breech presentation. Sometimes you choose to have a C-section for personal reasons. Sometimes during labor baby lets everyone know that they need to be born by Cesarean section.
Many people are surprised to find that they do have options even if they are having a Cesarean birth. You may not have given much thought to your birth preferences if you are planning a C-section, but you still have a say in what happens during your birth.
If you are having a scheduled C-section, you have several options available to you. We see many hospitals now offering what is called a family-centered Cesarean or gentle Cesarean. Here’s what is typically available to you:
*your partner can be in the OR with you
*you can be awake for the birth
*you can ask to have your arms un-restrained
*you can ask to have music of your choosing played during the birth
*you can ask your team to keep conversation centered around you and the birth of your baby
*you can ask for a clear drape (we promise you won’t see any of your insides; this clear drape will just allow you to see baby emerging from your body/being born)
*you can ask for skin to skin time even while in the OR
*your partner can take pictures of the baby with a cell phone or camera
*you can attempt to breastfeed baby in the OR with the assistance of your partner and a nurse
If you have an unplanned C-section that is not an emergency, you also still have many options availalbe to you.
*your partner can be in the OR with you
*you can be awake for the birth (as long as there is time for a spinal block to be placed)
*you can ask to have your arms un-restrained
*you can ask your team to keep conversation centered around you and the birth of your baby
*you can ask for a clear drape (we promise you won’t see any of your insides; this clear drape will just allow you to see baby emerging from your body/being born)
*you can ask for skin to skin time even while in the OR
*your partner can take pictures of the baby with a cell phone or camera
*you can attempt to breastfeed baby in the OR with the assistance of your partner and a nurse
And even if you have an emergency C-section, you still have some options available:
*If you already have an epidural in place then the anesthesia team will dose it up so it is strong enough for surgery. If you do not have an epidural in place there may not be time for a spinal to be placed and you will be put under general anesthesia
*If not under general anesthesia, you can request the clear drape and request that all conversation center around you and the baby
*If you are under general anesthesia, your partner will not be able to join you in the OR but a nurse from your surgical team will give them updates
*You can ask for your baby to join your partner as soon as possible and do skin to skin with the baby while you come out of general anesthesia
*You may not feel up to feeding your baby for a few hours once you wake up. Instead, your partner can assist you with skin to skin time with your baby. If you are planning to breastfeed you can ask for a hospital grade pump to express colustrum for your baby and your partner can feed the baby.