f. Cesarean Birth

A cesarean section, which is an operation, is performed when giving birth through the vagina is not safe for the baby. Even though you may be planning for a vaginal birth, it's a good idea to learn about cesareans in case your baby needs to be born this way.

A cesarean birth may be planned ahead of time or decided upon during delivery because of unexpected difficulties.

Here are the most common reasons for having a cesarean birth:

If you do need a cesarean birth, it is important that both you and your partner are involved in the decision. Needing a cesarean birth does not mean that you have failed in any way. The overall goal is to have a healthy mother and a healthy baby. Sometimes the cesarean birth is the only way to achieve this goal.

Depending on the hospital and the reason a cesarean birth is performed, you may need an epidural anesthesia , a spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia . In certain cases, your partner may stay with you while in other cases, he will be asked to leave the operating room.

The following images will help you visualize how a cesarean birth is performed.

After a cesarean birth, the baby will get special attention from the doctors and nurses. The baby will be wrapped in a warm blanket and given to you and your partner to hold.

Most mothers find that it takes them longer to recover from a cesarean birth than from a vaginal birth. This is because after a surgery, recovery takes more time.