It’s now commonplace for pregnant women to deliver via Caesarean, or C-Section, operation. However, if we were to go back several decades, it was a completely different story. It wasn’t an option for mothers then to give birth via C-section, unless they were facing severe complications or life-threatening conditions.
Today, caesarean birth has become a preference for most mothers. Which isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with vaginal births – it’s just that the option for C-section birth has become more acceptable.
There are many underlying reasons why there seems to be a growing demand for C-section deliveries. It’s mainly due to medical or personal reasons, which branch out to many other factors detailed below:
Medical Condition
Many mothers have underlying medical conditions, which means that C-section birth is the better and safer option. Many women have fibroids, PCOS, tumors or other complications which can be risky when it comes to vaginal delivery. For those who have existing medical conditions, a caesarean birth can kill two birds with one stone – safe delivery of the baby and removal of any growth, etc. With the growing number of health issues among women today, a C-section birth is the more suitable choice for a safer delivery.
Baby’s Condition
For babies who have a bigger build, bigger head circumference, or are in a breach or transverse position, vaginal birth may be extremely challenging. In situations like this, it can be life-threatening to both, the baby and the mother. If the doctor is able to detect these complications earlier on, an emergency C-section can be avoided, which is equally risky. The best possible option would be to have a planned cesarean for a smoother delivery. It’s crucial to understand that the position of the baby is ever changing and it can change till the last moment too. So it’s best to be prepared for either deliver options.
Personal preference
Speaking from experience, cesarean birth was not what I expected it to be. It was a little nerve-wracking lying still in the OT, but otherwise, the process was rather quick and painless. Cesarean birth is much shorter (baby is out in less than 20 minutes), less painful (as compared to the pain of vaginal birth), safer (as vaginal birth can bring upon unforeseen complications, which lead to emergency c-sec), and parents can choose auspicious times for the delivery of their child. Not to say we mothers who have undergone C-section birth don’t feel pain at all. We might not endure much pain during delivery – but post-delivery is a different story. Cesarean births are very complicated, as doctors cut through 7 layers of your skin, shift your internal organs around, and stitch you back up like nothing happened.
Regardless of whether the mother chooses to deliver her baby via C-section, or it’s based on doctor’s recommendations, in the end, what matters is the safe welcoming of the little baby into this world and the mother’s wellbeing. It’s not important what people might think or say. Many people are quick to pass judgement about a mother’s decision for C-section delivery, saying they “found the easy way out”, “didn’t want to go through any pain”, “were lazy” or “simply wanted to spend more money”.
With the advancement in technology, equipment and skills, without a doubt, cesarean birth is much safer and better than what it was before. Everything is cut short – from the procedure to the healing process. Mothers are able to walk just 2 days post operation, as compared to weeks many years ago. Although internal healing does take some time to end, it doesn’t stop mothers from doing their daily chores or looking after the baby.
In a nutshell, delivering your child via whichever means is not the main issue – the main issue is the birth of the child itself. As long as the baby and mother are safe and healthy, everything else is irrelevant.
