C- Cesareans aren’t the easy way out!
Many people like to think that having a cesarean is the easy way to have a baby. “Oh, you took the easy way” or “at least your vagina didn’t get stretched out” (don’t even get me started on that one!!) is often said to people who end up needing a cesarean.
Cesareans are either planned ahead of time or become necessary during labour.
Some of the reasons people have a planned cesarean are:
A breech baby (a baby coming out bum or feet first)
A transverse baby (a baby who is lying sideways)
Certain STIs (if the risks to baby passing through the birth canal are too great)
Placenta previa (when the placenta is too close or covering the opening of the cervix)
Previous cesarean (having had a cesarean in the past and deciding not to have a trial of labour (TOLAC) for a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC))
A maternal choice cesarean (when the birthing person wants to have a cesarean for their own personal reasons)
A cesarean can become needed in labour for a few reasons, some are urgent, but most aren’t. Reasons a cesarean may be needed are:
Failure to progress (when labour isn’t progressing the way a doctor would like)
Infections or health concerns in the birthing person
Infections or health concerns in the baby
If you need to have a cesarean for your birth, there are things you can do to help your recovery:
Take your medications. Set those alarms as a reminder! In the early days, don’t wait until you’re in a lot of pain because it takes a bit for the meds to kick in.
Take it easy. A spotless house isn’t needed, your recovery is.
Listen to your doctors’ recommendations for healing. No working out, no driving, and no lifting anything heavier than your baby!
Keep things you will need in your main living space. Diapers, wipes, phone chargers, snacks, and water should always be close by.
Change baby on the couch or even the kitchen table. You don’t want to be getting up from the floor or going to a different part of the house.
Use a pillow for counter pressure when you cough, sneeze or laugh in the early days.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
A cesarean isn’t the outcome most people want but it is how almost a third of Ontario babies are born. With the right support, it can still be a beautiful birth experience and it is absolutely life-saving. Just remember that it is major abdominal surgery and is absolutely not the “easy way out”!
This is the third post in a series of “alphabet blog posts”. Keep an eye out for all the other letters coming soon!