How Can I Reduce My Chances of a Cesarean Birth? ACOG 's Safe Prevention of the Primary Cesarean Delivery recommends reducing cesarean deliveries by: Allowing prolonged latent (early) phase labor. Considering cervical dilation of 6 cm (instead of 4 cm) as the start of active phase labor.
Labor that isn't progressing (labor dystocia) is one of the most common reasons for a C-section. Issues with labor progression include prolonged first stage (prolonged dilation or opening of the cervix) or prolonged second stage (prolonged time of pushing after complete cervical dilation).
Even though labor and vaginal birth can be hard work, they are generally easier on a woman's body than a cesarean. Recovery after vaginal birth is usually shorter and less painful than after a C-section, and allows the woman to spend more time with her baby.
“But C-sections come with risks for the mother, including risks from anesthesia, blood loss, infection, a longer recovery period and potential for a higher risk of postpartum depression,” says Dr. Starck. There also are potential risks for a baby born via C-section.
To Push Or Not To Push: Elective C-Sections
There are a variety of reasons—from the fear of pain during labor to the belief that a vaginal birth can cause sexual dysfunction. In some cases, it may even be because a scheduled C-section seems more convenient.
Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...
In the weeks to months after a vaginal delivery, your vagina may be noticeably stretched out, and sex after birth may feel tender and even painful for a little while (typically, you'll be advised by your provider to wait four to six weeks post-delivery before you resume sex).
Vaginal delivery has a lower chance of scarring, severe bleeding, reactions to medications, and long-lasting pain. Since the mother is healthier and more active, the possibility of breastfeeding early on is more.
C-section vs vaginal delivery: which is more painful? Without the use of some type of anesthesia or pain relief, we'll agree c-section births are a lot more painful than vaginal delivery. It's believed the very first c-sections were done on women who died during childbirth.
Authors note that the Healthy People goal is to reduce caesarians by 2.3% – and that about women with a prenatal diagnosis of anxiety or depression had a predicted probability of having a cesarean section that was about 3.5% higher than women without anxiety or depression.
You might need to plan a C-section if you're pregnant with two or more babies or if you have a medical condition or infection. If you run into an emergency during labor, you may also need a C-section. Here are a few examples of when this might be the safer option: Your labor isn't progressing as it should.
Not at all. There are so many factors that come into play that can increase the odds of having a c-section — the position of the baby, the size of the baby, the condition of the mother, the experience of the doctor and, sometimes, where you're giving birth.
Yes, childbirth is painful. But it's manageable. In fact, nearly half of first-time moms (46 percent) said the pain they experienced with their first child was better than they expected, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in honor of Mother's Day.
Ultimately, a natural birth may be more painful than a cesarean section. However, the pain after your cesarean section combined with the heightened risks to you and your baby may outweigh the initial pain of childbirth.
Transition to the second stage of labor
This can be the toughest and most painful part of labor. It can last 15 minutes to an hour. During the transition: Contractions come closer together and can last 60 to 90 seconds.
Labor pain is one of the most severe pains which has ever evaluated and its fear is one of the reasons women wouldn't go for natural delivery. Considering different factors which affect experiencing pain, this study aimed to explain women's experiences of pain during childbirth.
Most women will feel increased pressure in their perineum, rectum, and low back at this stage. For many women, the rectal pressure feels the same as having a bowel movement. As the baby's head begins to appear, you may feel a stretching or burning sensation.
The most significant downside of an epidural is that it may prolong the labor and delivery process. The epidural is very effective at numbing the nerves and muscles in a mother's lower body. The problem is that this makes the mother less able to use her muscles to effectively and rapidly push the baby out.