C-section Or Vaginal Birth Process: Which One to Choose?

When you are preparing yourself to give birth to your child and bring home your little one, you are more than overjoyed. Now when you are approaching the end of your pregnancy, you are quite excited about your labor, how you will be giving birth to your baby, what will happen during the childbirth process, and many similar things start occurring in your mind. But the most important thing you should know is that, when you are at the end of your pregnancy, it is high time for you to talk and consult with your health care expert, and if necessary, with your midwife too, to discuss which method of birth process to choose, so that you can have successful childbirth and you and your baby remain safe and healthy. There are several types of delivery that are often referred to by doctors for childbirths, but the two most common methods are vaginal or normal childbirth and Cesarean or C- section childbirth techniques. Though there are pros and cons to both these methods, a new mother or anyone who is planning for a pregnancy should know in detail which one to choose and which one is right for them.

Vaginal Or Normal Delivery Technique:

The vaginal or normal method of childbirth is the most common method of childbirth that is very often prescribed by experts for easy and successful childbirth that is safe and does not result in any sort of complication during the process of delivery or even after childbirth. Vaginal childbirth is a process of childbirth that involves bringing out the baby through the vagina and thus through the cervical region of the mother. This method includes much pain and labor for the mother and thus it is often said that vaginal childbirth is very painful. But, on the other hand, it is by far the safest method of childbirth. In this case, sometimes, doctors prescribe cutting a junction between the mother’s vagina and the anus known as the perineum to make the baby’s way out of the vagina an easy process so that it can come out easily without causing much pain to the mother.

The procedure of childbirth through the mother’s vagina involves the beginning of labor and pain that feels like massive contractions. Though doctors often recommend medicines and anesthetics to relieve pain like pain killers and epidural blocks, the mother might feel labor pain.

C- Section or Cesarean Childbirth Technique:

A C-section or Cesarean childbirth is a surgical method of delivery that is mostly followed in case of emergencies that might occur to the mother during the process of childbirth. In this method of childbirth, a minute cut is made by your concerned physician or an experienced surgeon on your abdomen to pull out the baby safely. But Cesarean childbirth is not always done on accounts of just an emergency during delivery. Many new mothers or mothers-to-be take prior decisions and often plan to undergo a C- section surgery to avoid the extreme pain that is felt during labor and childbirth.

In most cases, C- section surgery is done to avoid any kind of complication that the mother is facing during her vaginal childbirth. Some of these issues and complications can be the incorrect position of the baby inside the mother’s womb, a long duration taking up your labor, the discomfort of the baby like breathing problems of the baby and abnormal heart rates, cord collapses, or even if the mother is carrying twins or triplets. But it has often been found that with C- section surgery, many complications might occur to both the mother and the child post-childbirth.

Procedure Of Natural Or Vaginal Birth:

Vaginal or natural birth occurs mostly in the home or any birth center but not in any hospital. Some mothers prefer to give birth to their babies in a very homely atmosphere and try to avoid getting into a hospital for childbirth. In those cases, their doctors recommend vaginal childbirth at home that occurs in the presence of a doctor, a doula, and a midwife. Women prefer to give birth at home rather than in a hospital in case of vaginal childbirth because if they feel the labor pain, they can relax and be comfortable at home. Women often prefer to give birth in water, inside a bathing tub to ease the labor pain.

In a vaginal birth, the mother pushes the baby down through her vagina right after the labor begins. Some midwives provide hydrotherapy, warm and cold compress, and massages when required. The movement of the baby is often kept track with an ultrasound device. Apart from this, there are also certain nursing homes and hospitals where there are spaces for natural or vaginal delivery and they also provide medicinal help, when necessary, for instance when the mother is unconscious and requires tools to push out the baby or when the mother requires pain killers to lower down the labor pain.

Often mothers who plan to give birth through a vagina consult with a pediatrician or with an experienced midwife so that they can give birth comfortably at home. Sometimes, taking help from the pediatricians and midwives becomes increasingly necessary if one is planning to have childbirth normally because after the child is born at home if any crisis or complication occurs, they can provide the necessary help.

Procedure Of C- Section Or A Cesarean Birth:

Cesarean surgery is performed in a certain way that is completely different from vaginal or normal delivery methods. C- section process of childbirth is a major surgery to bring out the baby from the mother’s womb. Before undergoing a Cesarean surgery, the mother is made numb by applying or injecting anesthetics so that the mother does not feel any pain. Then a health care expert or a gynecological surgeon performs the surgery by making a cut on the skin surface of the mother’s abdomen and in the uterus. Through this cut portion, the baby is moved out and the cut is then stitched and sterilized.

Risks Related To Vaginal Birth:

Though vaginal childbirth is considered the safest method of delivery, still certain complications might occur and there are some risk factors related to it. Some such risk factors can be listed as follows:

• Immense pain during labor.
• Chances of complications like mild to heavy mild loss through the vagina or damage to the umbilical cord.
• Side effects of pain relievers like epidural block and spinal block.

It is also important to note that if you have the following factors in your pregnancy, then you are also very much exposed to side effects of vaginal or normal delivery:

• Having an advanced stage pregnancy at around 35 or 40 or even more.
• You have chronic health issues like high blood pressure, high levels of blood sugar, or type 2 diabetes.
• Your baby is too large that it might get stuck.
• You had previous C- section surgery or any uterine surgery.
• You had complications in your pregnancy like placenta previa, preeclampsia, or abnormalities with your baby’s growth and development.
• You are carrying twins or triplets.

Risks Related To C- Section Childbirth:

The possible side effects that might be caused after undergoing a C- section childbirth are as follows:

• Chance of catching infections like HIV or herpes
• Thrombosis of blood
• Mild to heavy bleeding from the vagina
• Risks of the baby getting affected during the surgery
• Chances of organ damage during the surgery
• Risk of allergic reactions from anesthetics
• You may not have a vaginal delivery in your next pregnancy
• Can cause health issues post-surgery like hernia, adhesions, and so on
• Requires more time to recover compared to childbirth through the vagina

There are both pros and cons to following vaginal and C- section surgery. But the best way to know which method is suitable for you is based on your previous medical history and the type of pregnancy you had; your health care expert will be the only person to tell you which method is good for you. So, it is important to consult with the doctor to know which method to choose so that you can have a successful and safe childbirth. Both you and your baby remain healthy during and after childbirth.