Bamboola Baby

To some people, lovely stories about homebirths do not seem all that awesome because they make them think of the reasons why they couldn’t or can’t have one. For some it may be pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, placenta previa, or other life-threatening conditions. Some women opt for a cesarean after a previous c-section, when carrying twins, when their baby is breech and cannot be turned, or after a previous vaginal birth trauma, such as a still birth. And some women end up in the O.R. due to time pressure or because of complications after medical interventions – despite the sudden change of plan you do have time to negotiate, unless it’s an emergency (emergency means that there’s no time for anything and the woman is quickly wheeled into the O.R. – if you are given time to think about your options then it is certainly not an emergency). Regardless of the reason for your c-section, you should know that you don’t have to scratch a birth plan off your check list and forget about enjoying the birth. You can do both, actually, while staying completely in charge of your birthing experience. The answer is a natural, or family-centered cesarean.

This image is a property of Tamra Cardoza and was used with her permission. Do not use.

A natural c-section is a different approach to a cesarean birth respecting the mother and her baby, and protecting the mother’s memory of birth. It acknowledges the fact that birth is a very important life event for all involved with a large psychological and physical impact. Because for the mother, father and their baby it is a one-of-a-kind experience impacting their lives forever, while for the surgeon and his/her team it is a daily job. And it is nice that surgeons and midwifes in Australia realized this and changed their approach to c-sections. Soon it spread to the UK and is slowly invading the US. Slowly. The power is in your hands. Or rather in your mouth. If you know you are going to have a scheduled c-section, speak up early. Prepare a detailed birth plan, go over it with your caregiver and make necessary arrangements to achieve your desired birthing experience. If your c-section isn’t planned and isn’t an emergency, you still have time to negotiate (from my experience as a doula, all of this can be negotiated right then and there – be prepared though – know your facts, be assertive and be ready do google evidence if needed). Don’t forget for a minute that it is YOUR experience, so whatever the hospital rules are, fight for your rights. Rules can be changed. The memory of your birth cannot. No matter how you give birth you deserve respect. And so does your baby.

{principles of a natural cesarean}

• IV’s are attached to the non-dominant arm (hence leaving the dominant arm free to move and hold the baby).
• EKG monitors are placed on mother’s shoulders leaving mother’s chest free of monitors (for immediate skin-to-skin contact).
• Drape is lowered once the baby’s head is out (so the mother and father can watch their baby being born). This can be a tough point to negotiate due to the fact that one side of the drape is sterile. Nevertheless, it can be safely lowered a bit to allow both parents to see their baby’s birth. Some hospitals use see-through plastic drape which resolves the sterility issue.
• Baby’s body is pulled out slower (to imitate the big squeeze of a vaginal delivery to get the fluids out of baby’s lungs and prevent respiratory problems).
• Cord clamping is delayed (this is very beneficial as the baby gets the very healthy rich blood from the placenta which eliminates many health problems). This is another tough point to negotiate but it can be done. Since it’s a surgical birth they may not be able to let the cord stop pulsating on its own, but delaying cord clamping by 1.5 – 2 minutes is usually very doable.
• Immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact (which enhances emotional wellbeing, bonding and breastfeeding). This will most definitely raise their eyebrows and they will throw two arguments at your face: 1) “Can’t be done – there’s no space above the drape.” – Wrong. Can be done. The baby may have to be just under the mother’s chin but no mom has ever complained. She can use her arm to hold the baby and daddy usually helps to keep the baby safely on her chest as well. 2) “Can’t be done – it’s too cold in the O.R. and the baby must go to the warmer – at least for 10/20/30 minutes.” – Wrong again. Can be done. There are many evidence-based articles proving that even after a cesarean birth it is safer and more beneficial for the baby to be placed on his/her mother’s chest, skin-to-skin (while coverd all around). Pediatric nurses can do their assessments and periodic temperature checks directly on mother’s chest. Skin-to-skin contact should be not only immediate but also uninterrupted through the duration of the entire surgery. Daddy should hold the baby skin-to-skin while the mother is being transfered from the operating table to the bed – once in the bed, she should resume skin-to-skin bonding.
• If you do not know your baby’s sex you can ask the medical team to not announce it upon your baby’s birth. Instead, you can discover whether you have a boy or a girl on your own.