C-Section Deliveries - How They Affect The Newborns

The birth of a baby is one of the purest and most satisfying moments in a woman’s life. For a couple, it is the culmination of their love and life; it completes the family. Unsurprisingly, most moms dream about giving birth to a healthy baby without having any complications during pregnancy and labor! A C-section procedure is the last thing on their minds.

Here, we look at how a C-section affects the baby. MomJunction has compiled some information on C-section pregnancy, and its pros and cons.

In This Article

Why Some Mothers Opt A C-Section

During a vaginal birth, the contractions and the pain between your vagina and perineum can make a vaginal birth extremely agonizing. You can circumvent this pain through a cesarean birth. Moreover, you can plan your child’s delivery date, tailor it to be close to your birthday, or your spouse’s, or even your mom’s birthday… you get the picture. Besides, there are many added advantages, like:

  • Chances of heavy bleeding after the childbirth gets diminished,
  • Less pain from sews and bruises around your perineum after the delivery.
  • In a vaginal birth, there’s a high risk of prolapse (the condition when your uterus slips into your vagina). A C-section procedure mitigates this risk.

Is A C-Section Safe For Mothers?

Today, many moms try to skip labor pain and other issues they face during pregnancy. Thus, they choose a C-section birth over a vaginal birth. But, C-section births have their share problems for both mothers and children. It’s imperative that you have detailed knowledge of the risks involved before you opt for a C-section procedure.

Here go some difficulties that mothers face during a C-section birth:

1. Pain:

During a vaginal birth, the pain is almost unbearable, but that’s only during the time that you give birth to your child. After that, you hardly feel any pain. But in the case of C-section, the pain will remain even after the operation is complete. The time taken to recover in the later case is also higher, and the soreness and ache from the lesion may continue for few weeks.

2. Infection:

Before you get admitted to the operation theater, you’ll be injected with antibiotic and there are chances of infections, including:

  • Infection from your wound,
  • Inflammation of the uterus,
  • Infection of your urinary tract.

3. Blood Clotting:

Whenever you undergo any surgery, there’s always a chance that it may lead to some blood clot. This can have a huge risk of your mortality. If you face any discomfort, ask your doctor immediately.

4. Anesthesia:

Doctor conducts cesarean surgeries after administering anesthesia. The region around the tummy gets numb, and the pain of the surgery decreases. But here again, lie so many issues:

  • Damage to the nervous system: this is quite a rarity and lasts for a maximum of a week. Permanent damaged is unheard, though.
  • A severe headache: Some of the mothers experience a persistent headache.

Complications Of A C-Section

Although there aren’t many serious complications of a C-section procedure, there are some situations that may arise because of this mode of childbirth:

  • You may need to get admitted to an intensive care unit, the chances of which are low, with around nine women in 1000 needing ICU support after a C-section.
  • Some mothers have to undergo a Hysterectomy or to remove of the uterus. Around eight in 1000 women usually undergo the procedure.
  • The chance of further surgeries is typically less, and the rate lay around five women in 1000.
  • Abrasion to the bladders and the bowels, but is very rare.

Risks Associated With Your Newborn

The birth of your baby by C-section poses many problems and is not a better option than a vaginal birth. A C-section can lead to many health issues in newborns, some of which include:

1. Breathing Difficulties:

A C-section can lead to breathing issues. Moms undergo contractions to prepare the baby’s lungs for breathing at the time of birth. The contractions impede oxygenated blood from passing through the placenta, and the heartbeat slows down. To overcome this loss of oxygen, the baby produces a higher level of catecholamines in his body. This surge in the catecholamine levels prepares the baby’s lungs for breathing. But, without these contractions, as in the case of a C-section, the baby finds it difficult to breathe.

2. Risk Of Asthma:

In some countries like the Netherlands and Norway, studies have confirmed that babies undergoing a cesarean birth are prone to asthma in future. A particular bacteria found in the intestines of these babies’ later leads to allergies and asthma.

3. Delayed Breastfeeding:

Delayed breastfeeding is one of the major issues with a C-section delivery. The medicines used in this kind of surgery delay the initiation of lactation. The medicines also tamper with the behavior of the newborn and his ability to suckle properly.

Are Infants Born Through A C-Section Smarter?

Studies have revealed that cesarean has an unpleasant effect on the development of the brain of the infant. The infant’s ability to concentrate is negatively affected. A cesarean birth hinders the spatial attention of the baby, which plays a huge role in the baby’s capacity to prioritize and focus on an individual subject or topic which he finds interesting. A protein name Ucp2, which plays an enormous role in brain development and controls neuronal demarcation, is generated in the baby’s hippocampus. The generation of protein is more in a normal birth than in cesarean birth.

A Word Of Caution

If you still want to go for a C-section or complications force you to choose C-section, here are some suggestions to help you give birth to a healthy baby:

  • After your child is born and both of you are free from any danger, ask the doctors to release one of your arms so that you can place it on your baby’s chest. The feeling is sublime.
  • You can consult the lactation specialist to understand feeding patterns.
  • Don’t worry about your delivery. Stress will make it more difficult for you and is not suitable for the birth of a healthy baby.

Did you undergo a C-section delivery? Did you face any complications? Share your story here! Leave a comment below.

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