Table of contents:
- Determine the date of the caesarean section
- Advantages of Caesarean section
- Disadvantages of Caesarean section
- Caesarean section risks for babies
- Caesarean section makes it difficult for you to plan the birth of your next child
- So, what should I do?
Many mothers choose caesarean section to deliver their children, compared to normal vaginal delivery. There can be various reasons, such as not wanting to feel pain, fear of having a normal birth, or because you want your baby to be born on a special date. However, before you choose a caesarean section, you should first know the advantages and disadvantages of a cesarean section when you are actually allowed by the doctor to give birth in a normal way.
Determine the date of the caesarean section
Nowadays it is popular to give birth to a baby on a “beautiful date”. For this reason, pregnant women deliberately flock to plan their birth on a certain date, to the point that they have to schedule it in advance.
However, is your baby ready to be born into the world on that predetermined date? Also consider the preparedness and health of your baby. You need to know that when you determine the date of cesarean delivery, your pregnancy must be 39 weeks or more. Babies born before 39 weeks of gestation are at increased risk for respiratory problems, jaundice, infections, and low blood sugar.
Advantages of Caesarean section
Some mothers feel that a scheduled cesarean delivery makes it easier to arrange maternity leave and other arrangements at home after delivery than to wait for a normal birth with uncomfortable contractions. Some other mothers choose a caesarean section because they think a cesarean section is no more painful than normal.
Indeed, when compared to normal births, cesarean delivery usually does not need to face the following risks:
- Tearing of the vagina or perineum
- Pain in the vagina or perineum
- Urinary incontinence
- Sexual dysfunction
When compared with a normal birth or an unplanned caesarean section, a planned caesarean section also has a lower risk of hemorrhagic (large blood loss) during surgery.
However, a C-section can actually be more painful than a normal birth and can have a higher risk of complications.
Disadvantages of Caesarean section
If you chose a caesarean section because you don't want to feel the pain during a normal delivery, you may have made the wrong decision. Why?
When you have a cesarean you may not feel pain in the process, but after cesarean section, you will feel some pain and it will take you longer to recover. You will have to stay a few more days in the hospital until your condition is completely recovered and allowed to go home by the doctor. In contrast to women who give birth normally, he can go home sooner than women who give birth cesarean.
This recovery time can make it difficult for you to care for your newborn. In addition, the incision wound from the caesarean section can also make you uncomfortable while breastfeeding and you must take good care of this wound. It can also limit your activities.
Don't forget, caesarean section is an operation that also has risks like other operations, namely:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Injury to the bladder or intestines
- Reaction to drugs
- Blood clots (thrombosis)
Caesarean section risks for babies
Besides you, babies are also at more risk when born by caesarean section. Babies can experience breathing problems. Babies born with a planned caesarean section will usually be treated intensively after birth because of respiratory problems. During a normal delivery, the baby is naturally given a signal to stop the work of his lungs in producing fluid, but this process does not happen well during a caesarean delivery. Babies delivered by caesarean section before 39 weeks of gestation are more likely to experience this.
In addition, babies can also be at risk of experiencing:
- Problems regulating blood sugar levels
- The problem of body temperature, babies born earlier are unable to keep their bodies warm
- Eating problems
- Jaundice, caused by high bilirubin levels
- Hearing and vision problems
- Learning and behavioral problems
Caesarean section makes it difficult for you to plan the birth of your next child
Remember, each caesarean section can increase your risk of serious complications in future pregnancies, especially if you want to have multiple children. Some of the complications that you can experience are placenta previa and placenta accreta (placenta that is implanted too deep in the uterine wall). Both can cause you to have hemorrhagic (heavy bleeding) and hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).
Multiple caesarean sections can also increase the risk of scarring and damage to the bladder and intestines. This makes a caesarean section more risky and subsequent births more difficult. Therefore, many experts recommend giving birth normally if you intend to have multiple children.
So, what should I do?
If you can give birth normally, you should choose that method because it can be safer. There is no evidence to suggest that a caesarean delivery is a safer way than a normal delivery. Even though it seems that a normal birth gives you more pain, a normal delivery is less risky if you don't have any medical conditions. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also recommends that all women plan a normal birth whenever possible.
