The caesarean section – curse or blessing?

Caesarean section, caesarean section, Caesarean section. So many names – what are the differences?

A start after a vaginal birth is ideal for the baby, as the labor work prepares it for the start in life. Adaptation in our world is much easier for children and, from a health point of view, it is very beneficial for women. In Germany, however, around 30% of children are born by caesarean section each year.

What happens during a caesarean section?

Of course, the caesarean section takes place under anesthesia in the hospital. The mother-to-be does not necessarily have to sleep soundly for this. Peridual anesthesia or spinal anesthesia are the preferred choices. What is meant here are regional anesthesia near the spinal cord, which “only” switch off the sensation of pain up to the ribs.

While a caesarean section might not be as romantic as a water birth (let’s face it), it can still be a little cozier than some American hospital series portrayed. The well-fitting partial anesthetic allows the dad-to-be to sit by mum’s side (or the head end) and you can hear your baby’s first cry together. You are sitting behind green blanket cloths and you will probably not have to see a drop of blood. In addition, it is now standard at almost all clinics that you can cuddle with the baby in the operating room shortly after the birth.

The midwife present in the operating room quickly wraps your baby in warm towels and then gives the green light if the vital signs are okay. If you don’t feel comfortable laying on or cuddling on your chest, dad is usually allowed to hold your baby in such a way that mom can already give the first kisses. The BEST is and remains the direct maternal skin contact.

The first application (the first breastfeeding) in the operating room may be nerve-wracking for one or the other anesthetic staff, but it is definitely possible. Asks for! Demand it and insist that when your baby is fit, then the first wonderful minutes will be that only belong to you.

Differences between primary and secondary caesarean sections

We differentiate between primary and secondary caesarean sections for caesarean sections in Germany. Primarily, if the caesarean section takes place without labor or premature rupture of the urine. (Labor – contractions of the uterus – are important for opening the cervix of the uterus.)

• A primary caesarean section often takes place in a planned manner in the hospital. That is, before the birth has even started. Here you have a long list of indications / recommendations why it may be medically necessary.

• From a secondary caesarean section one speaks when a faster delivery should necessarily take place during childbirth, during labor or after a ruptured bladder. Again, there is a long list of medical indications.

An emergency caesarean section is carried out very quickly in the maternity hospital if a complication occurs during the birth that can be dangerous for the mother or child. In most cases there is no more time for regional anesthesia near the spinal cord (PDA, Spinale) and a quick general anesthetic is initiated.

Possible reasons for a caesarean section:

• Placenta problems
• Umbilical cord problems
• Lack of oxygen in the child
• Birth arrest
• Bleeding
• Incorrect adjustment of the child or positional anomalies (transverse position, inclined position)
• a very big kid
• Infections
• Premature births
• Fever during childbirth
• Poisoning of pregnancy
• and a few more…

Some pregnant women decide to have what is known as a planned desired caesarean section. There is no medical reason here. However, this path should not be rated either. Here, too, there are usually very private and intimate reasons why a woman decides to have a cesarean section of her choice. Such a decision would always be a reason for a long conversation with the attending gynecologist or midwife. However, outsiders should not judge or judge it.

So a curse and a blessing? Definitely!

A blessingif there are complications during childbirth. The quick delivery can prevent worse consequences for mother or child. However – one cursewhen we think of the early puerperal pain alone. Or, if we actually wanted something completely different, the water birth or perhaps the outpatient birth ?!