So you wanted a natural birth.. but find out you need to have a cesarean... what now?

For moms who have take a lot of time to plan their natural birth and then find out they need to have a cesarean due to complications or unforeseen circumstances, a cesarean can be devastating to the mother. Some moms are told they need a cesarean due to a baby who won't turn or something medically going on with mom. This can be especially devastating to the mothers who have done lots of research surrounding natural birth. Some women have said they felt as if their child wasn't born, but ripped from them. The process of labor & the birthing of a child is a defining moment in a woman's life and she will think about it often. 


Now I'm not knocking the mamas who have opted for medicated births at all, and if you had a cesarean & wouldn't change it-- there is nothing wrong with that!  If you chose to have a medicated birth, then that was your game plan! But to some women, a natural, unmediated birth is very very important.


I happened to be one of those women that was adamant about birthing my child naturally, I had every homeopathic, essential oil, and other things in my birth bag to make sure that I could have a natural birth.... but I also knew and understood that sometimes a cesarean is needed and modern medicine needs to intervene. I wasn't looking forward to this, so I began researching how to make a cesarean feel more natural for the mother. I couldn't imagine going through what some of my friends went through and not being able to hold my baby but just be able to kiss him. I had one friend that just had a nurse hold the baby up and that was all. 


For those of you who are set on a natural birth & have your birth plan all wrote out, I would like you to take a moment and think about how you would emotionally handle needing to have a cesarean...

Have you imagined it? How did you feel? Sad? Stressed? Devastated?




Well I am here to tell you about a growing trend around the United States called a Gentle-Cesarean. 

*Even with a Gentle-Cesarean you can have a tough time emotionally. I recommend having a doula or someone with you to help support you emotionally-- BESIDES your husband! 




What is a Gentle-Cesarean?


A Gentle-Cesarean is a way to have a cesarean birth, but to have it have a more relaxed and natural feel to it.




I know what you're thinking... How can a cesarean have a natural feel?


When women request a Gentle-Cesarean, as long as there are no complications, they can often receive the following:

• The pleasure of seeing their child be lifted from their abdomen, seeing their child be born.
  
  
• Delayed Cord Clamping
  
  
• Immediate skin-to-skin contact following the birth
  
  
• Baby can remain on the chest while mom is being stitched up.
  
  
• The placenta can be saved for encapsulation, just like in a vaginal birth.
  
  
• You can ask for a vaginal swab so your baby can have best microbiome possible.
  
  
• Baby can be held by taken with mom to recovery to continue to bond.
  
  
• All non-essential medical procedures can wait until after the miracle hour.
  
  

 

How can I get this Gentle-Cesarean?? 

First and foremost, please talk to your doctor at one of your prenatal appointments. Some doctors are open to this, on the other hand some doctors have never performed one so they might need a list of what you want... Here are somethings you can add to your birth plan & talk to your doctor about:

• Request an epidural or spinal block; general anesthesia should be avoided at all costs, barring any emergencies
  
  
• Request that anesthesiologists do not automatically give her extra drugs to relax, so that she can be fully present for the experience
  
  
• In the event of mom not being conscious, the father should be allowed to hold baby skin-to-skin immediately after birth, barring any medical complications with baby
  
  
• Doctors and nurses are asked to refrain from “OR talk” or their weekend plans
  
  
• Request your doctor for a vaginal swab to give your baby the best microbiome possible
  
  
• Request that the placenta is saved for encapsulation later.
  
  
• Request delayed cord clamping.
  
  
• A doula, grandparent, or friend are permitted to photograph or videotape the birth so that parents can concentrate on bonding.
  

Be sure to add the items listed above to your birth plan if this is something you would like to have in the event of a cesarean! 



Now you might be wondering why you want a vaginal swab ..... 

When a baby goes through the birth canal during a vaginal birth, he or she is exposed to a plethora of microbes in baby’s mouth and on the skin. These bacteria help build a healthy microbiome for your baby, which could reduce his or her risk of inflammatory illnesses. After the cesarean, your doctor can take a vaginal swab and rub it on the baby's face and skin, or you can rub the swab on your nipples allowing the baby to take in the microbiome during breastfeeding.  



No matter what, birth is your expierence. Many women want different things! Somethings are more important to some moms than others! Whatever your preferences are, at the end of the day you became a mom! One of the best gifts and roles you could ever have

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