Something Called A “Gentle C-Section” Now Exists
But just how gentle is it? (Photo: Shutterstock)
Childbirth is hard work. Whether you labor for hours or have a pre-planned surgical delivery, expectant women want to make the best of an utterly miraculous, yet otherwise really uncomfortable, experience. And now some doctors are trying to do just that for women undergoing C-sections—which account for nearly one-third of all U.S. births.
It’s called a “gentle” C-section and the point is to mimic some of the nicer, more patient-centered elements of natural childbirth. We asked two experts what parents-to-be can expect from this option.
Related: What You Don’t Know About C-Sections
Unlike a tradition caesarean, the “gentle” approach is about creating a positive experience for Mom and Dad. “It’s really just an experience,” says Sean Daneshmand, M.D., a board certified maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the San Diego Perinatal Center and the founder of Miracle Babies. “It has nothing to do with the surgical technique.”
This means constant communication with the laboring mother and her partner, based on mutual respect. “It allows for moms to have more control,” says Daneshmand. “It’s not such a sterile environment.” For example, the team of doctors might play music that the parents enjoy while conducting the surgery and explain what’s going on the entire time. The just-delivered baby is then placed on the mother’s chest for cleaning and suctioning while simultaneously promoting earlier breastfeeding and parent-child bonding.
Daniel Roshan, M.D., also a board certified maternal-fetal medicine specialist, and a high-risk OB in Manhattan, notes that gentle C-sections can sometimes involve transparent drapes so that the mother can see her baby come out. Most are allowed instant skin-to-skin contact with their newborns, but if the mother is unable to hold her baby for any reason, the little one is given to the father for some special early bonding.
The “gentle” concept is still a bit under the radar, but Roshan thinks more women might request it if they knew about it. That said, it’s probably not going to become super popular among doctors. “They want to concentrate on operating and doing their best,” says Roshan. “They don’t want mothers to see the surgery and be traumatized.”
When time is of the essence, all bets are probably off in terms of having a more personalized birthing experience. Daneshmand notes that the gentle methods are unlikely if a patient is hemorrhaging, for instance.
“The nature of emergency C-sections is to get the baby out as fast as possible,” says Roshan. “And if a mother doesn’t already have an epidural or spinal anesthesia, they have to put her to sleep.”
The word “gentle” is fairly misleading. A caesarean is still major surgery, so it comes with all the associated risks of infection, bleeding, and potentially negative reactions to anesthesia. What’s more, see-through drapes might be a bit too much. “For some parents, it’s traumatic,” says Daneshmand.
More From Women’s Health:
How Having a C-Section Affects Your Sex Life
How to Make C-Section Deliveries Safer
Delivery Room Nightmares: 5 Births That Make Yours Look Like a Disney Movie
