Natural Birth or Cesar - The Differences

For many the decision is easy but some women are uncertain about which way to have a baby.

Is it easier to give birth naturally and are there complications with having a Cesarean?

The decision is completely yours to make but here are a few differences between having a Cesar or giving birth naturally.

In an age where people live on the clock and need a diary to plan every moment, time is of the essence and with a Cesarean they can do just that....plan.

Natural birth has no exact time frame and labour pains for many can go on for longer than a couple of hours.

Which one is the best route for the health of the mom and baby and are there many major differences between the two?

The procedure is done under anaesthetic and is said to be pain free.

For women who fear a large baby coming out of a tiny passage, they opt for Cesareans in order to prevent the baby from getting blocked and keeping their passage in tact.

The messy process of blood, urine, tears and pain are not felt or seen and nobody has to check what is going on "downstairs."

With a Cesarean you can plan the day and time of the operation to suit your calender too.

The con's of having a Cesarean are also to be thought about.

There is no quick recovery time and the mother is unconscious when her baby is born. There is also a recovery period and pain killers for a couple of days, which would have her clearing her diary of appointments.

Pockets of air get trapped a lot more than in natural birth and it can cause pain in the abdomen.

The scar left after a C. Section is about 5 to 6 inches wide and for many it does not go away.

Mother's who have Cesareans are not able to drive for 6 weeks and insurance companies are hesitant to cover this.

Being able to do anything like a normal household chore will be impossible and it is painful for a while after the birth. The mother might even find it painful to lift her newborn baby.

Post operative infections might also be a risk of having a Caesar.

The risk of dying at childbirth is far higher than with normal birth and there is also a risk of needing a hysterectomy.

Scar tissue from having a Cesarean might cause long term pain, fertility issues or miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies or placenta privia in future pregnancies.

The concern is not only for the mother but for the baby too. Babies born via C. Section often have respiratory problems at birth or in later life and the doctors scalpel is also a risk when attempting to deliver the baby.

A natural birth allows the mother to get back to normal routine almost immediately and she can get involved with family life and appointments as soon as she feels up to it.

Natural birth is a positive and life changing experience that gives the mother a sense of achievement and new found strength.

Fertility is not an issue after having natural birth and the mother is less likely to have a miscarriage or problems with the next child.

The pain with labour is not as bad as people make it out to be and with the correct support, everything goes well and mother and baby will be peaceful.

Babies born naturally have lower risk of respiratory problems as the contractions help them to learn to breathe before they arrive.

Babies also get the chance to come out when they are ready and the passage down the birth canal gives the baby an all over massage, waking up various systems in their bodies.

Mother's who give birth naturally might have a long labour and pains could be a little more than they can handle but the body is made to cope with this.

The trauma of seeing blood, urine and having pain might be a little too much to take.

Often the baby is delivered by a stranger rather than the doctor that was planned to aid in the birth and the mother is surrounded by many strangers whilst in the process.

Natural birth gives mom the chance to breastfeed and get close to baby from birth

C. Section birth is not allowing the baby to come out when it is ready which could lead to problems when it is older as well as respiratory problems at birth

C. Section operations are done under anaesthetic and moms recovery time can go up to 6 weeks

Natural birth lets mom leave as soon as she is ready and there is no medication to take

Relationships between mom and baby differ with natural birth and C. sections.

It is healthier for the baby to come out naturally

Oxytocin is released during natural birth, giving mom the love hormone to bond with baby

Natural birth does not damage your "passage" and it will stretch and go back to normal without noticeable changes

Yoga and Kegel exercises should be done before giving birth

A mother that opts for a Cesarean rather than natural birth will not be able to connect with her baby as she cannot breastfeed directly after the baby is born. Early contact with the baby is of the utmost importance and this is effected when having a C. Section as the mother is sedated or numb after the delivery. Negative feelings and the relationship between mother and baby can be affected.

Mother's who deliver naturally are more responsive to their newborn babies's cries.

The love hormone Oxytocin is released during natural birth and it has been known to help with mother and child bonding.

The disturbance of anaesthetic or a disruption before the baby is ready to come out, gives the baby a sense of being attacked and poisoned whilst it is still in it's cosmic union with the mother in the womb. This is also disrupted by the force pulling it out of the womb when it is not ready to leave.

The birth canal aids with the amniotic fluid being pushed out of the baby's lungs and with a Cesarean, it is forced out by a doctor, whom is the first person to bond with the baby.

"Children who are born through C. Sections have personality traits that differ to children born naturally and the Cesarean adult expects things to be handed to them, need the help of others to accomplish anything and have difficulty in dealing with complications that lead to goals.

Problems in learning and difficulties in understanding processes in general, are what Cesar born adults face and a craving for physical affection is what they continuously try to get."

The information in italics was taken from an author, Feher. L. in 1981 from the book, "The psychology of birth: roots of human personality. New York, Continuum.

Natural birth can cause Urine leaks whilst in recovery after birth.

The Uterus could slip in later years but with any pregnancy pelvic floor exercises must be done.

Nine months of pressure regardless of the delivery type, will affect the muscles.

The passage is a muscular tube which is made to expand and there are very few changes internally after childbirth as it is designed to stretch and return to its original shape after child birth.

The baby coming down the passage should not cause lasting damage but the way in which it is delivered might cause an effect on the appearance and function after birth.

For a non painful and relaxed birth which will allow everything to go back to normal, it is best to deliver, lying on your side. Most doctors will be against this as it is easier for them to deliver a healthy baby with you in the lateral position, which in this case would be helpful to you to go for yoga and kegel exercises.

Many men were asked if they could feel changes in their wives bodies after birth and they all agreed that there was no difference.

Does natural birth damage the passage?

No, it does not.

The decision is yours to make and whatever you decide, it is the right choice for you.

Natural birth has far more pro's than a Cesarean purely because it is not as safe as natural birth.

Fertility issues and health issues for both the mother and the baby are far greater with a C. Section than with a natural birth.

Blood clotting is also a concern and don't forget the bonding experience that the little one will miss out on, not only at birth but throughout it's entire life.

Natural birth allows you to consider having another baby without complications, it allows you to bond with your baby from the very beginning and you can walk, drive and be on your feet almost as soon as the baby is delivered.

For health reasons a natural birth seems like the best option, unless you are forced to have a C.Section as an emergency.

At the end of it all, making the decision should be taken with care and consideration for what is best for you and your baby, health wise.

Some mom's have no choice and have to have a Cesar. Don't be afraid of it as long as you can understand what you are going to go through before you get to the hospital you will be fine.

Many women opt for a general anaesthetic but you don't get to see or hold your baby when it comes out.

Other women have an epidural and they are awake through the procedure which means that you can hear your baby cry for the very first time.

You are also able to hold him/her and bond with your baby from the very beginning with skin to skin which is what is recommended by most of the mid wives and gynaecologists.

If you are offered pain medication take it because it suddenly hits you and you need the medication.

Try not to move around too much but your body will heal nicely if you take care of the scar and avoid infection.

The hospital staff are there for you to ask questions and to give you help when you need it so do not be afraid to ask any questions or ask for help.

3 days is what you can expect to be in for and a great suggestion is to buy a silicone pad for the scar as it works wonders.