Chicago Baby - Fall 2008 - (Page 14) PREGNANCY The truth behind C-sections Everything you need to know if your baby doesn’t come au naturel BY CHRISTY L. BONSTELL ou may think a Cesarean won’t happen to you, but with the rising rates of Cesarean birth no one can be totally sure. In many places Cesarean rates account for between 30-35 percent of births. “I think it should be a discussion that’s had as a part of prenatal care. I think people have a fear that if they bring it up it’s going to happen,” says Dr. Perpetua Goodall, an obstetrician/ gynecologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Sandy Clark, mother of four children all born Cesarean, admits she and her husband barely looked at the film about the C-section in the prenatal classes. So while she was surprised to find herself in the middle of a Cesarean, she says it didn’t seem like a terrible idea after many hours of labor. “If you need an escape hatch, whatever you have to do to relieve my pain is OK,” she says. “You just want to know that your baby is OK.” Y Why Cesareans happen Planned Cesareans can be a result of things like previous Cesarean births, a low-lying placenta that covers the cervix (placenta previa), breech presentation or an active infection such as herpes, Goodall says. Unplanned Cesareans happen when the baby isn’t tolerating labor, failure to progress in dilation or hemorrhage. A C-section will be performed anytime there is a serious risk to mother or infant. “If it’s an emergency situation things may happen very quickly. You really don’t have a chance to mull it over,” Goodall says. on a particular women’s situation, the cut will either be made classical (vertically through the abdomen) or traverse (horizontally at the bikini line.) The surgery will last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the surgeon and whether or not there is scar tissue from previous abdominal surgery to cut through. After the surgery is complete the mother is wheeled away to a recovery room where she will sleep, usually until her medication begins to wane. feeding and you’ll need help getting into a comfortable position. “Breastfeeding (causes) the uterus to contract. That’s an added ouch,” Clark says. A Cesarean may dampen your desire to breastfeed, but it does not disturb the flow of the milk, so if you choose to you still can. The average patient stays in the hospital for two to three days after surgery. Of great concern will be your first bowel movement and passing gas because the bowel can be very sluggish after surgery, especially if it was moved out of the way, Goodall says. You’ll be given stool softeners in the hospital (and often to take home with you) because the pain medications also make many women constipated. What’s the experience of a Cesarean? The mother will be given medication to make her numb, but she will stay awake through the procedure. Depending Recovery in the hospital For the first 24 hours the pain is controlled with opiate derivatives given through an IV. If you choose to breastfeed, your baby will be brought to you for 14 | Fall 2008 | ChicagoParent.com http://www.ChicagoParent.com
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