The debate whether a natural delivery or a c- section is the better way to give birth has been present for quite some time now. Previously c- sections were only used when an emergency situation came up during the pregnancy or the delivery. Nowadays it is slowly becoming more common for mothers to chose to give birth through c- sections. In some places the mothers are even allowed to choose your preferred way of giving birth.

The Advantages of a Natural Delivery

A natural delivery have many advantages, the greatest one of course bing that it is just that- natural. There is a reason why babies are brought into the world this way. The pregnancy and the natural birth is a way for the woman, and the child, to prepare themselves for what is to come. In a natural birth the baby will not be delivered before it is ready. And by the baby growing and getting ready to leave the womb the mother’s body will also get the signals that will help her prepare for the birth.

A woman who goes through a natural delivery will recover faster and stay in the hospital for a shorter period of time than someone who had a c- section. After a natural delivery the mother will also be able to start breastfeeding quicker, since she will not be sedated, and will thereby start connecting and bonding with the baby faster.

A natural birth has several health benefits for the baby as well. Babies that travel through the birth canal are exposed to some good bacteria that will help their immune system.develop properly. During a natural birth, the working muscles of the woman in labour will press water from the baby’s lungs which makes the baby less prone to have breathing trouble after birth or develop asthma.

In general it can be said that natural births are to be preferred over c- sections. That is of course as long as there are no existing medical reasons or complications that would make c- section a better option.

C- section

There are a multitude of reasons as to why a c- section birth is sometimes recommended by doctors. Some examples include cases of multiple birth, a baby that is not in the head first position despite efforts to turn it, medical conditions in the mother such as high blood pressure or diabetes, or if there has been problems with the placenta during the pregnancy. However, the main focus should always be that these are all actual medical reasons. Generally doctors will not recommend c- sections unless they really believe that there is no other safe way for the woman to deliver her child.

There are different reasons for the wish to deliver babies this way, some believe that it will not affect their physique as much as a natural birth, some wants to be able to plan the date the baby arrives and some are nervous about the pain that they associate with childbirth. Many also believe that a c- section means less risk than a natural birth.

However, it is important to remember that a c- section involves major surgery. This of course comes with a greater risk of infections and blood loss than a natural delivery. The recovery period after the surgery is also a lot longer than the one for women delivering their baby in a natural way. On top of that statistics show that women who had c- sections is more likely to be re- hospitalised than the ones who had a natural birth.

The decision of the doctor

All expectant mothers who are thinking about c- sections should bear in mind that there should really be a strong medical reason to plan and carry out a c- section. It is not a procedure that a patient can just request. The risks are too high and if there are no complications in the pregnancy or in the mother’s and baby’s health then there is simply no reason to even consider a c- sections. As long as it is possible, it is always better to try to go through a natural delivery. It is better for the baby and it is better for the mother. Only when the welfare of one, or both, of them is threatened should a c- section be considered.