What Is a C-Section?
What is Cesarean Delivery?
A caesarean section, commonly shortened to C-section, is a birth delivery whereby doctors remove the baby from of the womb surgically. There is reason to believe that ceasarean delivery was practiced as long ago as ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, Persia and even some parts of Europe. It was in those times used to deliver babies from mothers who died during childbirth, a much more common occurrence than today. The first recorded surgery where the mother survived occurred in 1500 in Switzerland and the first in America in 1794.
With the development of modern surgery, anesthesia and antibiotics, the C-section process is now very safe. There are now two types of C-section procedures: one performed by what is called a ‘classic’ incision and the other via what is called a Munro-Kerr incision after it’s inventor.
The classic C-section involves a longer, vertical incision down the lower abdomen. After this initial incision, doctors cut through the underlying layers of tissue to access the uterus. Here another vertical incision is made, and the baby is removed. The vertical incision gave obstetricians plenty of space to deliver the baby. It became clear that the larger incision increased the mother’s risk of infection. It also meant the uterus was more at risk from rupturing in later pregnancies.
The more recent Munro-Kerr incision is smaller, horizontal and made near the bikini line. After this initial incision
the doctor cuts through the layers of body tissues to access the uterus. A final incision is then made into the womb to let the amniotic fluid drain away. This this makes more room in the uterus, obstetricians can then deliver the baby.Bbecause of the Munro-Kerr incision is smaller it is possible that forceps or a vacuum may be needed to complete the delivery.
Unfortunately, forceps and vacuum-assisted delivery can sometimes cause injuries to the baby. These can include bruising, lacerations, fractures, and in extremes, brain hemorrhaging.
To prepare for the delivery, you’ll probably have various monitors in place to keep an eye on your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. Your mouth and nose covered with an oxygen mask or a tube placed in your nostrils to give you oxygen. A catheter (a thin tube) will be inserted into your bladder through your urethra (which may be uncomfortable when it is placed, but should not be painful). Yu will have an IV in your arm or hand. Your belly will be washed and any hair between the bellybutton and pubic bone shaved. A privacy screen will be put around your lower body.
After delivering the baby the obstetrician removes the placenta from the uterus, closes the uterus with dissolvable stitches, and closes the abdominal incision with stitches or surgical staples that are usually removed, painlessly, a few days later. The babies vital signs will be checked and any necessary procedures like suctioning carries out.
When the baby is ok, you will be able hold and nurse your newborn in the recovery room. Because of the incision this will probably be lying on your side because holding your baby can put too much pressure on your fresh incision.
Here is a video explanation of a c-section delivery that I found. It’s an animation.
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