For many years, about 1 in 3 babies born in the US have been delivered via C-Section (some variance by state and hospital). Because it’s so common, you might think it’s “no big deal” or “all the same as/easier than having a vaginal delivery.” But:

Recovering from a Cesarean Section is harder than recovering from a vaginal delivery.

A C-section is a major abdominal surgery.

Recovery takes time, patience, and support.

C-sections that are emergent/unplanned have an additional psychological healing component - traumatic feelings about the birth may be coming up months after; how the birth goes may impact parents' plans for other areas such as initial baby bonding and early breastfeeding experience.

This is a brief overview of some practical information - reasons you may need a c-section (when you thought/hoped for a vaginal delivery), tips that sometimes avoid the need for a c-section, and tips for talking with your doctor.

If you have a planned c-section and are feeling good about that path, skip this article and head straight to our recovery tips.

At Popins, we believe:

• The way your baby enters the world does not define who you are as a parent.  
• The best birth outcome is a healthy mama and healthy baby.

Part 1: Reasons you may need a C-Section:

Emergencies during labor, such as: prolapsed umbilical cord, an issue with the placenta (separating before birth, blocking the cervix, or embedded in the uterine wall), eclampsia/pre-eclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) all may necessitate quick action.

Other reasons include: 

• You’re not progressing in labor
• Fetal heart tones don’t look good
• Baby’s not in the correct position 

Part 2: Dr. Porter’s 4 P’s: tips increasing your chances for a Vaginal Delivery

• Pelvis - a well-positioned pelvis helps your baby descend in the right position. If you know before labor (or during) that your baby is not in an ideal birth position, there are a couple options you can look into/try: 
• Spinning Babies is a technique that attempts to externally move your baby into a better position by putting the expecting mama into positions such as “Throne position”, “left lateral”, “peanut ball”, or “flying cowgirl”. You can talk with your healthcare provider to see if your expected delivery location has nurses familiar with Spinning Babies, or find someone near you: https://www.spinningbabies.com/parents/find-a-practitioner/
• The Webster technique is another chiropractic adjustment option to consider that helps some patients have a more comfortable pregnancy, easier labor, and give the baby a better opportunity to get into optimal position. Learn more or find someone near you: https://icpa4kids.com/find-a-pediatric-chiropractor/
• Passenger - the size and positioning of your baby (the passenger) matters. You might hear terms like OA, OT, OP; these refer to the way the head is facing (up, down, sideways). The head positioning can make a difference in how easily your baby comes into the birth canal. The pelvic positioning techniques mentioned above or provider intervention during labor can sometimes help. 
• Power - Strength of your uterus. Pitocin (the human-made form of oxytocin, the hormone that helps your uterus contract) will add a powerful punch to your contractions as your body works to push your baby down & out, and may be a path to try before moving to a c-section.
• Pain (Relief) - LABOR IS PAINFUL. Yes, women have had babies without medication for centuries*. Fun hormones even swoop in to help many of us forget the pain of labor. AND for many, an epidural relieves pain and allows the pelvic floor to RELAX so that you can push your baby on through. 

*delivering a baby makes you a superhero, whether your delivery was medicated, unmedicated, vaginal, by cesarean, with or without stitches.

Part 3: Talking to Your Doctor

“It’s your body, it’s your labor, it’s ok to ask questions”

Check out the video above from Dr. Christie Porter for some tips on talking with your doctor.

The takeaway? You should know why you’re having a c-section. If you don’t understand why you needed to have one, ask your doctor to debrief with you. 

It’s ok to be a BRAT (you can even be a polite brat) to make sure you understand what’s happening to your body and your baby: 

• Benefits - What good things could happen if you took the recommendation?
• How do the benefits resonate with you (matter a lot, a little, not at all?) and who benefits from the recommendation (you? your partner? your medical team? all?)? 
• Risks - What bad things could happen if you took the recommendation? 
• How do the risks resonate with you - what's the likelihood of it happening, the severity if it does, and who is the risk most impacting? What actions can you or your support team take to minimize the risks? 
• Alternatives - Are there other options?
• Not always, but often, there are discoverable alternate paths if the initial recommendation doesn't feel right after your Benefit/Risk assessment. Would the flying cowgirl be worth a try?
• Time - Can the decision wait?
• Sometimes, immediate action is critical. And sometimes not. It's important to discern the difference and ask if you are not sure.
• If you ARE in the midst of a labor emergency, your OB/GYN might not have time to go into a long explanation in advance - but can and should explain what afterwards.

About Christie Porter, D.O.

Dr. Christie Porter is a board certified practicing OB/GYN and mom of 2. She completed her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Midwestern Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, residency training at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and worked as an Assistant Professor of Clinical OBGYN at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria before moving back home to Utah where she currently practices.

You can follow Dr. Porter on TikTok or Instagram: @docwomenshealth