Natural Childbirth After Cesarean Section

Today I want to tell you about how independent natural birth passes after cesarean section. In advance, I want to mention that I don’t think that a cesarean is an extraordinary way, something that every woman should fear and avoid. Cesarean section is also a worthy way of appearance in the world of the new as the usual method of birth.

However, I support the desire of many women to try natural childbirth after cesarean section to give birth to a second child by themselves.

I started my work with pregnant at a time when in our country women who gave birth by cesarean section once were strictly forbidden to give birth by themselves. The word “forbidden”, nevertheless, needs to be quoted or replaced with “not recommended”, because it was impossible to prohibit at all a natural birth after cesarean section.

The birth of a child is a very personal question, and it is not so easy to intervene in the private lives of people. The fact that anything can happen differently and, contrary to the fears of doctors, the end quite well, I have learned much earlier than began to prepare pregnant women for childbirth. It happened when I was in the 4th year of medical school.

When it is Possible to Give Birth After C-Section?

To understand whether a woman with a uterine scar may go through vaginal childbirth, you need to figure out the reasons for the prior cesarean section. Indications may be different and some of them may also affect the following genera. For example, an anatomical narrowing of the pelvis, bone deformation, and projections in the pelvis.

Somatopathies in women – craniocerebral trauma, high myopia, retinal detachment may also be the contraindications. With such violations and deviations, re-operation is inevitable. But there are indications for the cesarean section that may not recur in subsequent pregnancies: placenta previa (when the placenta covers the internal os of the uterus), twins, or breech position of the fetus.

Another common reason for surgery – uterine inertia. It is sometimes repeated but can be successfully corrected because the body has already gained experience of motherhood. In these cases, doctors discharging the woman from the hospital say that the next pregnancy will not necessarily end by Caesarean section and she will probably be able to give natural birth.

The story About Natural Childbirth after Cesarean Section

We’ve just started the first cycle of obstetrics. Classes were held in the old maternity hospital of our city. End of November, the weather on the street is -38, and the temperature in the premises of the old, not repaired for a long time building is +12! Classes began at 9:00 am. And here we are, by this time dressed up as expected in the cotton shirts and robes, shivering from the cold in the classroom. The teacher comes and says, “You are lucky – the first day of the cycle, and you will be taken soon on childbirth! And such a childbirth! Come in a patrimonial room!”.

On the way, the doctor told us briefly that a woman in labor entered the hospital half an hour ago, almost with full disclosure of the cervix. At this moment, she is already in the patrimonial – labor pains are started. But the complexity of this situation lies in the fact that just a year ago this woman had a cesarean section. If she came a little earlier, with less disclosure, it would be necessary to make an emergency cesarean section.

And this woman is in front of us! We were in a patrimonial for the first time and saw the birth of a child for the first time. Only one of us is a mother, the other ten girls are twenty years old, still unmarried and nulliparous. Later, I often thought about how she felt in +12, surrounded by a crowd of students, but at that moment I felt just tension and fear thicken around us.

Besides us some doctors and midwives gathered in our patrimonial: “How could she take such a risk! She was said three years ago not to become pregnant, but what she’s done! What will happen now? Lord have mercy!”. In general, someone was swearing, someone was praying, and at the same time, everything was ready for the emergency operation. The doctor and the midwife, leading directly to childbirth, were concentrated on the direction of the mother’s actions.

And in front of us, the baby appeared to the world from the womb of the woman! A boy! A real hero! As we learned a few minutes later, his weight was 4200 g.! And his mom was not torn! Neither outside nor inside. The uterus, the cervix, the vagina, and the perineum – everything remained whole!

It is necessary to admit that there, in patrimonial, I nearly fainted! I’m the person who has trembled neither in a morgue surrounded by corpses nor in operational where on the fourth year we visited so many times and saw the most difficult and bloody operations. I think I felt bad neither because of fear and nor the picture of a female crotch, from which the baby appeared, seemed to me not esthetic.

Of course, no! Just at that moment, the emotions from the unfolding before my eyes scene overflown me so much, that I almost lost consciousness. Only to think, the new person appeared in this world in my presence! I don’t know, whether doctors, midwives, or my classmates remember also clearly that case, but for me, it became the real blessing, a guiding star in future work.

I am very grateful to that woman because thanks to her I gained the confidence that my childbirth will be fine.

I think it should be in life – some women transfer their faith, strength, and love to the others, younger and less experienced, and they, in turn, support women following them.

The Risks

Later, I began to recognize that in other countries the first cesarean section was not considered as a contradiction to natural childbirth at all. I examined scientific researches which confirmed that the risk of uterine rupture (which, in general, obstetricians and gynecologists of the past were afraid of while taking natural birth after cesarean) at modern surgical technologies is almost brought to naught.

In addition, in recent years it has become available to do ultrasound, which makes it possible to monitor the uterine scar during the pregnancy so that the attitude towards natural birth after the cesarean section was slowly changing. Thus, it appears that natural childbirth after cesarean section is not only possible but is a better variant for your health and the health of the baby.

Psychological Problems

And still, there is a problem! This problem is not in the operated uterus but a woman’s head. I know it due to my experience of training women who decide to go through vaginal (natural) childbirth after cesarean section. It is clear that every story is unique, and I carefully research it, but it is possible to track some general tendencies.

More often it happens so that a pregnant woman has one of the following problems, but sometimes, she has 3-4 simultaneously with different complexity degrees. So, I offer you a brief description of personal characteristics which is a varying degree can influence the process of natural childbirth after cesarean section.

How to Believe in Success?

First, and it’s clear in this situation that the first unfortunate experience hinders a lot to all women: “I could not last time and I hardly will be able to do it this time!”. In this case, it helps a thorough analysis of the previous pregnancy and childbirth. I remember one of my patients, who talked about her first pregnancy:

“In general, I felt like a pregnant woman just a little: firstly, it wasn’t a great pleasure, because the child’s father wasn’t going to marry me at all, secondly, before the childbirth, I worked as abnormal and this fact pleased my chief very much. Even in prenatal I was engaged in booking the plane ticket for him and in the post-operative — reserving hotel”.

And here is the other woman’s story about childbirth:

 “I came to the maternity hospital in scrambles late in the evening. It turned out that the cervix dilated by 2 cm. I was offered to have a rest and they gave me an injection, after which I fell asleep. By the morning I was awakened. There was a patrimonial activity and they started to stimulate my labor. But the scrambles didn’t start, and by the noon I was made a cesarean.”

After analyzing the reasons why it became necessary to make a cesarean section, it is worth thinking about how to prevent a repeat of this scenario. Sometimes it happens so that it isn’t possible to find the visible reasons for the failure of the childbirth process, but in most cases, a lot of things can be understood.

Responsibility for Childbirth Result

Second, many women continue to be offended and angry at the doctors for several years. These women tend to transfer responsibilities to medical staff: “Because they studied to do this! And I was young, know nothing, and didn’t know how to do this! ”.

I think it’s very important, though at the same time it’s very difficult – to take responsibility by themselves. “Yes, I was very hurt by a man who left me alone, but I still had parents and friends, to whom I could rely on. But I chose an escape into work and didn’t sink into my pregnancy.”

“Yes, I was offered an injection, but I didn’t even ask why it’s necessary and what will happen if I refuse. In fact, I wanted to sleep, and I was glad that I can relax.”

A Woman and Femininity

Third, many women have low self-esteem, especially in matters of femininity, or they don’t consider femininity as a special value. This doesn’t mean that these women are similar to men, not at all! Each of us has both male and female because we are all born from the love of man and woman.

In fact, to live in modern society, it’s very necessary to have masculine qualities, because they allow maintaining enormous loads, going to the goal, and achieving it. Whereas feminine qualities that are responsible for the ability to wait, to take what is offered, to endure, are as important to live, but if I may say so, are not fashionable in the modern world.

As a result, women refuse feminine characteristics, preferring to cultivate masculinity. Trying to be beautiful, they look sexy but not feminine, even so, it’s not the same thing. Whether the woman who is going to prepare herself for independent childbirth will want to look at herself from this side?

Not always. And I understand her because I have similar problems in many ways. Thus it makes the cesarean section one of the most “popular” operations and it gains weight compared to

Emotional Dependence on the Mother

Fourth, a large percentage of these women have either not a very good relationship with their mothers, or depend on them emotionally. How did the mother’s pregnancy and childbirth pass? How many children does she have? Does the mother breastfeed her daughter?

What kind of relationship do they have during adolescence? What did the mother say about the changes in the body, about menstruation, about the daughter’s future pregnancy and childbirth? What kind of relationship do mother and daughter have during first pregnancy? What did the mother say about cesarean section?

I remember a woman who confessed to me:

“I had my first childbirth five years ago. The vaginal birth had complications and after a couple of hours ended with cesarean section. But my mother still doesn’t know it. She was so afraid that during childbirth something terrible would happen to me so I told her that everything went well!”.

This woman came to me to discuss natural birth after cesarean section. During all consultation, we were talking about how much she depends on her mother’s fears, how strong they are, how much she is ready to change the internal representation of a child to parent. In other words, how much she can afford to grow into complete women’s growth and become the mother of her children more than the daughter of her worrying mother.

I could give a great number of examples because the theme of the mother and daughter relationship is inexhaustible. But my main goal – is to convey the idea that to bear and to give birth to the child easily, happily, and without much effort can only a woman who was born and beard by her mother as easily and happily. The rest will have to work hard!

Cesarean Section and the Sense of Guilt

Fifth, many women are prone to pathological guilt. It’s the opposite problem relative to the second. These women used to take all the responsibility on themselves. Rather than take the incident as her fate and the fate of her child, these women believe that everything is under their power and authority.

They try to compensate their guilt to the baby because they could not give birth in the usual way, trying to give him as much as possible after birth (food, toys, developmental activities, travel, etc., etc.). It’s clear that in this case the normal relationship between mother and child is not formed, and it’s also necessary to change, preparing for the birth of the next child.

Exaggerating the power over life is not quite right – it takes a lot of energy and doesn’t give relaxation and interfere a lot in the course of natural childbirth. I want so much this article to make women inspired!

To give them confidence and hope for the future! After the birth of a child that I saw many years ago, I am protected once and for all time from the fear of natural childbirth after cesarean section. That natural childbirth after cesarean section, which took place contrary to the conceptions of medicine of that time, inspired me with respect to the women’s strength. This awe, love, and confidence are now in my power and potential and I want to transfer it to you.

In conclusion: Vaginal Childbirth after Cesarean Section Worth a Try

If you want to have a vaginal (natural) childbirth after cesarean section, you will have to be persistent. Not every hospital is ready for this type of delivery as planned. Another thing is when a woman with a uterine scar comes to the emergency department in labor. When her water broke, the condition of the birth canal is good and the dynamics of the opening of the cervix is normal, and the fetus is rather small, doctors can offer a woman to give birth by herself. But even in this case, they would recommend that it will be safer to go through the operation again.

Such deliveries are still a gimmick to mass hospitals. Only 30% of pregnant women with uterine scars give natural birth after cesarean section. So look for “your” hospital and “your” doctor, who would cheer your right to become a mother the way nature has designed it.

Study your condition, contradictions, take a couple of years of rest before the pregnancy, and with the right help and assistance go for natural childbirth without a doubt.

Good health and good luck to you!