A medical expert has said “natural C-sections” could help women feel more in control while giving birth, according to Kidspot.
Dr Felicity Plaat, a consultant anaesthetist at Imperial College Healthcare in London, told the Euroanaesthesia Congress in Geneva has said “natural” sections where a woman is allowed enhanced contact with the baby and assist with the delivery should be offered where possible.
The “natural” process involves the mum semi-pushing or using abdominal pressure, to help deliver the baby slowly.
Some obstetricians will even allow the mum to don scrubs and use their own hands to pull out the baby from their abdomen.
They will also lower the surgical screen to let both parents see the birth taking place.
Dr Plaat said that given the growing number of women who require C-sections, a choice of a “natural” section should be offered to help them feel in control of the situation.
“I believe natural sections makes the experience of birth much more satisfying for the increasing number of women who require C-sections," Dr Plaat said.
"As an anaesthetist, I need to give an anaesthetic that allows mum to freely interact with her baby immediately, whilst ensuring both are safe," she explained.
She also said this type of delivery could lead to higher rates of breastfeeding although more research is needed.
Dr Plaat said it would be “unethical” to deny women this option and disputed claims that it might see women electively choosing a C-section.
"Denying women this in order to discourage them from considering this mode of delivery is in my personal opinion, completely unethical," she said.
Dr Will Milford, a member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists agreed with her saying pregnant women sometimes experienced a “loss of control” during a C-section.
He said it could make a "necessary procedure better."
“For those women who have a C-section it is a very surgical way of having a baby and so trying to reduce that and making it a more natural procedure, certainly does make it better for families involved.”
He echoed Dr Plaat’s belief that it would not make women electively opt for a C-section and said most women would choose to give birth vaginally if they could.
“Even with making it nicer and more accessible, it’s probably not a significant enough change to make people request a C-section,” he said.
What do you think about “natural” C-sections mums? Let us know your thoughts.
