THE BENEFITS (PROS) & CONS OF VAGINAL DELIVERY AND C-SECTION

The process of birth is a beautiful and natural occurrence. There are options for birthing process, I will advice you discuss the various options with your doctor or medical provider. There are pros and cons to the different birthing processes, you need to get acquainted with the different types of birth and what they might mean for you and your baby before you make a decision.

In this article, the concentration is on Vaginal delivery and Cesarean section(C-section). There are a number of risks associated with both types of birth, and no universally correct answers. Each woman is unique and experience birth differently.

First, Lets take a look at Vaginal delivery.

VAGINAL DELIVERY:
Vaginal delivery is a natural way to give birth. It is the most natural birth process. Vaginal births are usually the go-to birth process of choice for expectant mothers.
Though many mothers are now opting for elective C-sections, the vaginal birth is still the birth of choice.

There are a number of benefits and risks(Pros and Cons) associated with a vaginal delivery.

Benefits(pros) of Vaginal Delivery:

For Mother;

• During a vaginal birth, many women have a strong sense of empowerment during labor and accomplishment afterward. And despite having to endure pain, many report that they would opt for an unmedicated birth again the next time. For some women, being in charge helps lessen their perception of pain.
• There is no loss of sensation or alertness. You will be awake and active during labor and birth — so you can move around more freely and find positions that help you stay comfortable during labor and aid the delivery process when it is time to push your baby out.
• With vaginal birth, women can expect a shorter hospital stay (one to three days) as vaginal birth is less surgically intensive.
• Quicker physical recuperation (quicker recovery). Recovery period is quicker with a vaginal birth and you will experience less postpartum pain.
• Vaginal births are also less risky for the mother, as less interference from the hospital staff means a lower chance of an emergency scenario for the mother.
• Less risk of maternal haemorrhage, infection, blood clots, damage to internal organs.
• Subsequent births are less likely to require a C-section.
• Women who have undergone vaginal delivery tend to gain less weight around tummy and get back to shape.
• Early contact with feelings toward babies: Vaginal birth makes it easier to bond with your baby because you can have immediate contact with your baby.

For the baby;

• Since they are able to come when they are ready, as the body begins the process naturally, the baby is more likely to be finished maturing and developing.
• Babies born through a vaginal birth are less likely to have respiratory problems such as transient tachypnea of the neonate(TTN) and persistent pulmonary hypertension. However, this is not a serious problem as it clears up in 2-3 days of treatment.
• Babies born vaginally are less prone to developing asthma, lactose intolerance and food allergies later in life.
• Passing through the vaginal opening helps to expels the amniotic fluid in the baby's lungs.
• Babies picks up a protective bacteria that they ingest as they pass through the birth canal. This bacteria colonizes in their intestines and forms a balanced immune system as they develop from childhood into adulthood.
• Natural birth is better for babies, because their internal organs do not have to process the drugs that pass through the placenta.
• They are more alert at birth, and often have an easier time breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can be started as soon as the baby is out in vaginal delivery.

Cons of Vaginal birth:

For the Mother;

• Since vaginal births are more dependent on the mother's body, there isn't really a way to schedule the labor and delivery.
• The mother may feel more stress and anxious, as the uncertainty of labor looms. Fear of childbirth may cause maternal distress.
• The need for frequent vaginal examinations, can be traumatic for some women, especially those who have been sexually abused.
• Risk of perineum tearing (from first degree slight tear to fourth degree extensive tearing into rectum).
• Vaginal birth also increases sexual problems in the first few months after the birth. There is likely Increased risk of postpartum sexual dysfunction, particularly pain during intercourse, for first three months after delivery if the mother had an episiotomy or experienced a tear.
• Some women suffers from tailbone pain during vaginal delivery. This can happen specially if you have a small pelvis and your baby is very large.
• Some women with vaginal delivery have greater chances of urinary incontinence, which is urine leaks. This happens with prolonged pushing or having a large baby during a vaginal delivery.
• Very seldom, uterine inversion can occur after a vaginal birth. This is a serious complication and if not treated immediately could lead to severe bleeding and shock and may result in the death of the mother.

For the baby;

• Risk of birth trauma increases, due to passage through the birth canal and
• The possible need for forceps or vacuum extraction.

CAESAREAN SECTION:
Caesarean section (C-section) is the surgical delivery of a baby through an incision in the mother's abdomen. That is, it occurs when the baby is delivered via an incision through the abdominal wall and uterus, instead of passing through the vagina naturally.
Since it is a major surgical procedure, the risks can be higher than a vaginal birth. A C-section is usually performed by an obstetrician or gynecologist.

Women are designed to give birth, sometimes we need help and this is why you have C-sections. If you need to get a C-section done, do not let anyone make you feel otherwise - It is your choice, and as long as you are confident with your decision, leave it at that and focus on having a positive delivery and a happy, healthy baby. You are not a failure if you have a C-section. Consider C-section if absolutely medically necessary. If you have to have it to save your life or that of your child, then go for it.

There are a variety of pros and cons when considering a C-section.

Benefits(pros) of C-section;

For the Mother;

• The ability to schedule a C-section can give the mother peace of mind, as she knows exactly when she will be giving birth. Women feel a greater sense of control knowing when their baby will be born, and can plan for family help, a baby nurse, work leave, and so forth.
• She is less likely to suffer from incontinence, and will not suffer the same sexual problems that woman who give vaginal birth suffer from in the first few months after birth. That is, possible decreased risk of sexual dysfunction for first three months postpartum.

For the Baby;

• The baby is less likely to suffer birth trauma that can happen with forceps or vacuum extraction.
• Reduced risk of oxygen deprivation to baby during delivery.

Cons of a C-section;

• Because C-sections do not occur when the baby is ready to come, there is the possibility of pre-term delivery if the mother's due date has been calculated incorrectly.
• As a surgical procedure, there is a risk of damage to the mother's organs.
• Increased maternal blood loss and risk of needing a transfusion and blood clots.
• Complications from anesthesia (pneumonia, allergic reactions, low blood pressure).
• A woman who has a cesarean usually has less early contact with her baby and is more likely to have initial negative feelings about her baby.
• The mother is also more susceptible to infection
• After the surgery, the mother might suffer from decreased bowel function. Because she needs to recover from the surgery.  Risk of damage to the mother's bowels and/or bladder.
• There is a Longer hospital stay (three to five days) and longer recovery period.
• It can take a mental toll on the mother, increasing the chance of postpartum depression.
• The scar tissue can also present problems in future pregnancies, increasing the chance of complications.
• Risk of pelvic organ prolapse after delivery (uterus, bladder, or bowel protrudes into the vaginal canal, causing discomfort and possible incontinence).

For Baby:

• There is a slightly higher mortality rate for the mother and twice the risk of infant mortality.
• Possible infant injury when the doctor makes the uterine incision.
• Risk of lower Apgar scores for the baby.
• Recovery from surgery poses challenges for getting breastfeeding under way, and a baby who was born by cesarean is less likely to be breastfed and get the benefits of breastfeeding.

An induced labour can lead to more and more interventions by the medical team. Some interventions, for example, an assisted birth forceps and vaccum, carry their own risks. So you and your doctor will need to weigh these risks against those of a caesarean.

Your general health and lifestyle can also influence this decision.

You have a higher risk of complications after a caesarean if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Have had any previous surgery on your tummy
• Already have a medical condition, such as heart disease.
• Sometimes or most times, a caesarean section is needed to save the life of a mum or baby. In these cases, caesarean birth is without question the safer option.

What's the right choice?
Birth being a deeply personal experience varies from person to person, you need to choose the process that best fits you. Talk it over with your healthcare professional and come up with a birthing plan that takes all risks and benefits into account.

Everyone is different, everyone feels pain differently, for some people a C-section will be the right choice, for others maybe not so much. and the same rule applies for natural births, every single birth is different and you can not listen to other peoples stories and think that they will all apply to you. As soon as you say you are pregnant all you hear are horror stories about the birth.

There are some times when the decision may not so clear-cut. It will be up to you and your doctor to weigh up the risks and benefits of having a caesarean to decide what is best for you. For example, if your labour has been induced, and is still not progressing, you may have to decide whether or not to have a caesarean.

The most important thing is that your baby is healthy when it comes out, how it comes out is up to each individual. Do your research and then make your choices but have an open mind and try not to plan the birth too much, don't have too much expectations, otherwise you could feel very disappointed if everything does not happen as you imagined.

There is no shame in choosing one over another. Every woman and every baby is unique and therefore so is each birth. Get information from as many different sources as possible. Don not let people's opinions override your intuition.

Public Spanking!

Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends. -Chanakya

Scolding and spanking are usually used interchangeably but their meanings are different.

Spank to slap or smack with the open hand, especially on the buttocks or a slap or series of slaps with the flat of the hand. Scold/Scolded/scolding/scolds: To reprimand or criticize harshly and usually angrily or to express harsh or angry disapproval to someone. From the above definition spanking involves hitting someone to carryout correction while in scolding verbal communication or body language is used.

According to Wikipedia Spanking is a form of corporal punishment consisting of striking the buttocks of another person to cause temporary pain. It generally involves one person striking the buttocks of another person with an open hand. When an open hand is used, spanking is referred to in some countries as slapping or smacking. More severe forms of spanking, such as switching, paddling, belting, caning, whipping, and birching, involve the use of an implement instead of a hand. Corporal punishment is most commonly used to discipline a child or teenager. It generally involves an adult – typically a parent, guardian, or teacher – striking the child's buttocks as punishment for unacceptable behavior.

Everybody makes mistakes in raising children; we always want to do better than our moms in one way or the other. We look out for our children's best interest as moms. Parenting is never easy. Spanking or no spanking, our kid’s needs to know that we are not perfect and are bound to make mistakes, taking responsibility for one's actions and letting children know we are not without fault, is a good start.

I once had this experience; my neighbor came to my house one day with her 4years plus old daughter. As they entered my sitting room the daughter sighted a biscuit on my dining table and went straight to pick up the biscuit and started eating it the mum didn’t scold her for doing such I don’t know if she would have done that after they left. I also did not scold the child as I didn’t want the mum to feel she did not train her child well or be ashamed of the daughter and herself. I later threw the question to a group of friends to discuss on the action I would have taken. One said if she was the one she would have spanked the child immediately, some said they would not say anything and another said her reaction would be based on the Child's age.

Yes the age of the child needs to be considered before carrying out any public correction as scolding your child in public could either create a positive impact or a negative one on the child. Corporal punishment is not an evil unto itself if used in a thoughtful and appropriate manner. Spankings should be performed in an age appropriate manner. Some children are too small for physical punishment; others are too emotionally ill-adjusted.

When my son was still little I found that, warnings and verbal correction worked very well. As he’s growing older and more headstrong, I guess he’s beginning to realizing that if he escalates his behavior I would either have to escalate mine or permit him to control the situation. But I don’t permit a contest of wills in public so before going out I’d advise him to behave well and promise to spank him if he misbehaved or deny him of what he wants. I hardly carry such promise since he tends to behave himself as he won’t want to be spanked when he gets home as I try to avoid spanking him in public. I have followed this consistent method of applying warning, reward and withholding of reward, time-outs, etc... Much of the time it works, sometimes it fails when he’s determined to carry out his action.

You need to realize you can set limits and consequences for certain types of behavior without spanking. Correcting a child can be easy if we set boundaries, and when those boundaries are crossed, consistently give your children the consequences, whether it be time-outs, loss of privilege, etc. little or no spanking is needed.

When you are in a public place and can’t control your child you can be faced with; "Why doesn't she do anything against this bad behavior" or with "What a mother - she's scolding and disciplining her kid in public".

Sometimes my son acts up in public. You think I want him to? Not a chance. I hate it when he acts like that. But guess what.... he’s a child so it's bound to happen from time to time.

Children would always be children!