Introduction
Generally, most pregnant women expect to have a natural birth during delivery. However, uncertainties such as the failure of the cervix to dilate or medical emergencies may prompt obstetricians to opt for a caesarean section (C-section) to save the lives of both the mother and unborn baby. Even though some individuals choose C-section over normal delivery, a significant number of expectant mothers prefer undergoing natural birth. Traditionally, C-sections involve privacy that prohibits patients from observing and engaging in birth. This practice denies women the opportunity to experience the aspect of delivery. To reduce the limitations, some healthcare facilities have adopted a family-centred Cesarean birth to guarantee pregnant women a chance to have a delivery close to the natural birth. The exercise deviates from the traditional C-section in several ways. First, it allows a woman to observe the birth process. Second, it provides room for close relatives to accompany the mother in the delivery room. A family-centred caesarean delivery is vital in facilitating immediate bonding between the mother and baby, leading to proper connection.
Discussion
A family-centred C-section is the process of delivering a baby in a way closer to the natural birth. The practice enhances family connection and safe surgical exercise during the whole process. The procedure entails lowering the crucial part of the surgical drape, thus enabling the mother to fully watch the birthing of her baby through an installed transparent window. Immediately after securing the infants from the womb, they are placed on their mother’s chest as a standby nurse performs evaluation and cleaning of the baby while standing at the head of the patient bed. The obstetricians always ensure the whole activity simulates the normal birth procedure to allow mothers to experience the nature of childbirth.
Patients undergoing a family-centred C-section are exposed to an array of experiences than those who receive the traditional approach. First, the mother feels respected during the procedure and practice because they have the opportunity to fully observe all the activities and steps the birthing and the baby is going through (Kram et al., 2021). This aspect enables the patient to have control of what is happening to the newborn, thus facilitating the connection between her and the infant. Moreover, nurses guarantee women their wishes, making them remain happy and engaged throughout the delivery period. For instance, before subjecting the young one to weight or bathing, practitioners enquires from the mother to issue consent.
Furthermore, unlike traditional C-sections, a family-centered C-section does not have strict restrictions to family members joining the patient during the process. Allowing close relatives such as spouses and mothers-in-law enhances family love, thus making the mother feel and enjoy the connection and affection from the loved ones. The presence of a husband makes the mother be courageous and self-assured of the care from the family (Huang et al., 2019). When couples share such crucial moments together, the bond between them grows stronger, which is beneficial for the growth and wellbeing of the infant.
The act of placing the baby on the mother’s chest immediately after the surgery is an amazing experience for women undergoing gentle caesarean encounters. The practice permits obstetricians to allow mothers to hold their babies as other procedures continue. The approach enables patients to have and develop feelings towards the newborn. The activity simulates natural birth, thus making mothers have adequate time to connect with infants. The conduct is different from a typical C-section where the baby is taken to paediatric care. When skin-to-skin contact between the patient and baby occurs, the bond development rapidly takes place (Machold ET AL., 2021). Similarly, the procedure facilitates the ability of patients to breastfeed the infants with ease. The engagement allows patients to feel part of the birthing. Therefore, they remain proud of their contribution towards delivery.
The nurses place babies on the bare chest of the mother for a duration of one hour. The body contact enables the infant to smell their mothers and be close to their breast. This enhances the connection between the young one and the patient, thus making it easier for the baby to breastfeed successfully. Furthermore, skin-to-skin contact enables the mother’s body to effectively regulate the baby’s body temperature. The attachment developed during the practice serves a major purpose in the future development of the infant.
Similarly, the delivery room is arranged in a more comfortable manner to enable the patient to feel comfortable throughout the exercise. For example, the LED lights are kept deem to reduce interferences. Nurses only adjust the lighting when surgery is being performed on the patient. Moreover, mothers have the ability to choose their favourite music to be played in a low tone to soothe the whole process. This allows pregnant women to remain active and focused while undergoing through birthing. In addition, the husband can also capture the birth moments in pictures or videos for the mother to observe after she is through with the medical attention. This would boost her experience, encouraging her to embrace family-centered C-section in future if birth conditions demand.
Moreover, the practice allows nurses to leave a woman’s hand free, thus enabling her to carry the baby. The feeling of holding a newborn is a crucial experience, and most expectant women are eager to have the opportunity to hold their infants (Deys et al., 2019). This experience is missing in the traditional C-section, where the overall focus is surgical activities to remove the baby from the womb. It makes most mothers feel disengaged from their young ones because they lack that first-hand touch.
Lastly, a gentle C-section plays a vital role in enhancing maternal mood. Generally, when a mother has better experience with the birth process, her postpartum state improves accordingly, which is fundamental for the wellbeing of a woman after delivery. Therefore, undergoing a family-centered C-section childbirth enables the reduction of depression that can occur due to bad outcomes that mothers encounter during the birthing process. The technique is effective in boosting the emotional status of women after delivering a baby in the hospital setting.
Conclusion
In summary, a family-centered C-section childbirth plays a significant role in making mothers have a gentle delivery that is close to natural birth. The practice enhance pregnant women’s experience during delivery in various ways. Unlike traditional C-sections, the approach enables mothers to watch the birthing process, making them feel part of the procedure. It also allows patients to hold their babies in the chest, creating close and immediate skin-to-skin contact that is important for the wellbeing of the baby and the mother. In addition, it has less restriction, thus allowing close relatives such as spouses to accompany the wife during the surgery. The practices facilitate the development of a strong bond between the infant and parents, which is significant for the health of the baby.
References
Deys, L., Wilson, V., & Meedya, S. (2021). What are women’s experiences of immediate skin-to-skin contact at caesarean section birth? An integrative literature review. Midwifery, 101, 103063.
Huang, X., Chen, L., & Zhang, L. (2019). Effects of paternal skin-to-skin contact in newborns and fathers after cesarean delivery. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 33(1), 68-73.
Kram, J. J., Montgomery, M. O., Moreno, A. C. P., Romdenne, T. A., & Forgie, M. M. (2021). Family-centered cesarean delivery: A randomized controlled trial. American journal of obstetrics & gynecology MFM, 3(6), 100472.
Machold, C. A., O’Rinn, S. E., McKellin, W. H., Ballantyne, G., & Barrett, J. F. (2021). Women’s experiences of skin-to-skin cesarean birth compared to standard cesarean birth: A qualitative study. Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal, 9(3), E834-E840.