Primary school teacher and a mother of two boys, Frances died eight hours after giving birth to her second child. She had lost a lot of blood. According to a report, the young mother had a traumatic experience delivering her first child and was sure about opting for C-section the second time.
On hearing her request, the midwives almost “smirked” said Tom, Frances’ husband. Apparently, they had even booked an elected C-section. However, Tom recalls that doctors and midwives at the hospital advised them “not to make a decision based on pain and fear” and insisted that she should go for a natural birth.
What followed was no less than a nightmare for the Cappuccini family. Not only did Frances have to endure a painful 12-hour-long labour, but she was eventually taken for C-section, where the surgeons made an error that took her life. They missed out removing a large piece of the placenta from her uterine cavity.
“I put my trust and Frankie’s trust in the people that were there. They disregarded previous medical advice and we were made to feel small and insignificant… In hindsight I wish I had never agreed,” said Tom, according to this source. Unfortunately, in this case, the doctor seems to have made a delayed move which took Frances life.
However, there are times when we ourselves are torn between going for a Caesarian section or a vaginal delivery. Is C-section all that bad?
While there are pros and cons to almost everything around, when it comes to C-section, there are too many myths surrounding them. Here I have some real mums, who had a C-section, speak about their experiences:
Cons of C-section
Pain post-delivery. Sheeba Rajesh, a mother of two, says, “If you are opting for a c-section birth fearing the about pain, then think again. In a C-section, the pain is after the operation. The wound will hurt for at least a few weeks and there will be some discomfort even after that.”
Risk of infection. “Though you will be given antibiotics to avoid or rather lessen the possibility of an infection, there are chances of the wound getting infected. I had UTI soon after I had my baby. Apparently the catheter inserted during the operation was the culprit,” reveals Sunita Nair, mother of a five-year-old daughter.
Longer recovery period. “My cousin and I delivered our babies a day apart. While I had a c-section due to some complications, my cousin had a natural birth a day after mine. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her walk into my room the next day, while I was reclined on the hospital bed, unable to move without wincing,” recalls Shreya Naidu, a homemaker.
Pros of C-section
Avoid medical complications. “It saved my baby’s life. What more can I say? The last sonography showed that he had the umbilical cord wound around his neck arm. There was no way that the best doctor could manage a natural delivery without hurting my bub,” states Priyadarshini Thapa, whose baby boy is all of five years now.
Labour pain? What’s that? Beena Menon proudly recalls how she had to convince her doctor to let her go for a C-section, “He refused right-away, but I was adamant. My threshold of pain is non-existent and I had watched enough videos of natural birth to put me off it. Labour pain wasn’t something I could handle and I’m glad I opted for C-section.”
While these are real mums giving their perspectives on the pros and cons of a C-section birth, if you are pregnant and wondering what to opt for, do your research, read up as much as is possible and above all, consult your gynaecologist for the right method that would suit you.
Sources: The Sun, The Guardian