A cesarean birth is among the most common surgeries in the US, with about one in three babies delivered this way. Whether you are planning a cesarean or aiming for a vaginal birth, understanding this procedure helps you feel more confident to handle any situation. This episode explains why cesarean births happen and guides you through the process step by step. It covers anesthesia options and describes what recovery looks like both in the hospital and at home. Prepare for the emotional aspects of a cesarean birth. Learn how to make informed decisions if an unexpected situation arises during labor. Plus, find out what a cesarean means for future pregnancies. Knowing what to expect from a cesarean birth is one of the most important ways to prepare for labor, regardless of the type of birth you are planning.

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You can plan all you want for a vaginal birth. But the moment your doctor says you need a cesarean, if you haven’t prepared for that possibility, you are completely out of your element. You don’t know what happens next, you don’t know your options, and you’re making decisions about a major surgery in real time. That is a frightening situation, and it is one of the main reasons this topic matters for every expecting parent, not just those planning a cesarean.

What Is a Cesarean Birth

A cesarean section, also known as a C-section, is a surgical procedure that delivers a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. Your doctor may plan a cesarean ahead of time if a complication makes vaginal delivery difficult. In other cases, unexpected circumstances during labor lead to a cesarean birth. Sometimes, a cesarean becomes necessary quickly, and your care team may not have time to explain every detail in the moment.

This is exactly why education matters. If you already know what a cesarean involves, you will feel more prepared and in control, even in a fast-paced situation. The goal of this episode is to give you that foundation, whether a cesarean is part of your birth plan or something you’re just getting ready for, just in case.

How Common Are Cesarean Births

The overall cesarean birth rate in the United States is 32.3%. That means roughly one in three babies is born via cesarean. If you look only at low-risk pregnancies, the rate is 26.6%. A low-risk pregnancy is defined as a singleton baby at 37 weeks or more, in a head-down position, and it is the mother’s first delivery. Even among low-risk mothers, more than one in four will have a cesarean birth. Many of these mothers went into labor planning for a vaginal birth.

A cesarean can be a lifesaving procedure for a mother or baby. However, like any major surgery, it carries risks. To minimize risks, there is an incentive to lower the cesarean rate. The World Health Organization states that cesarean rates above 10% are not associated with further reductions in maternal or newborn mortality. Some research suggests the optimal rate may be closer to 19%. Globally, 21.1% of births are via cesarean, with projections reaching 28.5% by 2030. A cesarean is a major abdominal surgery, and access to safe surgical care varies significantly around the world. These numbers reflect that reality and explain why the global number is less than that of the United States.

Why Cesarean Births Happen

There are many reasons a cesarean birth may be planned ahead of time or become necessary during labor. Some mothers know well in advance they will need a cesarean. Others learn during labor that circumstances have changed. Let’s walk through both scenarios.

Planned Cesarean Births

You and your doctor may plan a cesarean for a variety of reasons. Certain maternal health conditions, such as heart disease, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease, may make a cesarean the safer option. A vaginal birth could also pose risks for a baby with certain congenital conditions, like neural tube defects.

If there is a risk of passing an infection to your baby during a vaginal birth, such as herpes or HIV, a cesarean can prevent transmission. Complications like preeclampsia or eclampsia may also require a cesarean. A mechanical obstruction, such as a large fibroid blocking the birth canal or severe hydrocephalus causing an unusually large head, can make vaginal delivery unsafe.

If your baby is unusually large, a condition called macrosomia, your care provider may recommend a cesarean. Ideally, your baby is in a head-down (vertex) position before birth. The most widely cited statistic is that about 3-4% of babies are not head down at term. Because few providers have training in vaginal breech birth, most mothers with a breech baby will require a cesarean delivery. You can learn more in dedicated episodes about your baby’s position and methods to turn a breech baby.

Placental abnormalities can also require a cesarean. Placenta previa, where the placenta covers the cervix, makes a vaginal birth unsafe. Your doctor may recommend a cesarean after a previous invasive uterine surgery, like a myomectomy. It may also be planned if you had a previous cesarean and are not pursuing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).

Cesarean Delivery on Maternal Request

An elective cesarean birth is also an available option. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports a cesarean delivery on maternal request, but with important nuance. If your main motivation is a fear of pain in childbirth, ACOG recommends that your care provider discuss and offer pain relief options for labor, along with prenatal childbirth education and emotional support. In the absence of a maternal or fetal indication, ACOG states that a plan for vaginal delivery is safe and appropriate. If, after exploring your reasons and discussing the risks and benefits, you decide to pursue a cesarean on maternal request, ACOG recommends that it should not happen before 39 weeks. ACOG also emphasizes that because the repeat cesarean delivery rate is high, you should understand that the risks of placenta previa, placenta accreta, and hysterectomy increase with each subsequent cesarean.

If you know from early in your pregnancy that you want to plan a cesarean delivery, the most important step is making sure your care provider supports your decision. Not all doctors are supportive of cesarean delivery on maternal request, so this is a conversation to have early. If your provider does not support this option, you may need to find one who does.

Elective cesarean delivery is more common in some parts of the world than others. Countries such as the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Cyprus, Egypt, and Turkey have cesarean rates exceeding 50%. That means more than half of babies in those countries are born via cesarean. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the average cesarean rate is 42.8%. In some of these countries, scheduling a cesarean is a culturally accepted and widely available option. Research has found that a mix of factors drives these higher rates, including fear of labor pain, concerns about pelvic floor damage, and a belief that cesarean delivery is safer than vaginal birth. In the United States, cesarean on maternal request is a less common but valid choice, and ACOG supports it under the guidelines outlined above.

Unplanned and Emergency Cesarean Births

Many mothers who have a cesarean did not plan on one. The two most common reasons for an unplanned cesarean are that labor is not progressing or your baby’s heart rate is concerning. One study of over 38,000 women found that 35.4% of cesareans resulted from labor that stalled. Your care provider tracks progress through vaginal exams and electronic fetal monitoring. In the same study, 27.3% of cesareans were due to a non-reassuring fetal heart rate. Together, these two reasons account for the majority of unplanned cesareans.

In both situations, your care team will typically try less invasive interventions before recommending a cesarean. However, some emergencies leave little time for alternatives. Some examples of emergencies are a prolapsed umbilical cord, when the cord slips through the cervix ahead of the baby. If the uterus compresses the cord during contractions, it can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply. Or a placental abruption, where the placenta separates from the uterine wall.

The Emotional Impact of a Cesarean Birth

The physical aspects of a cesarean get a lot of attention. The emotional impact deserves just as much. This is especially true for unplanned cesareans. It can be challenging to emotionally shift when your birth plan changes from expecting a vaginal birth to being wheeled into an operating room.

A study that followed more than 1,100 women who gave birth found that over one in four women who had an unscheduled cesarean experienced clinically significant acute stress shortly after birth. By comparison, about one in sixteen women who delivered vaginally experienced the same level of stress. Even after accounting for medical complications, prior trauma, and mental health history, unscheduled cesareans were associated with more than double the risk of severe stress. These acute stress responses predicted subsequent PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and difficulties with maternal-infant bonding.

Research on birth experiences shows that the mode of delivery affects how mothers feel about their birth. One study found that women who had an unplanned cesarean were more likely to report feeling disappointed or sad compared to women who had a spontaneous vaginal delivery. About 21.5% of women who had an unplanned cesarean reported feeling traumatized by the experience. However, it is important to put this in context. Women reported feeling traumatized across all delivery modes, including 23.1% of women who had an instrumental vaginal delivery and 12.8% of those who had spontaneous vaginal births.

This is not meant to scare you. It is meant to encourage you to prepare. Birth is an intense experience, and a range of emotional responses is normal regardless of how your baby arrives. What the research consistently shows is that unplanned procedures, limited information, and feeling out of control are the strongest predictors of a negative experience, not the delivery mode itself. A qualitative study found that mothers who were not mentally or physically prepared for a cesarean described the experience as a sudden event they could not react to. The researchers concluded that insufficient preparation increases vulnerability to traumatic birth experiences.

Educating yourself about cesarean birth, including what the procedure involves and what your options are, can make a significant difference in how you process the experience. If you plan a vaginal birth, knowing what a cesarean looks like reduces the shock factor if your plan changes. It also empowers you to make informed decisions if the situation changes because you already know your options.

Making Informed Decisions

A helpful framework for navigating in-the-moment decisions is the BRAIN acronym. BRAIN stands for Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, and Nothing.

Benefits: What are the benefits of a cesarean in this situation? Risks: What are the risks if we proceed? Alternatives: Are there alternatives we can try first? Intuition: What does your gut tell you? Nothing: What happens if we wait or do nothing right now?

In a true emergency, there may not be time to run through every question. If your baby’s oxygen supply is compromised, your care team will need to act fast. However, not every cesarean recommendation is an emergency. In many cases, there is a window of time to ask questions and understand your options. Share the BRAIN acronym with your partner or whoever will be with you during labor. They can advocate for you and ask these questions if you are not in a position to do so yourself.

The best way to set yourself up for confident decision-making is to build trust with your care provider throughout your pregnancy. If you and your doctor or midwife are aligned on the birth you want, you will be better equipped to navigate a change in plans together.

Benefits and Risks of a Cesarean Birth

Now that we have covered why cesarean births happen, both planned and unplanned, let’s look at what the research says about the benefits and risks of the procedure. Understanding both sides helps you weigh your options and have informed conversations with your care provider.

A cesarean can be lifesaving for both mother and baby when it is medically necessary. For planned cesareans, the ability to schedule your delivery can reduce anxiety and allow you to prepare. In certain high-risk situations, a cesarean avoids the complications of a prolonged or difficult vaginal delivery. Some research suggests that cesarean delivery may reduce the risk of certain pelvic floor disorders, like urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, compared to vaginal birth. However, the evidence is mixed, and you have to weigh this benefit against the surgical risks and longer recovery.

Risks for the Mother

Like any major surgery, cesarean births carry risks. The most common complications include endometritis, which is inflammation and infection of the uterine lining, excessive bleeding, blood clots, and infection of the incision. Although rare, injury to nearby organs during surgery is possible and would require additional surgery to repair. There is also an increased risk of complications in future pregnancies, including uterine rupture. Maternal death from cesarean delivery occurs at a rate of about 2.2 per 100,000, which, although rare, is higher than the rate for vaginal birth at approximately 0.2 per 100,000.

Risks for the Baby

There are also risks to your baby from a cesarean birth. One of the most well-known is respiratory issues. During a vaginal birth, the compression of the birth canal naturally pushes fluid out of your baby’s lungs. In a cesarean, this process does not occur. As a result, cesarean-born babies are more likely to need assistance in clearing fluid and might experience temporary breathing problems after birth.

Beyond the immediate period after birth, a comprehensive systematic review of 113 studies found that babies born via cesarean had a moderately increased risk of developing asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies compared to babies born vaginally. These increased risks are thought to be related to differences in how a baby’s microbiome develops depending on the mode of birth. Babies born vaginally are exposed to bacteria in the birth canal that help jumpstart their gut microbiome. In contrast, cesarean-born babies pick up different bacteria from the skin and hospital environment.

Minor injuries during the procedure, such as small skin nicks, can occur but are uncommon. It is also important to note that vaginal birth carries its own risks to babies, including injuries from instrumental delivery. Every delivery method involves tradeoffs, and your care provider will help you weigh the risks and benefits based on your specific situation.

The point of reviewing these risks is not to create fear. It is to give you the information you need to make informed decisions. Being pregnant inherently carries risks, and the most empowering thing you can do is understand them.

Preparing for Surgery

Once the decision is made to proceed with a cesarean, the first step is anesthesia. Most cesarean births use regional anesthesia, which numbs the lower part of your body while you remain awake. There are three types commonly used: a spinal block, an epidural, and a combined spinal-epidural. For a planned cesarean, a spinal block is the most common choice. A spinal block is a one-time injection directly into your spinal fluid. It takes effect within about five minutes and provides complete numbness for roughly one to two hours, which is typically enough time for the entire procedure.

Another option is an epidural, which involves inserting a tiny catheter into the epidural space in your lower spine. It takes about 15 minutes to become effective, and your care team can deliver additional medication through the catheter as needed. If you were already laboring with an epidural and the decision is made to proceed with a cesarean, your anesthesiologist can increase the medication through your existing epidural. They could also utilize a combined spinal-epidural. This gives you the rapid onset of a spinal block with the flexibility of an epidural for continued medication.

With any of these options, you will remain awake and feel no pain. You may notice pressure or a tugging sensation during the surgery, but it should not be painful. You can learn more about these options in the episode on medical pain management options.

In rare emergencies, general anesthesia may be necessary. Under general anesthesia, you are completely unconscious and will not see, feel, or hear anything during the birth. This is not routine, and doctors reserve general anesthesia for extreme emergencies.

Before the Surgery

Once anesthesia is in place, your care team will begin preparing you for surgery. A catheter will be placed into your bladder to collect urine during and after the procedure. You will receive an IV in your hand or arm for fluids and antibiotics.

Antibiotics play an important role in preventing infection. A Cochrane review of 95 studies involving over 15,000 women found that routine antibiotics at cesarean section reduced the risk of infection by 60-70%. It is worth noting that none of the studies in that review closely examined how antibiotics affect the baby. If your doctor administers antibiotics before they clamp the umbilical cord, the antibiotics cross the placenta to your baby. If you are concerned about the potential effects of antibiotics on your baby’s gut microbiome, one of the best things you can do is breastfeed. Breast milk contains beneficial bacteria and prebiotics that support healthy gut colonization and could potentially counteract some of the downsides of antibiotics.

What Happens During the Procedure

Knowing what the operating room looks like and what happens during the procedure can take some of the intimidation out of the experience. If you have a picture in your mind of what to expect, the reality is less jarring. Here is a general overview of what happens. The first thing you should know is that the entire cesarean procedure typically takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Your baby is usually born in the first 5-15 minutes, and the remaining time is used to close the incision. An obstetrician (OB) will perform the surgery in an operating room.

Operating rooms are designed to be sterile environments, and for good reason. You want the space where your surgery happens to be as clean as possible. As a result, operating rooms tend to be cold, brightly lit, and you may smell cleaning products. These things can feel clinical and impersonal, but they exist to keep you and your baby safe. You can expect around 6-12 doctors, nurses, and medical staff to be present. That number may feel like a lot, but each person has a specific role, and having a full team means your care is thorough.

You will lie on your back on an operating table with your arms out to your sides. Nurses will cover you in sterile sheets, and a wedge will be placed under one hip, or the table will be tilted slightly. This positioning relieves pressure on your vena cava, the main vein to your lower body, and helps maintain good circulation for your baby.

A sterile cloth will hang at your chest to block your view of the surgery. Everything on the other side of this screen is the sterile field. Most doctors and nurses will be on the sterile side. The anesthesiologist will be next to your head and is often the person who will talk you through what is happening and check in on how you are feeling. Your partner or support person will be brought in shortly before your baby is born and will sit beside you. Having someone familiar by your side can make a big difference in the room’s energy.

Types of Incisions

The procedure starts with your doctor cleaning your abdomen and making an incision through the abdominal wall. The most common incision is horizontal, near the pubic hairline. This is sometimes called a bikini incision. In emergencies where your baby needs to be delivered very quickly, a vertical incision may be used instead, running from just below the navel to just above the pubic bone.

After the abdominal incision, your doctor makes a separate incision into the uterus. The uterine incision does not have to match the abdominal incision. The most commonly used uterine incision is a low transverse incision, which runs horizontally. This type carries fewer risks than a vertical incision and may allow you to attempt a VBAC in a future pregnancy. A classical incision, which runs vertically on the uterus, carries a higher risk of uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies. As a result, it is reserved for complicated situations like placenta previa, extreme emergencies, or certain fetal abnormalities.

Meeting Your Baby

Once your doctor makes the uterine incision, your baby is ready to arrive. You may feel tugging or pressure as your doctor guides your baby out. Once your baby’s head emerges, your doctor will clear your baby’s mouth and nose of fluid. Because your baby did not travel through the vaginal canal, which naturally squeezes fluid from the lungs, they may need a little extra help clearing those fluids. Once your baby’s entire body is delivered, your doctor should hold them up so you can see them.

If you want to see the moment your baby is born, you can request that the screen be lowered slightly. Your doctor probably will not remove it entirely, but lowering it gives you a view. This is one of many options you can discuss with your provider in advance.

Delayed Cord Clamping

It is absolutely possible to delay clamping of the umbilical cord during a cesarean birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a delay of at least 30-60 seconds after birth. Benefits include increased blood volume, improved iron stores, and reduced risk of iron deficiency anemia. If delayed cord clamping is important to you, discuss it with your care provider in advance. You can also ask about extending the delay beyond 60 seconds. Talk to your doctor about what is possible in your specific situation and what options they support. You can learn more in the episode on delayed cord clamping. If you are considering cord blood banking, be aware that it may be challenging to both delay clamping and bank cord blood.

Skin-to-Skin Contact

Skin-to-skin contact is critical for all babies, including those born via cesarean. After a quick evaluation by a nurse, they should place your baby on your chest as soon as possible. If they have not cut the cord yet, they may need to place your baby slightly lower on your abdomen while your baby is still connected to the placenta. Skin-to-skin stabilizes your baby’s heart rate, breathing, and temperature. It reduces stress for both of you and increases the likelihood and duration of breastfeeding. Let your doctor know if immediate skin-to-skin is a priority so your care team can plan for it. If you cannot hold your baby right away, your partner can provide skin-to-skin contact instead.

Vernix

You may notice a white, greasy substance on your baby’s skin called vernix caseosa. Vernix protects your baby’s skin in the womb, and babies born via cesarean tend to have more of it because it does not get wiped off in the vaginal canal. Vernix serves many functions after birth, including hydrating the skin, helping regulate body temperature, and providing antimicrobial protection. You have the option to leave it on rather than wiping it off. Most of it absorbs naturally within 24 hours. You can explore this topic further in the episode on vernix and your baby’s first bath. The main thing is not to panic if your baby comes out covered in a white, waxy coating. It is completely normal and actually good for them.

How Your Incision Is Closed

After your baby is born, your doctor will close the uterine incision using either one or two layers of stitches. This has been a long-running debate in the medical community. Single-layer closure became popular in the 1990s because it was faster and had fewer short-term complications. However, concerns emerged that a single-layer closure may result in a thinner uterine scar, which could increase the risk of complications in future pregnancies. Midwifery advocates, including Ina May Gaskin, argued that the shift to single-layer closure prioritized speed and convenience over long-term safety for mothers planning future births.

The research on this is mixed. Some studies have found that single-layer closure carries a higher risk of uterine rupture during a subsequent trial of labor. A large randomized controlled trial of 2,292 women, published in 2024, found no differences in live birth rates, uterine ruptures, or reproductive outcomes between single- and double-layer closure at a three-year follow-up.

If you plan to have more children, this is a conversation you can have with your doctor before your cesarean. Ask about their routine practice, what type of sutures they use, and how their approach may affect your options for a VBAC in the future. You can explore this topic further in the episode on C-section suture methods.

Recovery in the Hospital

Right after surgery, you may feel nauseous or experience trembling. The anesthesia, your uterus contracting, or a letdown of adrenaline can cause this. These sensations should pass quickly. As your anesthesia wears off, your care team will manage your pain through IV medication, oral medication, or a combination, depending on your needs and your doctor’s approach.

Your doctor will encourage you to get up and walk around soon after the birth. Getting up and moving may sound uncomfortable after major surgery, and it may not feel great at first. However, early movement is one of the most important things you can do for your recovery. During and after surgery, your body is more prone to blood clot formation because you are lying still for an extended period. Walking helps keep blood flowing through your legs and reduces this risk. Constipation is also common after surgery because anesthesia and pain medications can slow your digestive system. Movement helps stimulate your bowels. The mechanism is that physical movement activates the enteric nervous system (the nervous system in your gut), which promotes the movement of food through your digestive tract. Anesthesia and opioid pain medications temporarily slow this movement, and walking helps counteract that.

A hospital stay after a cesarean birth is typically two to three days, which is longer than for a vaginal birth. During this time, doctors and nurses will monitor you and your baby for complications. They will check your incision for signs of infection and track your movement, fluid intake, and bladder and bowel functioning.

Take advantage of this time in the hospital. You are surrounded by doctors, nurses, specialists, and lactation consultants who are experts in their fields and do this every day. If you are a first-time mother, the first days with a newborn can feel overwhelming, and that is completely normal. Ask every question that comes to mind, no matter how small it seems. These experts are a resource you will not have access to once you go home.

Once you are ready to go home, your care team will review care instructions and warning signs to watch for at home. This is a conversation that your partner or a support person should be present for, so you have someone who is also informed about your doctor’s instructions and recommendations. The biggest warning signs to watch out for that would be red flags to call your doctor are: fever, severe abdominal pain, redness or swelling at the incision site, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, pain with urination, or breast pain with redness or fever.

Recovery at Home

Leaving the hospital with a newborn after major surgery is a big transition. You are now recovering from surgery while simultaneously caring for a brand-new human. Give yourself grace during this time. Once you are home, focus on resting and allowing your body to heal. A cesarean is major surgery, and recovery takes longer than after a vaginal birth. Most doctors recommend avoiding lifting anything heavier than your baby for several weeks. Do not lift from a squatting position. You may be surprised to learn that some doctors will advise against driving for at least a couple of weeks. The thinking behind this is that a sudden stop may be painful. If you’re taking any prescription pain medications, these could also impair driving. There is no universal guideline for this, and recommendations from providers will vary.

Planning for Recovery

Many mothers do not think about postpartum recovery until they are in the middle of it. There is so much you can do before your baby arrives to set yourself up for a smoother postpartum period. A few things specific to cesarean recovery: Set up a changing station and a feeding area where you do not have to bend or strain. Keep everything you need for the baby and for yourself within arm’s reach. If you spend time in more than one part of your house, like your bedroom and living room, it helps to keep supplies in multiple places. Use a pillow to support your abdomen when you cough, laugh, or sneeze. Wear loose, comfortable clothing that does not press on your incision.

Recovery is gradual. Most mothers feel significantly better by two weeks and return to normal activities by six to eight weeks. Listen to your body and do not rush the process. If anything feels off, contact your care provider. Lean on your partner or other support people during this time. Your job is to rest and care for your baby. You can learn more about planning for the postpartum period in the episode on planning for postpartum, including what to expect in the fourth trimester.

Future Pregnancies After a Cesarean

For decades, the standard approach in the United States was “once a cesarean, always a cesarean.” That changed as research demonstrated that vaginal birth after cesarean, called VBAC, is a safe option for many mothers. From the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, VBAC rates climbed significantly. They later declined due to concerns about uterine rupture, but the evidence supports VBAC as a viable choice for many women. Success rates for VBAC range from 60-80%, and the risk of uterine rupture is low, approximately 0.3-0.7% for women with one prior low transverse cesarean incision.

Not everyone is a candidate for VBAC. A classical (vertical) uterine incision carries a higher risk of rupture, and VBAC is generally not recommended in that case. Other factors that influence your eligibility include the type of incision, how your incision was closed, your overall health, and the reason for your first cesarean. VBAC is an important topic that deserves more than a brief overview. This is a topic we will cover in more depth in the future. In the meantime, a great resource to start with is the VBAC Facts website, which provides evidence-based information to help you navigate your options.

Options for a More Family-Centered Cesarean

If you know you are having a cesarean, or if you want to be prepared for one as part of your backup plan, you should know that you have more options than the conventional surgical experience. A gentle cesarean, also called a family-centered cesarean, involves modifications that can make the experience feel more personal. We cover this topic in depth in this episode, including clear drapes, immediate skin-to-skin in the operating room, a slower delivery, and vaginal seeding. If you want to know what is possible in a cesarean, that episode will walk you through everything.

Preparing for a Cesarean Birth

Whether a cesarean is your plan or your backup plan, preparation makes a real difference. If you are planning a vaginal birth, create a backup birth plan that covers your preferences for a cesarean. One in three babies is born via cesarean, and having a plan will help you maintain confidence and autonomy if your birth takes an unexpected turn. If you know you are having a cesarean, you can build your entire birth plan around that.

The Pregnancy Podcast has many resources to help you create your birth plan:

• Get a copy of my birth plan
• Your Birth Plan book
• Guide to Creating Your Birth Plan
• Become a Premium Member for access to the entire back catalog of episodes ad-free and a copy of the Your Birth Plan book

It is essential to discuss your preferences with your care provider ahead of time and ensure you are on the same page. The number one reason birth plans fail is that expecting parents do not involve their care provider in the process.

Talking to Your Doctor or Midwife

Your care provider is your partner in this process. If you have questions or concerns about cesarean birth, bring them up at your prenatal appointments. You can always ask about the cesarean rate of your provider or the hospital where you plan to deliver. Ask what circumstances would lead your doctor to recommend a cesarean. Ask how they handle situations like a non-progressing labor and whether they try alternatives before moving to surgery.

The more you communicate with your doctor or midwife during pregnancy, the more confident you will be if the conversation comes up during labor. You and your care provider share the same goal: a safe and healthy delivery for both you and your baby. The best birth experiences happen when you work as a team.

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