Find out how to have a positive birth experience with a ‘gentle’ caesarean

“Nature intended birth to be a relational and loving event that bonds the baby to its mother, and experiencing birth in its human dimension offers us a lesson we all sorely need today.”

Verena Schmid – midwife, author and international lecturer.

Gentle Caesarean: an empathic approach to birth

Gentle Caesarean section is an approach to birth that is becoming increasingly popular in the obstetric world. This practice focuses on humanising the caesarean section process by placing the needs and well-being of the mother and baby at the centre of the ‘birth’ event, minimising the clinical and sterile aspect that often defines this procedure.

For many women, a caesarean section can be physically and psychologically stressful and, precisely for this reason, a ‘gentle’ approach helps the mother, the baby and the entire family to have a positive birth experience, even in the event of a surgical procedure.

What is the difference with traditional caesarean section?

Unlike traditional caesarean, where the focus is primarily on removing the baby with as little risk as possible to the mother and unborn child, gentle caesarean focuses on creating a more intimate and warm experience for the family.

With a gentle caesarean section, both parents have the opportunity to experience the birth of their baby; the father/birth partner is welcomed into the operating theatre, which becomes a welcoming environment; the baby is slowly extracted, skin-to-skin contact is allowed straight away, and a physiological time is waited for the cord to be cut… in short, a ‘gentle birth’ for mother and baby!

Key principles of gentle caesarean

1) Active mother participation: If you are a mother-to-be, you will be involved in decisions regarding the caesarean birth process. This involvement gives you a sense of control and empowerment throughout the experience.

2) Warm and welcoming environment: The environment in which a gentle caesarean is performed is designed to be less clinically ‘cold’. Lighting is more dimmed, music can be played, and you can hold the hand of your partner or another person of your choice.

3) Immediate skin-to-skin contact: After birth, the baby is placed directly on you, encouraging early contact. This promotes bonding between mother and baby and supports the newborn’s well-being. The anaesthetist will take care of leaving your hands and chest free, placing IV and heart monitoring in other areas.

4) Minimal mother-baby separation: During a gentle caesarean section, efforts are made to keep the baby as close to the mother as possible, allowing skin-to-skin contact during incision closure and post-operative recovery. The paediatrician’s check-up, in the absence of special conditions or emergencies, can be done safely with the baby on top of you.

5) Delayed cord clamping: The benefits of this practice to encourage newborn cardio-circulatory adaptation are now well known and, in the absence of special conditions or emergencies, it can also be done in the case of a caesarean section.

6) Two-stage extraction of the foetus: after the extraction of the head, the doctors will deliver the body with a very gentle pressure on your abdomen thus mimicking the benefits of chest squeezing as in vaginal delivery. The baby is welcomed in the best possible way, taking care to minimise loud noises and lights as much as possible.

Other considerations:

• You are offered the possibility of witnessing the birth of your baby by lowering the separation sheet. You will not see the incision cut because it is very low, but you will be able to see when your baby is born if you wish.
• It is necessary to adapt the operating theatre to accommodate the adoption of these practices: create enough space to accommodate your birth partner, train the medical staff so that the entire medical team works in unison, create the possibility of listening to music chosen by the parents or relaxation scripts.

Benefits of Gentle Caesarean

A gentle caesarean offers a number of benefits for both mother and baby:

1) Greater mother-baby bonding: Early skin-to-skin contact and minimal mother-baby separation promote a stronger and more immediate bond between mother and baby.

2) Greater mother satisfaction: Mothers who have experienced a gentle caesarean often report greater satisfaction than with a traditional caesarean, in part due to greater participation and support during the procedure.

3) Reduced emotional distress: Creating a more welcoming and supportive environment reduces the emotional distress and anxiety associated with a caesarean.

4) Health benefits for the baby: Early skin-to-skin contact can improve temperature regulation and cardiac stability of the newborn.

5) Promotion of breastfeeding: Early skin-to-skin contact and mother-baby bonding promote breastfeeding, which has numerous health benefits for the baby and mother.

When and where it can be performed

Although gentle caesarean is becoming increasingly accessible in many hospitals, it is a practice that is not yet adopted in all birth centres. It is important that mothers interested in this option discuss their preferences with their medical team in advance, to ensure that they can plan a gentle caesarean section if they wish.

In the case of elective caesarean sections and in the absence of intra-operative complications or foetal pathologies, it is certainly an easier practice to implement than an emergency caesarean section, but it is always a good idea to ask which birth centre near you has this option.

In conclusion, the gentle caesarean section represents a more empathetic and humanised approach to birth through the provision of a warm and welcoming environment, more active involvement of the mother and a greater focus on the well-being of the baby.

Caesarean section, with the right conditions, can be a positive and exciting experience!