Making Surgical Birth a More Intimate Experience

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 31 percent of deliveries are done by cesarean, making it the most common surgery performed at U.S. hospitals. Vaginal birth is still safer, and the preferred method, but there are numerous reasons a cesarean section may be necessary-from breech presentation or fetal distress to complications for the mother. However, sometimes a cesarean birth is necessary, and for women who need or choose to undergo C-section, Sentara Martha Jefferson does everything possible to enhance the experience and help parents feel connected to their baby in the first moments of life outside the womb. That's why Sentara Martha Jefferson recently introduced the concept of a gentle C-section. A distinct feature of the gentle Csection is the use of a "clear drape," a device that allows the mother and her partner to watch as the baby is born. Unlike the opaque blue surgical drapesused in other procedures, the clear drape has a sterile, clear portion through which the mother can observe her baby's arrival, facilitating a" natural cesarean delivery."

To give the mother and birth partner a view of the baby's birth, the surgeon simply lets down the colored section of the drape seconds before pulling the baby out of the uterus. The colored section of the drape is then raised again before the surgeon completes the procedure. In addition, after the baby has been born, it is brought over to the mother for immediate skin-to-skin contact to further strengthen the mother-baby bond.

"A lot of women feel that if they have a C-section, they're missing out on that emotional feeling that comes from watching their baby being born, as they would be able to do with a vaginal birth," says Tina Connell, BSN, RNC-OB, clinical nurse manager for the hospital's Obstetrics Unit. "Some women who have a C-section feel let down by the experience, and may feel like they weren't able to bond with their baby-which may actually contribute to the onset of postpartum depression. For those who wish to have the experience of a vaginal birth, we're trying to move more of those elements into the OR. We hope the use of the clear drape and skin-to-skin contact will enhance the delivery experience for our Csection patients and increase bonding between mother and baby."

While the clear drapes and skin-toskin time are important features of the gentle C-section, other elements can also be employed to help make the approach a positive experience for patients and their partners. For instance, soft lighting and calming music (according to the patient's choice) in the OR can help to create a relaxed atmosp here. Additionally, the OB-GYNcandelay umbilical cord clamping, which may reduce the risk for newborn anemia by boosting hemoglobin levels at birth. Of course, mothers and birth partners can opt for any or all of these options, as they see fit-there's no one right way to do a gentle C-section.

Putting Momsand Newborns First

Any patient having a C-section - whether planned ahead of time or made necessary due to a sudden complication - should consult with her doctor, if she may be interested in the gentle C-section option. Safety is always the first consideration, but the obstetrics team does everything possible to make the birth experience pleasant and memorable. Dr. Kelly Owens of Jefferson OB notes that the gentle C-section also ties in well with Sentara Martha Jefferson's Caring Tradition and can give mothers a sense of well-being by connecting them with their newborns immediately following birth.

"Sentara Martha Jefferson is very patient and mom-friendly," says Dr. Owens. "We do everything possible to accommodate our patients' wishes for their birth experiences. The gentle C-section approach helps make a surgical procedure a little less stressful and a little less clinical, so that the mother and her birth partner can feel more relaxed and enjoy bonding time with their newborn." Barboursville resident Kiersten Cole recently discovered the difference a gentle C-section can make. After having an emergency cesarean birth with her first child, Dr. Owens offered the option for a gentle c-section. Despite being a surgical procedure, Cole's second cesarean section, felt more like a traditional birth in the laborand delivery room. "Connor's delivery was perfect," Cole says. "The gentle C-section experience was calm and memorable. It was a much less stressful event than my first C-section, and this time I was able to enjoy the experience of meeting our little one. "Seeing our little man through the clear drape immediately after he was born made me feel like I gave birth naturally, rather than just having undergone surgery," says Cole. "They held him up as they pulled him out so that I could see him. It was emotional, and I cried-but it was a happy cry."