Natural childbirth after a caesarean: how long does it take?
Natural childbirth after a caesarean section is possible. But Qhow much time must pass between a caesarean and a subsequent natural birth? And what are the risks, if any? The doubts in this case are many, and it is worth investigating the topic to find answers.
When can it be done?
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Natural childbirth after a cesarean is possible under certain conditions. Both mother and baby must have had a smooth or difficult pregnancy, and be particularly healthy. Here are the conditions necessary to have a natural birth if previously there was a caesarean:
- the mother has only a transverse scar and not a vertical one due to the caesarean section
- the pregnancy was without problems neither for the mother nor for the baby
- the reason for having a caesarean in the previous pregnancy disappeared
- labor begins naturally
Whenever possible, we try to privilege the natural birth at the caesarean for several reasons. A natural birth does not preclude the possibility of other pregnancies, while already after two caesareans a mother should be careful. The parturient must be offered the opportunity to go into labor before deciding on a possible caesarean section and in any case the woman must be informed about the risks and benefits of both parties.
The advantages of a natural birth compared to a caesarean section
Besides the fact that a natural birth does not preclude future pregnancies, there are other benefits as well. For a woman, being able to be vigilant during childbirth is an exceptional experience, especially in the final phase because she can immediately see her child and hug him. The woman, thanks to the epidural, can then live the experience without feeling pain. Natural childbirth carries less risk of bleeding, infection and physical consequences, but there are cases in which choosing natural childbirth is just not possible. At the last minute, or by scheduling it earlier, a caesarean delivery will always be the last safety option to resort to.
The pains of natural childbirth: how to deal with them?
Natural childbirth involves much feared pains, but these can be reduced through various methods. Which are the most used, and which are the most alternative ones? What can mom do to help herself? Tata Simona tells us everything in this video.
Natural childbirth after a caesarean: the risks not to be underestimated
Natural childbirth has several advantages over a caesarean, it is true, but mothers must also be aware of the risks they face. Here are the main consequences:
- risk of having to resort to an emergency caesarean: something goes wrong during labor, or one of the reasons arises that forces you to resort to a caesarean in any case
- uterine infections: if you have to resort to a last minute caesarean, instead of having it scheduled, there is a risk of uterine infections and complications due to the "emergency operation"
- laceration of the "uterus: where" was the scar of the previous cesarean, the uterus could be weaker and easier to lacerate. To avoid complications and bleeding, doctors could still decide to resort to the cesarean
- weakening of the pelvic floor: the weight and pressure of the baby may weaken the pelvic floor during the expulsive phase of labor, resulting in temporary incontinence
When can't it be done?
There are cases where a mother cannot resort to natural childbirth after having undergone a caesarean section. The main reasons are:
- the mother has a vertical scar from the previous cesarean
- the reasons that led to the first caesarean recurrence (health problems of the mother or baby)
- the baby is behind schedule and there is no sign of contractions or labor
- the baby is too big for the pelvis
- there have already been two caesarean deliveries and the mother never gave birth naturally
- the mother is obese
- a previous natural birth has torn the uterus or created complications
- the birth is twins
- the position of the child is breech or abnormal
Natural childbirth after a caesarean section: after how long is it possible?
How long does it take between a caesarean section and a subsequent natural birth? Experts say at least a year must pass between a cesarean and the start of a subsequent pregnancy. The most feared problem of these cases is the possibility of rupture of the uterus, but studies show that if you know how to wait, and respect the times between births, the uterus returns to being that of the first pregnancy. In general, therefore, calculating the time needed between birth and a subsequent pregnancy, with 9 months of gestation, the ideal would be to wait two years, to be completely sure not to incur risks and complications.
