Being pregnant is an experience most women never forget and traditionally pass down to their daughters in the form of advice and fond memories. However, for many women, pregnancy can be a traumatic, frightening time due to the anticipation of a painful delivery. Some women are nervous during pregnancy due to external circumstances and stress. For the woman that is anticipating a natural delivery, the unexpected need for an emergency caesarean delivery can be devastating.

I Am Woman

Giving birth for most women is an act that empowers their self-confidence and self-esteem. Many women feel less than a 'real woman' if they are unable to carry a child and give birth naturally. For the woman expecting and looking forward to a natural delivery, a caesarean delivery takes from them the empowering excitement and feelings of giving birth to new life. An unexpected caesarean can cause many women to experience side effects like severe depression and unrelenting postpartum blues.

How Caesarean Delivery Can Impact The Role Of A New Mother

One aspect of caesarean deliveries is recovery and healing time. Mothers giving birth naturally have fewer days of painful recovery and healing, thus allowing them to attend to the needs of their newborn without incident. For mothers recovering from a caesarean delivery, the first few days of caring for their new baby can be limited due to incision pain and to the side effects of pain medication. Bonding with a newborn for mothers recovering from caesarean surgery can seem strained and painful, causing depression, frustration and anger.

Spousal Issues Are Common

While the physical pain of a caesarean procedure goes away, the psychological effects can last a lot longer. For many new fathers, the anger and anxiety experienced by a mother recovering from a caesarean can be too much. Due to the feelings of low esteem and damaged ego many women experience after a cesarean, they feel as though their partners do not look at them the same way as before the birth. While most men do not consider these kinds of thoughts, it does not change how a woman may feel about herself after this type of child birth experience. How a new mother regards her self-image can have a huge impact on her partner and other family members, causing a great deal of anger and stress that generally affects the entire family.

If you are recovering from a cesarean delivery or have recently learned you will have one, always remember it does make you less than a true woman. Looking at the benefits of a cesarean can help you come to terms with it. Discuss with an obstetrician or gynecologist at a clinic like Women First OBGYN the benefits of having a caesarean delivery.