Today, Caesarean sections (C-sections) make up almost a third of all births. Sometimes this is due to complications with a vaginal delivery that make an emergency C-section possible, but more and more women are electing to deliver their babies via C-section. There are pros and cons to both types of delivery, so it is important to weigh your options before you choose which delivery is right for you and your baby.

C-Section Vaginal Delivery
Has a longer recovery time; mothers who deliver this way usually stay in the hospital for 4 days, and their body will take about 6 weeks to fully heal. Has a shorter recovery time; mothers can leave the hospital usually the same day they give birth.
Have to wait to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby until after the surgery is over; this can impact the mother-baby bonding process. Can have skin-to-skin contact with your baby directly after giving birth.
For non-emergent C-sections, mothers are able to know exactly when they will give birth and how long it will take. Labor can last anywhere from 3 hours to 19 hours, giving an amount of uncertainty about how long it will take to deliver the baby.
Babies are more likely to have medical issues such as allergies and respiratory issues. Babies are less likely to have medical issues such as allergies and respiratory issues.
Mothers have to wait until after surgery is over to breastfeed their baby. Mothers can breastfeed their baby soon after giving birth.
Does not damage the pelvic floor, but does leave a large scar on the mother’s abdomen from the incision site. Damages the pelvic floor, leading to urine leakages for years after giving birth.
If the mother has certain sexually transmitted diseases like HIV or herpes, it is not likely at all that she will pass the disease onto her child with a C-section delivery. If the mother has certain sexually transmitted diseases like HIV or herpes, it is more likely she will pass the disease onto her child with vaginal delivery.
No damage to the pelvic floor if giving birth to multiples or large babies. More damage to the pelvic floor if giving birth to multiples or large babies.
Major surgery, so it comes with higher risk of infection. Does not increase the mother’s risk for infection.
Sometimes leads to mothers not being able to opt for vaginal birth in the future. Does not affect future birthing options.

As you can see, there are lots of factors to consider when deciding between your delivery options. If you need help deciding if a C-section or vaginal delivery is best for you, schedule an appointment at Mt. Auburn today to discuss your delivery options.