Taking the Fear out of a C-Section

Missing Out?

Fear #3: I'll be robbed of the experience of giving birth.

Although c-section moms don't experience a traditional delivery, they are still able to witness the birth of their child and share in those first precious minutes. I remember Austin's birth as one of the best moments of my life. I will never forget the sound of my son's first hearty cries and the sight of his wiggly little body, just a few seconds old, appearing from behind the curtain that hung between my head and the rest of me.

A few mothers I met were disappointed (one mom was even in a c-section support group). But most, like me, were focused on the joy of having delivered a healthy baby.

"I knew I was having a cesarean section," says Heidi Marcus, a Weston, Connecticut, mom, "but I didn't feel deprived at all. I have a wonderful son."

Dr. Flamm points out that women must not blame themselves if their labor doesn't go as planned. "A c-section is not a failure," he says, "even though a lot of medical terminology makes it sound that way."

Sherri Bayles, a New York City-based certified Lamaze instructor, lactation consultant, and registered nurse, agrees: "The important thing is to have a healthy baby -- it doesn't matter how he gets here."