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One of the doubts that most arise among pregnant women, especially among those on the first trip, is about the length of stay in each delivery. Many are afraid of spending too much time in the maternity ward, while others simply have no idea how the recovery period works.
The great truth is that this length of hospital stay will vary according to the type of delivery and the condition that the woman and the baby have. It is quite common for women to be discharged about 24 hours after delivery , both in normal and in cases of cesarean surgery.
But each of them can generate complications that can make the woman need to stay a little longer in the maternity ward. But to know this, we need to know the differences between the two types of delivery.
Main Differences between Normal and Cesarean Delivery
The biggest differences are in the time of labor, pain and recovery. Often the type of delivery is chosen by the pregnant woman together with her obstetrician doctor months before the baby is born, but circumstances can change this decision.
It is important to note that all this can vary a lot, from woman to woman and from pregnancy to pregnancy, that is, the same woman can have very different births.
Among the main differences between normal and cesarean delivery we will talk about:
- Woman’s recovery
- Postpartum pain
- Labor time
- Breast-feeding
Women’s Recovery
The woman’s recovery after the baby is born will vary greatly from the type of delivery that was performed. Normally, in normal childbirth women recover more easily and can return to normal activities in a short time, but this can vary depending on whether or not there was a perineum cut, the one made between the vagina and the anus. In this case the recovery time is a little longer and the woman needs to take some extra care.
In cesarean delivery, however, women take longer to recover and generally need hospitalization. This happens mainly because of the cut in the belly, which has a longer healing time, and can also make women feel more pain in the postpartum period.
The cesarean sections are usually removed after 10 days, so it is necessary to wait this time to be able to take weight and make movements that force the abdominal region.
Postpartum Pain
Postpartum pain is most felt by women who have had a cesarean delivery, as they have to deal with a relatively large scar. However, women who had a natural birth with the cut in the perineum may also experience pain as this is a very sensitive region. In such cases, doctors may recommend pain relievers to relieve pain during the first few days.
Labor Time
The time of labor also changes according to the type of delivery that will be performed. In natural births, this time is longer and can last for an entire day . This is because it is necessary to wait for contractions and for increased dilation.
Women who are in their first pregnancy and will have a normal birth usually have a longer labor, but as we said earlier this is not a rule and can vary from pregnant woman to pregnant woman. Although delivery is normal, it is common to apply anesthesia that can facilitate the process of contraction and dilation .
If there is no interference during childbirth, such as the application of anesthesia, inductions and cuts, childbirth is called natural and not normal.
Cesarean delivery, on the other hand , has very short labor, around one hour . What can make cesarean delivery last longer are complications that can happen on the spot. As it is a surgery, the woman receives an anesthesia.
Most of the time the spinal or epidural, which in a short time makes the pregnant woman feel nothing from the waist down. The woman stays awake and feels no pain during the procedure.
Breast-feeding
According to WHO, World Health Organization, the baby should be breastfed in the first hour of life. However, what happens is that in many cases this is only possible in natural childbirth, where the first feeding normally occurs within the first 5 hours of the baby’s life.
In the case of women who underwent cesarean delivery, in addition to being more debilitated and still under the effect of anesthesia, milk may take longer to come. In such cases, babies will not breastfeed until later.
Reasons for Prolonged Hospitalization
In cases of normal delivery, it is common to see mothers leaving with their babies between 24 and 48 hours after birth. This happens when there were no complications during and after delivery and when the baby is of sufficient weight and both are in good health.
In the case of mothers who have had a cesarean delivery, it is necessary to stay at least 72 hours in the hospital, as they have undergone a surgical procedure and need to be under observation for some time, not to mention that the pain prevents the woman from leaving normally soon after delivery. Therefore, what will define the length of stay in each delivery is precisely the type of delivery that was performed.
Maternity Monitoring
After delivery, it is then necessary to assess the condition and health of the mother and baby. Follow-up in the maternity ward is necessary for the next few hours to assess the woman’s recovery after childbirth, especially in the case of cesarean delivery in which the mother has undergone a more aggressive procedure.
Which Type of Childbirth to Choose?
In Brazil, more than 50% of deliveries are cesarean, while the WHO recommended is a maximum of 15%. However, the type of delivery is often not just a matter of choice, but the type that will bring less risk to the baby’s birth.
When having a healthy pregnancy , natural childbirth is recommended , but when there is a pregnancy that presented a problem, cesarean section should be the best option.
In most cases, women are able to have a natural birth, but many end up preferring to go through a shorter and less painful birth and others are induced by the medical team to choose a cesarean delivery.
The truth is that the cesarean should only be recommended in some specific cases, such as when the baby is over 4 kg, when the cord is around the neck, when the placenta or low placenta is displaced , when the baby is in a position that makes it difficult their departure during normal birth, or when the woman has some diseases such as diabetes and hypertension or had a problem during pregnancy.
Often the type of delivery that must be done ends up being imposed on the woman, making her not have the power to decide. Unfortunately this happens in some cases due to complications or illnesses that make the baby or even the woman at risk.
However, in general, the main doubts about the moment of delivery are quite common and the length of stay in each delivery is one of the most frequent. During pregnancy, this feeling of anxiety about wanting to know how everything is going to happen is quite common too.
But researching and knowing what are the possible complications in each type of delivery is interesting so that the woman is better prepared for any eventuality.
See also: Pain in the Belly After Cesarean
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
