What Is a C-Section?

Ages 3-5 Simple Explanation

You know how there are different ways to get somewhere -- like walking, riding in a car, or taking a bus? Well, there are different ways for a baby to be born too! Most babies come out through a special opening in the mommy's body, but some babies come out a different way, through the mommy's tummy. That is called a C-section.

You know how doctors help people feel better when they are sick? Doctors also help mommies have babies! During a C-section, a doctor makes a very small opening in the mommy's tummy and gently lifts the baby out. The mommy gets special medicine so she does not feel any pain at all.

You know how when you get a little scrape, your body heals it? The mommy's body heals too! After the doctor takes the baby out, they carefully close up the opening, and the mommy's body starts healing right away. The mommy might need a little extra rest afterward, but she will be okay.

You know how the most important thing about a birthday party is that everyone has fun, no matter what kind of party it is? The most important thing about being born is that the baby and mommy are safe, no matter how the baby comes out! Lots and lots of babies are born by C-section, and they are just as healthy and wonderful as any other baby.

Ages 6-8 More Detail

A C-section is a type of surgery that doctors use to deliver a baby. The full name is "cesarean section." Instead of the baby coming out through the birth canal, the doctor makes a small cut in the mother's lower belly and another cut in the uterus. Then the doctor reaches in and carefully lifts the baby out.

Doctors choose to do a C-section when it is the safest way to deliver the baby. This might happen if the baby is in an unusual position (like feet-first instead of headfirst), if the baby is very large, if there are twins or more, or if the mother or baby is having health issues during labor. Sometimes a C-section is planned ahead of time, and sometimes it is decided during labor.

Before the surgery, the mother gets medicine called anesthesia that numbs the lower half of her body. She is awake during the surgery but cannot feel any pain. A curtain is placed across her belly so she does not have to watch the surgery. The whole procedure usually takes less than an hour, and the baby is often out within the first ten minutes.

After the baby is delivered, the doctor carefully stitches the uterus and belly closed. The mother will need several weeks to heal from the surgery. She might feel sore around the cut for a while, but the doctor gives her medicine to help with the pain. Most mothers feel much better within a few weeks.

C-sections are very common -- about one out of every three babies born in the United States is delivered by C-section. Many mothers who have C-sections are able to hold their babies right after surgery, just like mothers who have vaginal births. However a baby is born, the result is the same: a wonderful new person joining the family.

Ages 9-12 Full Explanation

A cesarean section, commonly called a C-section, is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through an incision (cut) in the mother's abdomen and uterus. It is one of the two main ways babies are born, the other being vaginal birth. C-sections are performed when doctors determine that a vaginal delivery could be risky for the mother, the baby, or both. About 30 to 32 percent of all births in the United States are C-sections, making it a very routine procedure.

There are many reasons a doctor might recommend a C-section. The baby might be in a breech position (feet or bottom first instead of headfirst), which can make vaginal delivery difficult. The baby might be too large to pass safely through the birth canal. There might be problems with the placenta, such as it covering the cervix (called placenta previa). Sometimes labor stalls and the cervix does not open enough despite strong contractions. In emergency situations, a C-section can be done quickly if the baby or mother shows signs of distress.

Before a planned C-section, the mother is given regional anesthesia -- usually a spinal block or epidural -- which numbs her body from the chest down. She stays awake throughout the surgery and can hear and see her baby being born. The surgical team cleans the area and makes a horizontal cut (sometimes called a "bikini cut") just above the pubic bone. They then cut through the layers of tissue to reach the uterus, open it, and gently lift the baby out. The baby is usually delivered within the first 10 to 15 minutes.

Once the baby is out, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, and the baby is handed to the medical team for a quick checkup. In many hospitals, the baby is then placed on the mother's chest for skin-to-skin contact while the surgeon closes the incision. Closing takes longer than the delivery itself, usually about 30 to 45 minutes, as the doctor carefully stitches the uterus and each layer of tissue back together.

Recovery from a C-section takes longer than recovery from a vaginal birth because it is a major surgery. Most mothers stay in the hospital for two to four days afterward. They may feel soreness around the incision for several weeks and are advised to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity during healing. However, most mothers recover fully within six to eight weeks and go on to care for their babies just like any other new parent.