A new trend is afoot in the delivery room – meet the gentle c-section. Designed for women who have scheduled (non emergency) cesarean deliveries, the gentle c-section is designed to make moms feel more connected to birth & baby. Details vary by patient & hospital, but elements of the “gentle” procedure include:

• Placing the baby directly on the mother’s chest after delivery (babies are typically taken away for suctioning mucus)
• Not strapping mom’s arms to the table
• Adding a mirror so mom can see the baby come out
• Removing the drape covering mom’s tummy
• A clear & thorough play-by-play of what’s going on during the surgery

What do you think? Would you opt for a gentle c-section? Have you had a c-section? Was it “gentle?”