How the Caesareans differ from ordinary children

First of all, you need to understand that caesarean can be different: planned and emergency. They cannot be compared, because the indications for operations are different in each case.

“In both cases, the child may be born with some peculiarities simply because he is not ready to be born at the very moment at which the birth was planned. After all, it depends on the child when the contractions begin, he gives the signal to start labor. This happens at the moment when his body is fully ready to function in new conditions and has accumulated enough strength to pave its way to life, ”explains Olga Parshikova, a neonatologist.  

But babies who were born with the help of an operation still have something in common. We counted several differences between naturally born babies and Caesareans.

1. Head shape

During natural childbirth, the baby’s head passes through a very narrow birth canal. Therefore, the bones of the skull move to allow it to squeeze outward. That is why fontanelles on the baby’s head do not overgrow in the womb, it will take several months after birth. Due to the pressure of the mother’s pelvic muscles on the head, the crumbs also form swelling, they are needed to protect the brain from outside influences. And during a cesarean, nothing like that happens. Therefore, the child’s head does not change its shape, it remains round.

2. Breathing problems

All because of the same pressure that the baby experiences in the birth canal, amniotic fluid is squeezed out of his lungs. This is necessary so that the child can take the first independent breath, once in the airy environment. Caesarians are not subjected to such pressure, therefore the first breath can be given to them with great difficulty.

“With a cesarean section and with a rapid birth, some of the amniotic fluid does not have time to be absorbed into the blood. This can lead to the development of fetal fluid retardation syndrome, temporary tachypnea of ​​the newborn. In such a state, the baby is given oxygen, and it goes away in 3-4 days, ”pediatrician Ilya Sotnikov told the portal Parents.ru.

3. Birth trauma less often, surgical trauma more often

Natural childbirth lasts hours, caesarean section – minutes. It is no wonder that during the first time the baby can get more injuries – from hypoxia to mechanical damage. But during a cesarean, a child can be cut – such cases are very rare, but still happen.

4. The Apgar score may be reduced

Children on the Apgar scale are assessed several times: in the first minute of life, in the fifth minute and, if necessary, even later. The first estimates of Caesareans may be slightly lower precisely because of breathing problems and possible surgical injuries.

5. On the third day, the baby becomes lethargic.

This is completely normal. The fact is that the child’s body is not yet fully ripe for autonomous work. His hormonal system has not yet produced enough substances to make the child feel vigorous and behave accordingly. For the first few days, the baby lives on hormones, borrowed from the mother’s body, as it were. Then they end, and they still have to accumulate.

6. Difficulty with breastfeeding

Milk after cesarean section comes later. In addition, the mother and the baby spend the first hours after childbirth separately – she needs to recover after anesthesia, and the child needs to adapt to the new temperature regime. But first, the baby will still be put on the mother’s chest so that he can grab the first drops of colostrum, which are necessary for immunity. And this moment is very important for the emotional connection between mother and child.

7. Disrupted gut microbiome

Scientists have made this discovery relatively recently. When the baby passes through the birth canal, it takes the mother’s microflora with it. In the case of cesarean, this does not happen. Now doctors are looking for ways to solve this problem: usually the situation improves when the child is 6-9 months old, but scientists believe that microflora disorders can have long-term consequences.

8. May have difficulties with cognitive development

In a study by Australian scientists published in 2017, important conclusions were made: it turns out that at the age of 8-9 years, differences between Caesareans and ordinary children can appear. They relate to how a child learns mathematics. For example, schoolchildren born with the help of Caesarean do a little worse with arithmetic. Scientists attribute this to the consequences of a disturbance in the intestinal microbiota and problems with breastfeeding in the first weeks and months of a child’s life.

9. Reduced immunity

Scientists have not yet come to a consensus on this point. But there are more and more arguments in favor of the fact that due to the violation of the intestinal microflora in Caesarean children, immunity decreases.

“Perhaps the immune systems of these children are tuned differently from the beginning. They are statistically more likely to have chronic inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders and associated obesity, allergies, asthma, ”says Dr. Paul Wilms, head of the Eco-System Biology research group at the University of Luxembourg.  

9. Infant mortality is higher

American scientists have found that babies born by caesarean section are more likely to die in the first four weeks of life; the study was published in 2006. Moreover, if the cesarean was not done to the mother for the first time, the risk of sudden infant death increases even more.

10. Behavioral problems

Another difference that may appear over the years is that Caesarean children are more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. No, this does not mean that such babies are prone to autism – the spectrum is very wide, and it may include, for example, disorders such as dysgraphia and dyslexia.

The stars who had to have a cesarean section: see photos in the gallery