Trusting God's Design for Birth: Types of Birth
- Jun 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 9
By: Christine Russell, CPM
Types of Birth
Vaginal – a birth where baby exits through the vagina
Vaginal Birth with Mechanical Assistance – baby is still born through the vagina but with the assistance of either forceps, vacuum, or Odon Device (a sleeve that goes around baby’s head as a gentler way to assist birth).
Surgical – a birth where the baby is removed from the womb through a surgical abdominal incision through a Cesarian Section or C-section. A C-section can be planned or elective, or it can be an emergency (unplanned) C-section. There are different cuts that can be used depending on the circumstances and gestational age of the baby. The most common and safest cut for planning to have a future vaginal birth after Cesarian is the transverse incision or bikini cut where the incision is a small horizontal cut just above the pubic bone. If that cut is made, and the surgeon has a hard time reaching the baby, a vertical extension cut from there might be made making it a T-cut, and sometimes a J extension is made in lieu of the T cut. A classical incision is a vertical incision that opens up a larger area of the uterus and goes further up into the upper segment of the uterus rather than just staying in the lower segment. It carries the greatest risks, especially if you want to have more babies and would want the chance to labor and attempt a vaginal birth again. There are also different types or styles of how a C-section is done (different than the incision):
1. Traditional C-section – typical OR setting, drape prevents mom from seeing baby be born, often, arms are tied to boards to keep a mom from moving while surgery occurs. The baby is taken immediately to the warmer for assessment or a mom is qiven a quick glance before baby is taken to the warmer. This is typically the only option for an unplanned/emergency C-section. Typically, an epidural or spinal is placed so the woman can be awake for the birth, but in a true medical emergency where there is no time to place one, if one isn’t already in place, the woman will be put under general anesthesia and be unconscious for the birth. The father would also not be allowed to be present for the birth if the mom is put under general anesthesia.
2. Gentle C-section (Family-Centered) – often the lights aren’t as bright, mom can often play her own selected music, and her arms are free so she can hold her baby right away. Usually, a clear drape or an immediately dropped drape once baby is born allows mom to see her baby right away. The baby is usually born slowly allowing for compression of chest and drainage of amniotic fluid mocking the physiologic process of a vaginal birth. If the baby is stable at birth, the baby is then placed skin to skin with mom while she’s being sutured back up.
3. Mom-assisted C-section – the most rare kinds of C-sections where the mom is surgically scrubbed in and given sterile gloves that she keeps in the sterile field so that she can assist in the birth of her baby once the surgeon has the baby out to the shoulders and can then place her baby on her upper abdomen or chest immediately. Not many OBs/delivery teams are willing to do this, but it’s a beautiful thing when they do allow it.
Induced Birth – Labor that is started with medication like Misoprostol (Cytotec) or Pitocin, AROM (artificial rupture of membranes or breaking the water with an amnihook), Foley Bulb Catheter (inserted through partially open cervix and balloon inserted to put pressure on the cervix – falls out once dilated enough – usually around 3-4cm). A less forceful way to induce is with a membrane sweep (membrane stripping/stretch & sweep) where a finger or 2 is placed through a partially dilated cervix and the space between the amniotic sac and cervix is swept in a means to “stir the pot” or hormones coming off of baby’s head in addition to a gentle stretching of the cervix in the hopes of causing cramping, which could then lead to contractions. This method is only successful if the cervix is ripe for birth and the body ready. Typically, you would be going into labor naturally within a few days anyway, if this method does work. Other natural ways to “induce” include nipple stimulation, sexual intercourse, and taking castor oil, but these are not true induction methods.
Note: Misoprostol (Cytotec) and Pitocin have increased risks of putting baby into distress or causing a uterine rupture, leading to emergency C-sections and life-threatening situations for babies and moms.
Spontaneous Birth – a birth that progresses in labor naturally on its own without help or augmentation.
Augmented Birth – a birth in which Pitocin or other drugs are used to help encourage contractions to continue to facilitate birth. Note: Pitocin in labor (to augment or induce) is a big cause of fetal distress, leading to C-sections. Pitocin also increases the risk for a uterine rupture because it doesn’t allow the body to decide when or how hard to contract. Additional Note: You can augment birth with herbs, but there are fewer risks with that because the herbs allow your body to respond to them or not respond to them, rather than forcing the body to do something it can't choose to not do.
Physiologic Birth – a birth in which mom freely moves around in response to her baby to be able to labor and push her baby out. Often, this means mom is in an upright position or on hands and knees, but ultimately, it’s a mom’s ultimate choice of laboring/pushing positions. This is a spontaneous birth that happens from start to finish naturally and without medical intervention.
Epidural Birth – a labor/birth in which an IV catheter is placed in the epidural space through the spine so that anesthesia can be place through the catheter to numb the body from the waist down. The amount of anesthesia placed determines how much or how little a woman feels. Sometimes they will put in minimal medication for what is called a standing epidural, where the pain of labor is lessened, but a mom could potentially stand with assistance or squat because she can feel her legs enough to do so. Sometimes the amount of medication is lessened with 2nd stage (pushing) so that a mom can feel enough pressure to know how to effectively push her baby. Often with an epidural, a woman is left to “labor down” her baby because she doesn’t feel the urge to push, allowing the contractions to get baby lower before the mom is told to push, so she doesn’t have to actively push so long. The medication used is typically a combination of a local anesthetic and an opioid (fentanyl). The opioid can cause the baby’s respiratory drive to be suppressed and both mom and baby would test positive in a drug test for narcotics.
Links to all posts in the Trusting God's Design for Birth series:
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