Cesarean Sections

January 13 is National Cesarean Section Day, a time to recognize the millions of people who have brought life into the world through this surgical delivery and the very real emotions that can come with it.

As a reproductive psychiatrist, I sit in the tension every day: c-sections are often life-saving, and they can also be scary, unexpected, and deeply emotional. Many of my patients are left navigating not only physical recovery, but also emotional aftermath including feelings of fear, guilt, or even trauma.

So let’s talk about it.

Let’s start here: C-sections are birth.

Whether your cesarean was scheduled, chosen, or emergent, your body still grew a baby, and you still brought that baby into the world. I've heard of c-sections being called a "moon roof birth" and that made me chuckle!

C-sections can be life-saving for both mother and baby. They are a crucial option in modern obstetrics and sometimes the safest way forward. You don’t need to justify that to anyone. We can also acknowledge there are times where c-sections might be overused, coerced, or otherwise misused in medical settings, but that isn't the point of this article.

The point is: your birth story and your feelings about it are valid, no matter how it unfolded.

Here’s what I hear from patients again and again:

• “I felt powerless, it was really scary.”
• “No one explained what was happening.”
• “I’m grateful my baby is okay… but I’m not.”

All of those feelings are real.

Just because a c-section was medically indicated doesn’t mean it wasn’t emotionally difficult. The sterile environment, the lack of control, the hurried decision-making, and even the physical restraints all of this can activate your nervous system and become traumatic. Even if the environment was supportive if you had imaged another scenario, say immediate skin-to-skin, and you didn't get the opportunity to do what you imagined you can still go through a grief process for the experience you didn't get. Even if the one you had was "fine."

And if you felt dismissed, unsupported, or afraid during or after your delivery? That can be a form of birth trauma. You’re not overreacting, and you’re not alone. It is well known in the medical community that a c-section is major surgery. But I'm not sure the general societal consensus understands this! A lot of time I've heard patients being told they "took the easy way out" or "should be grateful" that they didn't have the difficulties associated with a vaginal birth. Sometimes pregnant people fully dilate, partially dilate or even go through extensive time pushing before the decision is made to go for a c-section. They're not mutually exclusive! So not only are new parents left dealing with the physical impact of major surgery while caring for an infant but they're also dealing with invalidation from others about how hard it is!

Research shows that people who have unplanned or emergency cesarean deliveries may be at increased risk of PTSD and postpartum depression.

You deserve support not just for your incision, but for your whole self, especially if you're struggling with what happened.

What you can do today:

One of the most damaging things we can do to ourselves is invalidate our pain because “others have it worse” or “at least the baby is okay.” So what you can do today is learn to hold two truths.

Yes, gratitude is powerful. But grief is allowed here too.
You can love your child and feel sad about how they were born.
You can be proud of yourself and wish things had gone differently.

Both can be true. And honoring both is part of healing.

If you’re struggling after a c-section, here’s what can help:

• Talk about it: Whether with a therapist, a support group, or someone you trust, telling your birth story can help make sense of the experience.
• Validate your experience: Trauma isn’t just about what happened; it’s about how your body and brain interpreted it.
• Seek care: This can include therapy, medication, or both. Other options like support groups can be helpful as well.
• Connect with others: Finding other parents with similar experiences can be deeply healing. You are not the only one. After thousands of visits with new parents I can tell you this is absolutely tue.

To everyone who has had a cesarean section: I see you.

I see your courage. I see your grief. I see the strength it took to walk into (or be wheeled into) that OR, to lay down, to endure, to hold on.

You didn’t take the “easy way out.” You took the way that brought you and your baby here safely..that is the truest root of motherhood.

And that’s something worth honoring.

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If you're looking for a place to start give us a call at (512) 982-4116 or request an appointment here and our team will help guide you. We are available via telehealth to anyone in Texas.

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