Proponents of natural child birth have long maintained that giving birth naturally results in better bonding with baby compared to c section births. In fact, women choosing VBAC often cite this as one of the many reasons for making this choice. Mothers who have had a c section may disagree with these statements, but recent research is adding credibility to this long held belief.
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine looked at bonding in mothers and babies with the method of birth. Women were divided into two groups for the study, one group having had vaginal deliveries and the other having c section births.
The study involved the women answering questionnaires and submitting to brain scans at two and three weeks after the babies were born. During the brain scan portion of the study, the mothers listened to recordings of their babies crying during a diaper change. The mothers were interviewed after the scan was completed.
The mothers who had vaginal births had more activity in the brain scan in the area of the brain that is responsible for emotion and empathy. Researchers at Yale believe that hormonal changes in vaginal birth prepare the brain for bonding with baby. Further research is planned in this area to determine if these results hold consistent.
Researchers hope the information can be used to identify and treat women at risk from post partum depression. Although none of the women in the study have this disorder, it has been found to be more prevalent after a c section, leading scientists to wonder about a potential link. This will be studied further by Yale researchers as well.
Does this mean you won’t bond with your baby after a c section? Of course not. I have had three vaginal births and one c section and bonded fine with all my kids. So have many other women. However, understanding the link and potentially added risk of post partum depression can help you and your health care provider identify potential risk factors in the event you do need a c section.
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