Birth Team
In a Nutshell
The birth of your child can be one of the most amazing, challenging, intimate, and vulnerable experiences of your life. Choosing who will be present is a personal decision and not one to be taken lightly!
Some people feel most comfortable surrounded by all their closest friends and family, while some want it to be just them and their partner. There is no right or wrong answer. Some people also hire birth professionals called doulas who can guide you through labor, birth, and life with your new baby. A doula provides support and education for you and your partner but does not provide any medical care.
With a cesarean birth, you will be limited in who can be with you during the actual birth. But you will want to consider who is at the hospital with you before and after the birth. You may want personal time with your partner and baby afterwards rather than feeling rushed because people are waiting.
Depending on where you are birthing, you may have medical students who wish to be present during your cesarean birth. It's 100% up to you wheter or not you allow students into the operating room. Also, if you've had midwifery care up until your cesarean birth, your midwife may be able to assist the doctor during surgery.
Your Selection
Allow Students
Your care team may include midwives, doctors, residents (doctors in training), labor nurses, nursing students, nursery nurses, NICU team (if baby is having issues), etc. Residents have already graduated from medical school and are actively managing patient care. Medical students are in the process of medical school and they mostly observe. Midwifery students have typically completed coursework and are now training with a staff midwife. Nursing students are in nursing school and are supervised. You may be comfortable allowing students the opportunity to learn from you and your birth. You may want to allow students but have a say in who, how many, or when. Or you may want privacy.