In 2021, 36.7 per cent of pregnant women in New South Wales had a caesarean birth. Yet most were denied the chance to have a maternal-assisted caesarean section, as they are not common practice in our hospital system. But they should be.

A maternal-assisted caesarean birth is a mode of delivery that allows the mother to be actively involved in her birth. This method allows the mother to reach down to help pull her baby out of her womb and lift her baby straight onto her chest for immediate skin-to-skin contact. Empowering women to be more involved in their caesarean births will lead to a warmer and more positive experience for mothers in an environment that can be seen as clinical, cold and unnerving.

Maternal-assisted caesarean sections also demonstrate improvements in maternal and neonatal wellbeing, including early commencement of breastfeeding and delayed cord clamping. When we give our women birthing options and when we support their informed decisions, we see new mothers entering the postpartum period with a sense of pride and contentment, and that paves the way for positive mental health in motherhood. Maternal-assisted caesareans provide women with options and ultimately, it is what women want, and deserve, when they prepare to birth their babies.

Jessica Plater, midwife