Meeting the challenge of cesarean births

This article presents a perspective aimed at helping nurses achieve family-centered cesarean births that meet the needs of health-care consumers. It begins by discussing the concept of loss as it relates to cesarean births along with the need for parents to receive support in order to achieve acceptance of the experience. Parents' needs to have control over their birthing experience are then reviewed and the choices concerning type of anesthetic and the father's presence during the cesarean delivery are discussed in some detail. The impact of the birthing experience on readiness for discharge and long-term effects are briefly discussed and finally, a list of possible choices and suggestions aimed specifically at helping nurses are also presented.