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How are c sections done


C-section - Mayo Clinic

Overview

Cesarean delivery (C-section) is used to deliver a baby through surgical incisions made in the abdomen and uterus.

Planning for a C-section might be necessary if there are certain pregnancy complications. Women who have had a C-section might have another C-section. Often, however, the need for a first-time C-section isn' clear until after labor starts.

If you're pregnant, knowing what to expect during and after a C-section can help you prepare.

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Why it's done

Health care providers might recommend a C-section if:

  • Labor isn't progressing normally. Labor that isn't progressing (labor dystocia) is one of the most common reasons for a C-section. Issues with labor progression include prolonged first stage (prolonged dilation or opening of the cervix) or prolonged second stage (prolonged time of pushing after complete cervical dilation).
  • The baby is in distress. Concern about changes in a baby's heartbeat might make a C-section the safest option.
  • The baby or babies are in an unusual position. A C-section is the safest way to deliver babies whose feet or buttocks enter the birth canal first (breech) or babies whose sides or shoulders come first (transverse).
  • You're carrying more than one baby. A C-section might be needed for women carrying twins, triplets or more. This is especially true if labor starts too early or the babies are not in a head-down position.
  • There's a problem with the placenta. If the placenta covers the opening of the cervix (placenta previa), a C-section is recommended for delivery.
  • Prolapsed umbilical cord. A C-section might be recommended if a loop of umbilical cord slips through the cervix in front of the baby.
  • There's a health concern. A C-section might be recommended for women with certain health issues, such as a heart or brain condition.
  • There's a blockage. A large fibroid blocking the birth canal, a pelvic fracture or a baby who has a condition that can cause the head to be unusually large (severe hydrocephalus) might be reasons for a C-section.
  • You've had a previous C-section or other surgery on the uterus. Although it's often possible to have a vaginal birth after a C-section, a health care provider might recommend a repeat C-section.

Some women request C-sections with their first babies. They might want to avoid labor or the possible complications of vaginal birth. Or they might want to plan the time of delivery. However, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, this might not be a good option for women who plan to have several children. The more C-sections a woman has, the greater the risk of problems with future pregnancies.

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Risks

Like other types of major surgery, C-sections carry risks.

Risks to babies include:

  • Breathing problems. Babies born by scheduled C-section are more likely to develop a breathing issue that causes them to breathe too fast for a few days after birth (transient tachypnea).
  • Surgical injury. Although rare, accidental nicks to the baby's skin can occur during surgery.

Risks to mothers include:

  • Infection. After a C-section, there might be a risk of developing an infection of the lining of the uterus (endometritis), in the urinary tract or at the site of the incision.
  • Blood loss. A C-section might cause heavy bleeding during and after delivery.
  • Reactions to anesthesia. Reactions to any type of anesthesia are possible.
  • Blood clots. A C-section might increase the risk of developing a blood clot inside a deep vein, especially in the legs or pelvis (deep vein thrombosis). If a blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow (pulmonary embolism), the damage can be life-threatening.
  • Surgical injury. Although rare, surgical injuries to the bladder or bowel can occur during a C-section.

  • Increased risks during future pregnancies. Having a C-section increases the risk of complications in a later pregnancy and in other surgeries. The more C-sections, the higher the risks of placenta previa and a condition in which the placenta becomes attached to the wall of the uterus (placenta accreta).

    A C-section also increases the risk of the uterus tearing along the scar line (uterine rupture) for women who attempt a vaginal delivery in a later pregnancy.

How you prepare

For a planned C-section, a health care provider might suggest talking with an anesthesiologist if there are medical conditions that might increase the risk of anesthesia complications.

A health care provider might also recommend certain blood tests before a C-section. These tests provide information about blood type and the level of the main component of red blood cells (hemoglobin). The test results can be helpful in case you need a blood transfusion during the C-section.

Even for a planned vaginal birth, it's important to prepare for the unexpected. Discuss the possibility of a C-section with your health care provider well before your due date.

If you don't plan to have more children, you might talk to your health care provider about long-acting reversible birth control or permanent birth control. A permanent birth control procedure might be performed at the time of the C-section.

What you can expect

Before the procedure

Abdominal incisions used during C-sections

A C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision. The abdominal incision is made first. It's either a vertical incision between your navel and pubic hair (left) or, more commonly, a horizontal incision lower on your abdomen (right).

Uterine incisions used during C-sections

A C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision. After the abdominal incision, the health care provider will make an incision in the uterus. Low transverse incisions are the most common (top left).

A C-section can be done in various ways. But most C-sections involve these steps:

  • At home. Your health care provider might ask you to shower at home with an antiseptic soap the night before and the morning of your C-section. Don't shave your pubic hair within 24 hours of your C-section. This can increase the risk of a surgical site infection. If your pubic hair needs to be removed, it will be trimmed by the surgical staff just before surgery.
  • At the hospital. Your abdomen will be cleansed. A thin tube (catheter) will likely be placed into your bladder to collect urine. An intravenous line will be placed in a vein in your hand or arm to provide fluid and drugs, including antibiotics to prevent infection.

  • Anesthesia. Most C-sections are done under regional anesthesia, which numbs only the lower part of your body. This allows you to be awake during the procedure. Common choices include a spinal block and an epidural block.

    Some C-sections might require general anesthesia. With general anesthesia, you won't be awake during the birth.

During the procedure

A doctor makes surgical incisions in the abdomen and the uterus to deliver the baby.

  • Abdominal incision. The doctor makes an incision in the abdominal wall. It's usually done horizontally near the pubic hairline. Or the doctor might make a vertical incision from just below the navel to just above the pubic bone.
  • Uterine incision. The uterine incision is then made — usually horizontally across the lower part of the uterus (low transverse incision). Other types of uterine incisions might be used depending on the baby's position within the uterus and whether there are complications, such as placenta previa or preterm delivery.
  • Delivery. The baby will be delivered through the incisions. The doctor clears the baby's mouth and nose of fluids, then clamps and cuts the umbilical cord. The placenta is then removed from the uterus, and the incisions are closed with sutures.

If you have regional anesthesia, you're likely to be able to hold the baby shortly after delivery.

After the procedure

A C-section usually requires a hospital stay for 2 to 3 days. Your health care provider will discuss pain relief options with you.

Once the anesthesia begins to wear off, you'll be encouraged to drink fluids and walk. This helps prevent constipation and deep vein thrombosis. Your health care team will monitor your incision for signs of infection. The bladder catheter will likely be removed as soon as possible.

You can start breastfeeding as soon as you're ready, even in the delivery room. Ask your nurse or a lactation consultant to teach you how to position yourself and support your baby so that you're comfortable. Your health care team will select medications for your post-surgical pain with breastfeeding in mind.

When you go home

During the C-section recovery process, discomfort and fatigue are common. To promote healing:

  • Take it easy. Rest when possible. Try to keep everything that you and your baby need within reach. For the first few weeks, don't lift more than 25 pounds.
  • Use recommended pain relief. To soothe incision soreness, your health care provider might recommend a heating pad and pain medications that are safe for breastfeeding women and their babies. These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
  • Wait to have sex. To prevent infection, wait at least six weeks to have sex and don't put anything in your vagina after your C-section.
  • Wait to drive. If you're taking narcotics for pain relief, it might take 1 to 2 weeks before you can comfortably apply brakes and twist to check blind spots.

Check your C-section incision for signs of infection. Pay attention to any symptoms. Contact your health care provider if:

  • Your incision is red, swollen or leaking discharge
  • You have a fever
  • You have heavy bleeding
  • You have worsening pain

If you have severe mood swings, loss of appetite, overwhelming fatigue and lack of joy in life shortly after childbirth, you might have postpartum depression. Contact your health care provider if you think you might be depressed, especially if your symptoms don't go away, you have trouble caring for your baby or completing daily tasks, or you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that postpartum care be ongoing. Have contact with your health care provider within three weeks after delivery. Within 12 weeks after delivery, see your health care provider for a postpartum evaluation.

During this appointment your health care provider likely will check your mood and emotional well-being, discuss contraception and birth spacing, review information about infant care and feeding, talk about your sleep habits and issues related to fatigue and do a physical exam, including a pap smear if it's due. This might include a check of your abdomen, vagina, cervix and uterus to make sure you're healing well.

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C-Section (Cesarean Section): Procedure, Risks & Recovery

Overview

What is a C-section?

A C-section, also called a cesarean section or cesarean delivery, is a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through incisions in your abdomen and uterus. They're performed when a vaginal delivery is not possible or safe, or when the health of you or your baby is at risk.

When would I need a C-section?

You may need a C-section if you have certain medical conditions or if complications occur during labor in a vaginal delivery. A planned C-section happens when any of the following conditions exist:

  • Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD): CPD is a term that means that your baby's head or body is too large to pass safely through your pelvis, or your pelvis is too small to deliver an average-sized baby.
  • Previous C-section: Although it’s possible to have a vaginal birth after a previous C-section, it’s not an option for everyone. Factors that can affect this include type of uterine incision used in the previous C-section and the risk of uterine rupture.
  • Expecting multiples: Although twins can often be delivered vaginally, two or more babies might require a C-section.
  • Placenta previa: In this condition, the placenta is attached too low in your uterus and blocks your baby's exit through your cervix.
  • Transverse lie: The baby is in a horizontal, or sideways, position in your uterus.
  • Breech presentation: In a breech presentation, your baby's feet- or bottom-first in your uterus. Some providers may attempt to turn your baby, but a C-section will be necessary if that's unsuccessful.
  • Health conditions: Conditions like heart disease could worsen with labor during a vaginal birth. A C-section is necessary if you have genital herpes at the time of delivery.
  • Obstruction: A large uterine fibroid, a pelvic fracture or you're expecting a baby with certain congenital anomalies may also be reasons for a C-section.

An unplanned C-section delivery might be necessary if any of the following conditions arise during your labor:

  • Labor isn't progressing: Also called prolonged labor, this means your cervix dilates and stops, doesn't efface (or thin) or your baby stops moving down the birth canal.
  • Umbilical cord compression: The umbilical cord is looped around your baby's neck or body or caught between your baby's head and your pelvis.
  • Umbilical cord prolapse: The umbilical cord comes out of your cervix before your baby does.
  • Placental abruption: The placenta separates from the wall of your uterus before your baby is born.
  • Fetal distress: Your baby might develop problems that cause an irregular heart rate during labor. Your obstetrician might decide that the baby can no longer tolerate labor and that a C-section is necessary.

How common are C-sections?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), C-sections account for about 30% of all deliveries in the United States.

Procedure Details

What can I expect before a C-section?

If you have a planned C-section, the following procedures will take place:

  • You'll sign consent forms for the procedure.
  • The anesthesiologist will discuss options for anesthesia. Most often, it's an epidural (or spinal block) that numbs you from your breasts down to your feet.
  • The hair in the area around the incision will be clipped or shaved.
  • A catheter will be inserted to keep your bladder empty.
  • You will have heart and blood pressure monitors applied.
  • You'll get an IV in your hand or arm to give you medicine and fluid.
  • You'll discuss the procedure and what to expect with your obstetrician (if you haven't already).

If you need an emergency C-section, your obstetrician delivers your baby quickly because either the health of you or your baby is at risk. However, there's typically not much time to prepare, and you may need general anesthesia because it works faster.

What actually happens during a C-section?

The first step in a C-section procedure is preparing you for anesthesia. Most planned C-sections use an epidural, so you are awake for the delivery. However, in some cases, you're asleep under general anesthesia.

Your abdomen will be cleaned with an antiseptic, and you might have an oxygen mask placed over your mouth and nose to increase oxygen to your baby. Next, your provider places a sterile drape around the incision site and over your legs and chest. Finally, your providers raise a sterile curtain or drape between your head and your lower body.

The obstetrician will then make an incision through your skin and into the wall of your abdomen. They might use either a vertical or transverse incision. A horizontal incision is also called a bikini incision.

Next, your provider cuts a 3- to 4-inch incision into the wall of your uterus. This incision can also be transverse or vertical. Finally, the obstetrician removes your baby through the incisions. The umbilical cord is cut, the placenta is removed and the incisions are closed with stitches and staples.

Emergency C-sections follow the same steps; however, the speed at which your baby is removed is different. During a planned C-section, the delivery takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Your provider removes your baby in only a few minutes in an emergency C-section.

If you're awake for your C-section surgery, you will be able to see and hold your baby shortly after it's born.

What does a C-section feel like?

You'll be under anesthesia, which should prevent you from feeling any pain. Most people report feeling a tug or pull when their baby is removed from their abdomen.

Are C-sections safe?

Vaginal births are usually preferred, but in some cases, a C-section is the only safe option. For example, a C-section is the safer option when your baby is breech or you have placenta previa (placenta covers part of the cervix). A C-section carries risks and benefits, which should be discussed with your pregnancy care provider.

How long does a C-section surgery take?

The typical C-section takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. After your provider delivers your baby, they'll stitch your uterus and close the incision in your abdomen. Different types of emergencies can arise during a delivery. In some cases, the delivery will happen very quickly, with your baby being delivered in as little as 15 minutes. This is an emergency C-section.

What happens after a C-section?

Like vaginal births, your obstetrician will deliver the placenta after your baby is born. Next, your provider will stitch your uterus and stitch or staple your abdominal muscles. Stitches should dissolve, but staples are removed at the hospital about one week later. Your abdomen will be sore for several days or weeks. In some cases, your provider may prescribe stronger pain medication.

You can expect to limit your activities, take it easy and rely on family and friends once you go home. A typical C-section surgery requires at least two to three days in the hospital.

Risks / Benefits

What are the benefits of a C-section?

The advantages of a C-section depend on your pregnancy. In most cases, the biggest benefit of a C-section is that it's safer for both you and your baby. When a vaginal birth is risky or could hurt your baby, most providers will turn to a C-section to minimize risks. Sometimes C-sections are unplanned. For example, if your baby's heart rate drops to an unsafe level, an emergency C-section is safer than letting your baby's heart rate decline further.

What are the risks involved in a C-section?

Like any surgery, a C-section involves some risks. The risks of complications are slightly higher with C-sections than with vaginal delivery. These might include:

  • Infection.
  • Loss of blood (hemorrhage).
  • A blood clot that may break off and enter your bloodstream (embolism).
  • Injury to the bowel or bladder.
  • A cut that might weaken the uterine wall.
  • Abnormalities of the placenta in future pregnancies.
  • Risks from general anesthesia.
  • Fetal injury.

Other disadvantages of having a C-section are:

  • Recovering from a C-section may be more difficult than a vaginal delivery.
  • C-sections are more likely to cause chronic pelvic pain.
  • You're more likely to have a C-section in future pregnancies.
  • Your baby may have trouble breastfeeding.
  • Your baby may be at greater risk for breathing problems.

Recovery and Outlook

How long does a C-section recovery take?

Once the anesthesia wears off, you’ll begin to feel the pain from the incisions. You might also experience gas pains and have trouble taking deep breaths. Make sure an adult is there to help you get up from bed the first several days following C-section surgery. Most people stay in the hospital between two and three days.

A full recovery can take between four and six weeks. Ask your healthcare provider what you can expect during recovery. Most providers recommend avoiding steps, lifting, exercise and other strenuous activities for several weeks. Ask your friends or partner for help with errands, cooking and cleaning so you can rest and recover. Your provider may put restrictions on driving until you're able to turn your body and apply pressure to the pedals with ease.

You can expect cramping and bleeding for up to six weeks, as well as some discomfort around the incision. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain may help. Avoid sex for at least six weeks or until your healthcare provider gives you the OK.

You will also have a vaginal discharge after the surgery due to the shedding of your uterine lining. The discharge, called lochia, will be red at first and then gradually change to yellow. Be sure to call your healthcare provider if you experience heavy bleeding or a foul odor from the vaginal discharge. Use sanitary pads, not tampons, until you're completely done bleeding.

Can I have a baby vaginally after a C-section?

The majority of people who had a C-section can consider a vaginal delivery in future pregnancies. If you meet the following criteria, your chances of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) are significantly increased:

  • Your provider used a low transverse incision.
  • Your pelvis is not too small to accommodate an average-sized baby.
  • You're not expecting multiples.
  • Your first C-section was only performed because your baby was breech.

When to Call the Doctor

When should I see my healthcare provider?

If you have an infection at your C-section incision, contact your healthcare provider. Watch for signs of infection such as:

  • Red or swollen incision.
  • Pus or leaking discharge from the incision.
  • Fever or worsening pain.

Other signs of a problem include heavy bleeding or severe pelvic pain and cramping.

Additional Details

What is more painful: a C-section or natural birth?

The level of pain you experience during childbirth is unique. For example, if you opt for an unmedicated vaginal birth, you can expect more pain than someone who had an epidural before a vaginal birth. During a C-section delivery, you won't feel much pain. However, recovering from a C-section may be more painful and take longer than recovering from a natural birth. There isn't a right or wrong answer as to what is more painful because every birth is different.

How many C-sections can you have?

The number of C-sections you can have is unique to your medical history and pregnancy. An exact number hasn't been agreed on. The surgery may be slightly more complicated each time due to prior incisions or scarring.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

C-sections are often necessary for the health of you and your baby. If you know you're having a C-section, your obstetrician can walk you through the procedure and discuss the recovery process with you in advance. In the cases where a C-section is unexpected, you may end up feeling upset that your birth plan didn't go as expected. Just know that most providers prefer a vaginal delivery and that the decision to proceed with a C-section was made for you or your baby's wellbeing. The best thing you can do after a C-section delivery is rest and allow others to help you recover.

How club activities are related to school performance – News – IQ Research and Education Portal – National Research University Higher School of Economics

RESEARCH AUTHORS:

Katerina Polivanova, Director of the Center for Contemporary Childhood Research, Institute of Education, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Elizaveta Sivak, Research Fellow, Center for Contemporary Childhood Research, Institute of Education, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Children with low grades often spend their free time walking. After the lessons, they are left to their own devices. For strong students, leisure looks different. They study in circles, sections and studios, their day is clearly planned, Katerina Polivanova, Elizaveta Sivak and Mikhail Lebedev, deputy director of Moscow School No. 777, found out.

In many ways, it's the family background. The level of education, cultural needs and income of parents influence their attitude towards the education of their children and additional activities. Thus, educated and highly cultured families understand that circles contribute to the children's outlook, and take children to development centers. Wealthy parents also create conditions for their children to have a good education, as they are able to pay for extracurricular activities.

These two categories of parents see circles and studios as a resource for helping them learn, a way to improve the quality of education. It is not surprising that the theorem proved half a century ago is justified: children from more educated and wealthy families study better, the researchers noted in the article "Out-of-school employment of children." The work was published in the journal "Principal of the School", No. 3, March 2016. These conclusions are also confirmed by the results of a study conducted in 2016 in a number of Moscow schools.

The child should be busy

The less free time children have, the better, parents stressed in interviews. The arguments are simple: if a child's out-of-school hours are clearly scheduled (researchers call this "organized" or "structured" leisure), he becomes more collected. For example, the following statement of a respondent is significant: “When a child knows that he has an hour and a half before training, and then he will not have time to do his homework, he will do it quickly, but with concentration and well.” Parents regard additional education as a way to save their children from bad influences. “If I now let a child go free swimming, then it’s not a fact that he will choose the right path,” another respondent noted (see Why Children Don’t Go to Circles and Sections.

The study showed that there is indeed a connection between the employment of children outside of school and their academic performance. Thus, children with good grades (the range of the average semi-annual score is 4.5-5) noted in an interview that their extracurricular hours are clearly scheduled, “there is practically no free time left.”

Children with low academic performance (average semi-annual score below four), on the contrary, spent more time “in free swimming” (“unstructured” leisure). “Such children, as our study has shown, are more likely to visit remote sports grounds, playgrounds, stadiums and football fields than children with higher academic performance,” Elizaveta Sivak clarifies. On weekdays, students with low grades spent more time without adults than their classmates with high grades: an average of 2.5 hours versus 1.6 hours.

Club visits and their relationship to learning

Researchers compared schoolchildren with different grades in terms of the number of developmental classes they attend. The result was "convincing data on the relationship between the number of classes and academic performance."

This relationship is clearly seen between children who do not go to clubs at all, and children who attend at least one type of extracurricular activity.

If a child attends at least one circle, his average half-yearly score is significantly higher. So, for students who are left to themselves in their free time, the average semi-annual score was 3. 93. And for children attending at least one type of activity, the average semi-annual score is already 4.07. For schoolchildren who go to two types of classes, the average score reaches 4.14. By the way, the guys attending one or two classes make up the majority (64% in total).

The contribution of circles to the treasury of knowledge

Children who attend developmental classes have richer life experience, experts comment on the importance of circles. Such students participate in more events, communicate with different people. All this expands the child's horizons. This means that it also influences school education, enriches it.

The contribution to knowledge made by developmental activities is especially significant because the role of formal education - for example, school - is decreasing. Researchers explain this by the rapid growth in the amount of information that falls on a person every day. “Our space is expanding, we know more, we are faced with an increasing number of different events,” write Polivanova, Sivak and Lebedev. “This reduces the contribution of education itself to our knowledge.”

In addition, the school is increasingly alienated from the child. School content for a modern student "is not related to his urgent tasks of growing up," the authors of the article believe.

Family and neighborhood influence occupations

The space of growing up has become extremely heterogeneous, as families have very different characteristics and opportunities: level of education, cultural needs, social status, income.

Previously, for all children, regardless of the well-being of their families, it was the school that was the main source of knowledge. Now there are more and more such sources, and the school contribution is falling. Highly cultured and wealthy parents, understanding the importance of developing activities for children, often try to invest their energy, time and money in them. Less educated and poorer families, for various reasons, are less likely to send their children to clubs and studios (see also Why Children Don't Go to Clubs and Sections). Arguments are different: from “the schedule does not fit” to “talent will make its own way” (see also Social stratification is reproduced in education).

At the same time, educational inequality can be exacerbated by the urban environment and the infrastructure of institutions for children (see also How parents choose schools for their children and The level of development of a territory affects the success of schoolchildren). There are areas with a rich assortment of circles (in different cities this is usually the center). But there are also areas with poor infrastructure. The guys living in them have fewer opportunities to expand their horizons.

It's good when parents are around

The higher the academic performance, the more the teenager indicated the places he visited with adults, the researchers found. That is, the performance of schoolchildren is also correlated with how much time they spend with their parents.

In connection with studies, it is also important where exactly children go in their free time: to city organizations such as cinema and cafes, or just walking along the street. The better teenagers study, the less they indicate places “in the open air” and the more they name closed premises (shopping and entertainment centers, cinema halls, etc.). The family background also affects here, the researchers say. “Adolescents with honors in families with higher socioeconomic status are likely to have pocket money that they spend in stores,” the authors of the article write.

Students with low grades do not go to clubs not only because their families have less ability to pay for classes. It's probably a matter of priorities. Such guys may initially choose "free swimming" outside the schedule - walks around the area.

However, "party" walks are still different from going to cafes or movies. In these places there are certain rules of conduct that must not be violated. Walking the streets does not impose such restrictions.

How to help children organize their leisure time

Different scenarios are possible. Two of them are connected with the development of extracurricular activities, two with the development of free circles at school.

  • The urban environment must be child-friendly. She should "invite them to an eventful leisure."
  • Organizations of additional education should not be carried away by the race for results (this is the “sin” of an ordinary school with its Olympiads, etc.). It is clear that the leaders of the circles want to increase their ratings. But not all children attend classes in order to achieve outstanding results. For many, "cognitive tests" are important. And if the teacher puts pressure on them, they can simply quit extra classes.
  • Educational institutions must develop free additional educational programs. They will help improve student achievement.
  • The school must support children with poor academic performance in their additional education. For example, you can help them choose mugs, celebrate their success.

The article is based on a project of the HSE Center for Contemporary Childhood Research, supported by the Moscow Department of Education. The project includes a survey of schoolchildren and their parents and a series of interviews with parents and students.

See also:

Why children don’t go to clubs and clubs

Clubs and clubs will save teenagers from alcohol

What children’s club will give a child

Classes in clubs increase self-esteem 9 schoolchildren

Additional education is being reformatted text: Sobolevskaya Olga Vadimovna, February 6, 2017

All materials of the author

Education children education School

How to choose a section or circle for a child in 2022

August 31, 2022

Parents always want their baby to grow up healthy and develop harmoniously. That is why very early questions arise about how to choose a suitable section for a child, at what age to start classes, what to give preference to and what to do if interest in the circle suddenly disappears. We learned what psychologists, teachers and coaches say about this - we share it with you.

At what age should a child be sent to section

Most psychologists agree that the age at which it is time to send a child to some section or circle is five or six years. Children at this age become more responsible and disciplined than toddlers, they adapt more easily to new conditions.

This does not mean that young children are not allowed access to clubs. If you want the sports section for a child to become the beginning of a great career, it is not only possible, but also necessary to send him there earlier. There are other reasons: you are planning to move abroad, where it is desirable to know the language of the country, or the kid himself really asks to join the circle - you can start studying from the age of three.

It is worth postponing attending extra classes if the child has recently started kindergarten or school. He will already have a difficult period of adaptation, so you should not load him with something else - the psyche may not be able to withstand it, which will result in whims or neuroses.

Be prepared for the fact that you will not be able to pick up the mugs once and for all. Do not take leaving the next section as a failure: it is very valuable to give the child the opportunity to try himself in a variety of directions.

How to choose sections

How to choose a circle for a child is a question that only at first glance seems simple. First of all, focus on the interests of the baby, and do not replace them with your own. Sometimes, from an early age, a child draws well or loves to dance, and you want to see the first racket of the world in a child. Or maybe his favorite cartoon is Kung Fu Panda and he dreams of doing martial arts, and you think chess is much more useful. Such contradictions are normal, but always give priority to what is closer to the child.

If you still cannot determine your interests, follow the path of harmonious development of abilities:

  • creative;
  • individuals;
  • intelligent;
  • spiritual.

To develop creative skills, circles of drawing, music, singing, plasticine painting, clay modeling, etc. are suitable.

It is best to start pumping physical abilities with swimming or dancing. But you can choose another direction: trampolining, gymnastics, athletics, wrestling or football.

Intellectual abilities are excellently developed by the chess section, you can also go to robotics, entertaining mathematics, speed reading.

In order to develop a child spiritually, it is not necessary to attend classes - read children's books with him and discuss them. Remember that your child's behavior and attitude towards the world is what the child copies from you.

It is not necessary to choose a circle for everything interesting or useful. It is important not to overload the baby: three classes a week are enough.

Material on the topic

How to enroll a child in a circle through the "State Services"

What to do if the child does not want to go to the circle

The first thing to do is to understand why there is a refusal to attend classes, especially if the child used to go on them with pleasure. There may be several scenarios.