Birth, The American Way

Prior to the birth of my son, I would have been a woman fighting for natural childbirth. However, I had a cesearan after 18 hours of labor; mostly due to the fact that my baby was huge! I am a small woman, and I carred a 9.5 lb boy full term. If I were not in the hospital that day, I would not have been able to have my son naturally and we both would have died. Personally, I'm glad that my physicans had the experience of performing hundreds of c-sections. That, I believe, helped me make the final hour decision. After an entire day of labor, I was exhausted and my son was never going to descend, he was simply too large. I did not have gestational diabetes, and we do not have a history of large babies in our family. I guess my point is that every pregnancy is different, every child is different; doctors and national option need to realize and respect that.

Prior to the birth of my son, I would have been a woman fighting for natural childbirth. However, I had a cesearan after 18 hours of labor; mostly due to the fact that my baby was huge! I am a small woman, and I carred a 9.5 lb boy full term. If I were not in the hospital that day, I would not have been able to have my son naturally and we both would have died. Personally, I'm glad that my physicans had the experience of performing hundreds of c-sections. That, I believe, helped me make the final hour decision. After an entire day of labor, I was exhausted and my son was never going to descend, he was simply too large. I did not have gestational diabetes, and we do not have a history of large babies in our family. I guess my point is that every pregnancy is different, every child is different; doctors and national option need to realize and respect that.

I had my first child via Caesarean because of a delivery complications. We moved to another state and I found a new OB for the delivery of my second child. I told him I wanted to try a VBAC ( vaginal birth after Caesarean),but he absolutely refused. He said it was too dangerous and, anyway, I was due during hunting season, and he would be out of the office quite often, so "we'd better just get you on the table in a few months." I found a new doctor (very hard in the Mississippi Delta) who listened to me. I went on to delivery two more children VBAC with no complications. I think the first doctor didn't want to be bothered and wanted his payment for surgery. Trust your instincts and find a doctor that's willing to work with you.

I had a c-section at 36 1/2 weeks due to breach position of the baby. Since this was a necessary and scheduled c-section, I have the option of scheduling a c-section or natural with future births. I think it all comes down to trusting your doctor and having an open line of communication with them. They have the education and answers, but that doesn't mean they are perfect. It is still your body, your life and your babies life.

I cannot believe that no one looks at the fact that the doctors are miscalculating the due dates. I was allegedly late, so my doctor set me up for an induction 8 days after the due date, the cervix still wouldn't dilate, so she set up a c-section for me, just to find out that the baby was actually taken a week early. the doctors can tell by the skin texture. Therefore, they thought they were taking him late and come to find out they were early. I think there is a whole lot of miscalculation going on. It's just my take on the subject.

My first c-section was emergency, but alot of how labor is handled in the hospital, leads to c-section. My son was born not breathing and ended up in intensive care. The next pregnancy the doctor was pushing for c-section. I never got that far because I became infected by the amnio procedure. I was told I could have died, and the doctor held the baby and waited for her heart to stop. Before I left the hospital, I was told t his doctors nickname is Dr. Scary. One year later, I ran into two former patients of this doctor. In one case, the mother died, the other case, the baby died, and a third I found out about the mother almost died. I went to the medical board. Nothing was done. I now have a midwife, and I am no longer naive about the politics of birthing babies. Do your research well.

Having had natural birth twice, no anesthsia, just support from a wonderful hospital staff, I felt confident enough to know that if the child was too large or if the time was too long, someone would alert me to that fact and we would go from there. I walked five miles a day, lifted light weights, ate healthily to some degree and foundered on water. Lamaze was not given in my area so I got the book, did it myself. First labor, five hours, Second labor, two and a half hours.

I have read that roughly 1 in 100 women in developing countries with no medical care, die in pregnancy, currently. I have also read that about 1 in 33 babies used to die during delivery as recently as the 1930's, in the US. It seems like we are so used to the good fortune of having the option of modern Western medical care for ourselves and our babies, that we are now unforgiving about the niceties it lacks. But bottom line, we've got a very privileged situation here and now, where we can choose what we want and have an incredible safety net, should we choose to use it, compared with our sisters elsewhere and in other times.

An epidural to relieve pain is an unnecessary intervention which can lead to other interventions. Most women can handle labor's physical sensations if they are prepared. Like eating and sleeping, birth is a natural activity. Women's bodies have withstood labor pain throughout human evolution, and in modern births it is so much safer when we do so!

There is no country in the developed world that is even remotely comparable to USA in terms of population, economic and racial diversity. So, please stop comparing US to Iceland (population 300,000, 100% caucasian) or norway or sweden or switzerland and lamenting something is wrong with us. There is nothing wrong with the great US of A. You are just comparing apples to raisins.
I also remember my medicine professor say "There are lies, damn lies and there is Statistics". Statistical conclusions are only as good as the data that is used. A badly designed study would give you a "statistically significant" result but is a lie.

"There are lies, damn lies and then there is Statistics" . A quote from my medicine professor. All the statistics in the world will not matter if YOUR ONE CHILD IS GOING TO SUFFER FROM DEATH OR BRAIN DEATH (because of lack of timely intervention) and your midwife comes and says the rate of death/brtain damage is only one in a million! So, stop talking in hypotheticals.

The question is not what is "natural". The natural way would be to deliver in the jungle like our ancestors did. The real question is what is best for my progeny. Do I want to take the risk that h/she may not be able to go to Harvard because of something going wrong at the time of birth. (believe me, something is likely to go wrong. In fact, a woman is said to be born again everytime she comes out of birthing process alive). it is okay, if my offspring is going to be a sheperd or farmer or a cowherd.
In today's competitive world, I don't want to take that risk. And anyone who wants to take that risk is foolish in my opinion. Therefore, this whole notion of delivering home is absurd when we are in the 21st century

The question is not what is "natural". The natural way would be to deliver in the jungle like our ancestors did. The real question is what is best for my progeny. Do I want to take the risk that h/she may not be able to go to Harvard because of something going wrong at the time of birth. (believe me, something is likely to go wrong. In fact, a woman is said to be born again everytime she comes out of birthing process alive). it is okay, if my offspring is going to be a sheperd or farmer or a cowherd.
In today's competitive world, I don't want to take that risk. And anyone who wants to take that risk is foolish in my opinion. Therefore, this whole notion of delivering home is absurd when we are in the 21st century

For the person who posted about Respiratory Distress Syndrome, it's actually a complication of cesarean.

First off, let me say that I realize I am blessed to have beautiful, healthy daughters. Two were born vaginally, and the other two (twins) were born via c-section. One twin was in the breech position. Having lived through both experiences, I can agree that a vaginal birth, even with medication is hard work but an easier recovery. I felt my body knew what to do afterwards. After my c-section, I was in a tremendous amount of pain, and my body had no idea what to do with itself after the surgery. I tried to incorporate the best advice of doctors I trusted, as well as trusted friends and family who had had similar experiences. Experience is everything - I would NEVER opt for a c-section for non-medical reasons but that would be MY choice. What we need as women, is clear, honest and accurate information that will allow us to make the best possible choices for our children and for our own health. For those of you who lived through a natural labor without meds, hats off to you - I would have been miserable.

I had a c section. My boy's cord was going to come out before he was. What I like to say is that I didn't need the c section.....but my boy sure did.
While there are women who suffer intense pain after a c, I know many more who did not, just like me. My doctors and I kept on top of the pain medications....and yes, I was up walking the next day. The only thing I couldn't do that other mothers could for a while was drive or bend down to pick up something I dropped.
HHowever...the criticism that I get from "natural" moms never ends. Ok, we get it....you are tough. You didn't need meds like the rest of us wimps. If we promise to put gold stars on your kids' birth certificates and give them preferential seating on the school bus, will that finally shut you up?

The statement that C-section babies are more likely "to have low birth weight....respiratory problems" is phrased deliberately to scare, but is misleading since the majority of premature births are Caesarean (which was calculated in the study). Insurance companies still only give 48 hours after a vaginal birth for recovery in the hospital. In addition, the workplace is still not conducive to unpredictable birth dates, and both circumstances could easily explain a rise in elective C-section deliveries. And don't tell me that giving birth isn't "painful and bloody." Has Ms. Block even given birth?!