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Every unnecessary C-Section feels like a personal insult
- Mar 19, 2010 at 4:05 PM
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- Comments (74) Total Views (2642) Everyone can see this journal post.
Yesterday I found out that an old high school classmate went into labor. I say went into labor but what I really mean is "allowed a Dr. to try to force an un-ready baby out of the comforts of her womb". My classmate was barely three days over due and her baby had not dropped, nor was she dilated at all. Obviously the baby was not ready to make her appearance but the parents agreed that they would allow the Dr. to start pitocin sometime shortly after 6 am. I heard this news from a mutual friend of mine and the classmates. She also quickly told me that the reason they were inducing only three days past the due date was because the Dr. believed the baby would be "too large". I knew immediately that the classmate would end up with a C-Section. I found out this morning that she indeed had a C-Section at 7:30pm and even though this girl and I are not exactly friends I am devastated.
Yes, it's true that the unnecessary C-Section that this girl was given reminds me of my own unnecessary C-Section from a year and a half ago where my Dr. striped my membranes without my knowledge which led to my water leaking and the need to start pitocin. I was unjustly given 9 hours to labor with my first child before the Dr. walked into my room and labeled me "Failure to Progress". However, I feel it's more than just that. I'm personally insulted that Dr's play off of the ignorance of people and I'm insulted that we as mothers to be, and yes I definitely include myself here, don't find out the information needed to stop this from happening to them. Yes, I absolutely believe that there are cases where C-Sections are needed and in those cases I'm very glad we have them, but I honestly believe that our society has gotten a little too knife happy. We are averaging a C-Section rate of 31% and most of those are performed between 20 and 30 minutes after the Dr. makes the call. Is it just me or is there something not right about that? If it were a true emergency the baby would need to exit the womb immediately!
Since my own C-Section I have researched the topic extensively and I've decided that I will have a VBAC for my next child. The saddest part about this is that because of our own ignorance and lack of faith in our bodies women who've had a one C-Section will likely have a second and a third. If you've had a C-Section I urge, no I challenge, you to find out the information that is available and know that birth does not have to be the horrible experience I had the first time. So am I over reacting in my devastation over this one girl whom I barely know? NO, absolutely not. I'm offended and insulted that unnecessary C-Sections happen every day, and you should be too!
Comments:
My dr tried to force me into one.. I protested so much he*gave* me a push (thinking that would deter me) but no- I pushed so hard he had to allow me to birth a perfectly healthy ie not in distress after all baby normally
my sister doctor was pushing her to induce & she wasn't even past due. .she said no. . .she's in labor now 6 days past due. . he's coming on his own lol
We should be fired up about the c-section rate! In some hospitals it is closer to 40-50%. Reporting systems are biased too, as some elective c-sections and second/third time sections are not reported in the percentages. Hospitals are creating a generation of women who are convinced that their bodies failed them (because the hospital couldn't give the women the time they, as each precious and unique indivdiual, needed to labor their baby down) It will absolutely affect how the next generation views birth. "My mom couldn't, so I probably can't either" And the fact that the US is 40th in maternal mortality rate (mainly due to c-section complications). Disgusting! And now I hear of c-sectioned moms who are being denied new insurance based on this pre-existing condition. When will the madness end?
I don't see how someone else's choice should personally offend you. You can consider it to be a poor choice, but her choice of how to have her baby doesn't reflect on you at all.
It's a personal insult because of all these people that are willingly led to believe this, it makes it that much harder for those that don't want it. There are some areas of the country where a woman has to sign on being allowed a vaginal birth, but can schedule a c/s weeks in advance.
Amen.
Well said, my friend!
I was born C-Section and that was because I was a breech baby and wouldn't turn. My sister who was born 14 months later was also born by C-section due to the doctors not wanting my moms scar to split open. Now mind you that was 23 years ago.
I had both of my children naturally. And it kills me that there are mothers out there that actually sign up to have this done when it is unnecessary. C-sections were used mainly as an emergency when all else failed now it's more or less a birthing option.
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I like this. While I understand women getting offensive because they had a C-section (nobody wants to believe that their's was unnecessary)...I think we all need this kind of wake up call. My midwife, on average, out of 100 labors and deliveries maybe sends a couple women to the hospital. Of those, maybe one ends with a ceserean. And these are all LIVE, HEALTHY babies. A doctor, some of them anyway, may send THIRTY women in that same hundred (based on our current 30% C-section rate in America) to get the exact same results the majority of those other women obtained through a natural birth. Do I think bad things happen? Yes, of course. Medical intervention is a very good thing when it's fully needed and mother or baby are in real danger. But when I've had a Dr. ADMIT to me that many of his colleagues cut women open to avoid lawsuits or for convenience...something is amiss.
- ErinHill226
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