After three births in four days, all cesarean deliveries, I'm more inspired than ever to think about what more I can do to support women in their cesarean birth experiences. I know that when a cesarean is medically necessary, it can be a lifesaving technique for both mother and baby, and worth the risks involved. I also know that the majority of women who look to me for support before, during and after their births are hoping to avoid a cesarean. But what about when one becomes medically necessary for them, what happens then?
The The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics has reported (Download Nvsr59_03 copy) that the cesarean rate hit another record high in 2009, with a preliminary rate of 32.9 percent. Including the three recent cesareans, my cesarean rate for doula clients is 16%. While all of them were performed for different reasons, each decision was come to after thoughtful, informed consideration and it is my hope that all of the moms look back and feel they made the best choice based on the information given to them, as well as the feeling they had in their gut, their instincts about what was right for them and their baby in that moment.
For some of the moms I was able to stay by their side in the OR, for others I was in the recovery room before and after, to provide support to mom, dad and baby. In all instances I had to instantly shift internally from what mom had been working toward, most often a low-intervention vaginal delivery, to a birth which mom and dad may be completely unprepared for. Some families attend childbirth preparation classes, some read books, but quite often they are not sure what to expect of a cesarean birth. As a doula I encourage families to ask questions and understand fully what will happen during the procedure, what to expect after the baby arrives and have an idea of the timeline.
One thing I have seen over and over again in my three years as a doula is that no matter what type of birth you have, it is crucial that mom and dad have support, support and more support. A cesarean birth is no different, moms still need comfort measures as they prepare for delivery, support and encouragement as they prepare mentally for a change in their birth outcome, emotional support during the cesarean birth, breastfeeding support after delivery, physical support as they recover, the list goes on and on.
I feel blessed to be a part of each and every birth experience and appreciate greatly the insights moms & dads have shared with me after the birth. Especially helpful is hearing what they would have liked to have known beforehand, so that I can better support future families. I would love to hear from other moms and dads about their cesarean delivery. What did you find most helpful before, during or after delivery?
For more information about cesareans visit International Cesarean Awareness Network
Interested in a VBAC? This website has some great information VBAC.com
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