Avoiding Unnecessary C-sections

A vaginal pregnancy is the natural and therefore the preferred way to give birth to a human child. Because of this reason, most women would rather not have a cesarean section.

There are indeed circumstances where cesarean sections are necessary, however, vaginal births are very much so possible in the majority of pregnancies.

A cesarean section is a major surgical procedure that is ~30% more expensive than a vaginal birth AND it increases the overall health risks for both the mother and baby.

Since the mid-90's, C-section rates have gone up by a full 50%! Which is truly something to think about considering the human female body is literally designed to give birth vaginally.

Obviously, not all hospitals have the same C-Section rates. There are indeed hospitals that have A LOT of work to do in regards to a baby friendly birthing environment. However, there are indeed hospitals that are making strides to promote natural birthing processes and optimal mother and baby health.

For this reason--- do your research when choosing your 'birth hospital' AND physician.

Unfortunately, the hospitals that have a significant room for 'baby friendly' improvement --- show up to 90% of low risk births as cesarean sections.

If you would like to learn more about hospital cesarean section statistics, you have the right to contact the hospital and ask. Or you can always check google--- never underestimate the power of doing a little personal research (as long as you are checking website sources).

When learning about hospital cesarean section statistics, be sure to keep in mind hospitals that care for 'high-risk pregnancies' such as multiples, preterm births, etc. These hospitals will show a higher C-section rate for the above reasons.

Be confident when speaking with your obstetrician--- do not hesitate to ask their practice's rate of vaginal births and C-Sections. If you do not feel comfortable with the answer they present, it is okay to find another provider.

This is YOUR pregnancy and YOUR choice. Make sure you are confident with your 'pregnancy team' and trust the professional judgement of each and every member. This trust is crucial in the happiness and success surrounding your pregnancy.

A birthing plan may be a good idea for the following reasons; communicating what you as a mother expect pre, during, and post delivery (such as skin to skin, C-section, etc), and an 'in case of emergency plan' if anything goes astray during your delivery.

Here at Mamas Maternal Health, we encourage all future mothers to understand the ins and outs of child birth, including delivery method, infant nutrition method, etc. before delivery. This therefore avoids unnecessary maternal and infant stress post delivery.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about today's topic ---- visit www.mamasmaternalhealth.com to set up your first consultation!

Until next time Mamas Readers!

Cassie and Mikayla

Mamas Maternal Health Dietitians/Lactation Counselors

Reference: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterubel/2019/03/06/if-you-want-to-avoid-a-c-section-choose-your-hospital-wisely/#7c79125a4728

Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

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