And to end Cesarean Awareness Month - doctor against medical advice, faces CPS

I've posted how my son's birth (VBAC, vaginal birth after cesarean) was both liberating and trying. I had to sign a paper indicating I understand I was going against medical advice (where the nurse went ahead and told me, in labor, that my baby could die, but failed to tell me the same risks when I requested an epidural, go figure) when I decided against staying in bed and being constantly monitored.

Could you imagine being a DOCTOR who had to go against medical advice (whose? I mean, that person is a medical doctor as well, right?). In this scenario, a mom wanted a homebirth after cesarean, legal in many states, also in AZ if you have an MD, DO or ND with you, but otherwise currently not with a homebirth midwife), but had to transfer due to other issues. In transferring to a hospital, that mom gave up many rights. And now, she and her husband are at odds with the hospital that he WORKS at and had been chief of staff, for a decision many families make, and we also made. That decision was to not use the vitamin K shot at birth. Like us, the doctor researched and determined that oral vitamin K would be better, since the shot has about 20,000 times the amount needed, assuming there is trauma in the birth, and may increase the risk of getting leukemia, among other issues.. It was something our pediatrician allowed and agreed to and neither I or my husband are medical doctors. CPS was called on this doctor for a decision he and his wife made in health for his family. If he had done the "unethical" thing of transferring care of his wife/son to him, he could have discharged them without issue. But, he went with not treating his family and got this bunch of crap put on him.

Happy Cesarean Awareness Month!

Disclaimer: Cesareans can be life saving, but there's a difference between a stat and emergency cesarean. Don't freak know the facts.

Many words for Wednesday - cesarean awareness month

Apparently an unbiased VBAC consent form.

I wonder how many first time moms, in their excitement to meet their baby are talked into a cesarean, or scared into one by indicating that baby was in distress, and later talk about their emergency cesarean.

How many later find out that their cesarean was unnecessary.

Almost every time I hear a woman say she had to have an "emergency" cesarean, I wonder. Was it emergency or STAT?


A third of babies in the US are now born via surgery. Many women believe, once a cesarean, always a cesarean.

Many doctors believe the same.

Even with the facts and information that women should be given a trial of labor option for a VBAC. However, are physicians even being trained to prevent original cesareans? Why are more "low risk" women having cesareans?

Why are women being cut up so often?

Why are women told they don't have to be "strong" and give birth naturally? Why can't women be empowered?

Why is America's maternal health rates so low?

If more healthy babies is not the outcome of more cesareans, why are we having so many cesareans? Is it just money?

How I wish I had a home birth or even a doula my first time around.

How happy I am that I had the birth experience with my daughter, so I could grow so much, and successfully have a VBAC, 51 weeks ago, with the birth of my son.

A few links of interest:
http://www.vbacfacts.com

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db35.pdf
http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20110415/high-c-section-rates-arent-linked-to-healthier-babies
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Birth Story of our Son

Let me preface this by saying that I am 4'11 on a good day. Before the birth of my first child, I wore a 5.5 shoe. For those reading and "into" the birth scene, you'll understand why I made those first comments.

38 weeks and counting

I am blessed to have friends who know that birth can be trusted.
I am happy to know that I have the option of how this baby is born.
I am empowered by the women who have succecssfully VBACd, and especially those who have HBACd and even more thankful to know that UBAC is not unheard of.
Unfortunately I live in a society that is inundated with untruths that have become fact for most. But I've been enlightened. I know that with every scare tactic is a statistic. I know that every statistic can be skewed. I know that by letting go of medicalization and instead trusting my body and listening to it will get us to the place we need to with this new baby.
I know that V's birth was the way it was so that I could be empowered and help educate others. I know that not everyone cares, and that is how it is, but for some, the education is what they need so that they can trust their bodies as well. So that they can experience birth so that they can understand that
birth.matters

Forming a bond, before birth

With my first pregnancy, I read everything that was happening that day, week, month with in my body. I read about birth. I wanted to form an attachment from birth, so I wanted to have a natural birth. I wanted to experience labor, I wanted to breastfeed early on. I did form an attachment, but it wasn't immediate. I was on an operating table. I didn't have a natural birth. I was talked into an epidural. I was talked into internal monitoring. I was worn out and I agreed to a cesarean. One that was unnecessary.

I am now okay with that cesarean. However, I’m not okay with the policies that many doctors and hospitals want to place on me. I’m not okay with the fact that the OB I had switched to had decided it was NECESSARY for me to have an epidural upon admission. Why? In case I had to have a cesarean. Her reason? It would be easier for me? When I said I'd prefer not to have it, she told me of this woman and that who said they couldn't do the VBAC without it. How do they know...? Are they me?

I said I wanted to be able to feel the birth and I thought it would help because isn’t that how a woman knows if she’s rupturing? You don’t SEE the rupture, a woman feels it first and there’s a change in heart rate. Right? If that were to happen, I can have a spinal and undergo a STAT cesarean (different than an emergency cesarean birth). So yes, after I was told that I could not opt out of the epidural (their VBAC knowledge/consent for TOL form had it on there, not as a bullet but buried), I switched to a hospital-based midwife-group. One that is not requiring an epidural. I will be able to head into the hospital and move through labor. I will be able to be in better position for giving birth, rather than flat on my back so the baby's head can crash into my tailbone.

This time around, I’m prepared for the birth. I know facts. I know statistics. I know my body. I know hospital policies. I know that in the state of Arizona I cannot be assisted at home by a homebirth midwife. That’s politics. I can however, choose to go unassisted and make the decision to head into the hospital when and if I feel it is necessary. I will make that decision for me and my child. This has been my bonding with him. I feel as though I may have missed out on knowing the exact day he had eye lashes, but I know that in just a short time, his birth will finish healing me.

… and from there, I will breastfeed early on. I will snuggle him. I will not allow his vernix to be wiped off. I won’t have him separated for me unnecessarily. I won’t have to worry about whether or not my husband knows how to hold him and snuggle with him.

The Pain of regret or the pain of lack of sleep

I was having some pretty severe lower stomach pain in my left side. It wasn't really in one spot and wasn't a stretch, ligament pain or gas. I was doubled over for a few minutes and so I was laying over some pillows and it sort of migrated to my back, but not really. After a while, I was able to get up and get some water to drink. I had my husband look some stuff up on line and most were saying round ligament, which I know what that feels like for me and it wasn't... It subsided a bit but after an hour I called the OB line and they called back and by then it was mostly gone but it still comes every so often. She said that nothing internally is on my left side but to go to the ER if it didn't seem like it was going away or if I wasn't able to sleep because it was still painful.

We have to to Scottsdale to go to the ER since that's where they have privileges in case I'd have to be admitted. Ugh. Is it bad that I'm NOT going because I'm too tired to wait in the ER? I'm about to head to bed now and if it does get bad again I'll go, but honestly I'm just too tired. Last night V was up from 3 am - 5 am and I just need sleep.

I hope I don't regret it. Ugh.

Links:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_15241.asp
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/bloggingpregnancy/2006/05/19/abdominal-pain-during-pregnancy/
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Edited to add... I slept fine and all is good :)

Woman abandoned day before due date