Posts Tagged ‘Cesarean’

March 20th, 2010

Post Cesarean Feelings Survey : Questions #1 & #2

On to Question number one, as well as number two. With the initial question of our survey, we did not opt to allow any questions, so the numbers and information obtained were pretty cut and dry.
Question # 1 :  How many Cesarean Births have you had?
1 Cesarean – 67.4%   580 mothers
2 Cesareans – 23.5%   202 mothers
3 Cesareans – 6.5%    56 mothers
4 Cesareans – 2.6%   22 mothers
1 mother skipped this question

Pretty simple, from the 860 mothers who answered this, it shows the majority have only had one cesarean birth, followed by two cesareans in secion, and so on, and so forth.
No comments, no details, no more discussion to the subject itself.

On question two is where we got more details, comments and really had more information to look through and talk about.

The majority of women in this case did not opt for their cesarean, nor did they have an emergent situation. Many failure to progress answers, which in some cases (in my experience) has been failure to wait on the part of the provider. I certainly cannot speak for all the women who did answer this survey, but I can share some comments that were left.

While all these comments are not directly related to failure to progress, these are the ones I found to be most interesting, telling, and helpful when looking into the statistics we obtained, and the mothers experiences.

One mother, Tammy, shared her experience and said

Always attempted vaginal birth, all resulted in cesareans, first for supposed CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion) was actually a damn golf game, second was fetal distress.”

Another mother shares

Reason : OB’s Failure to Wait

Which like I stated above, and in my own first cesarean experience seemed to be the case. I still stand by my comments that if Doctors are so concerned about their personal lives, as well as their schedules, and time, they should clearly choose a different medical specialty, because babies come when they please, not on your clock.

A great video and example of failure to wait in a stalled labor, and how to avoid it …

Then we have the women who were given no choice, as we are seeing nationally with forced cesarean sections due to providers who do not offer VBAC services, VBAC Bans in hospitals, and some horrible hospital policies.

In response to these policies, several news organizations are covering the National Institute of Health’s new statement on VBAC and VBAC access.

As one mother shares,

“first medical interference, second forced unnecessary”

then we have Vicki  with a slightly different experience,

“First due to hospital policy, then VBAC, then crash c-section at 33 weeks placenta praevia and accreta – result of prior Cesareans”.

The situations being slightly different as previa and accreta are truly necessary and scary reasons for a cesarean delivery.  But what we are seeing with the increase in cesarean deliveries is  the increase in problems like Vicki did experience. Higher numbers of placenta issues, which can be very dangerous.

Another mother, who wished to remain nameless shared her story and said

“my first cesarean was coerced, and all subsequent births were VBAC’s.”

This stood out to me almost as much as a couple other quotes left for mothers regarding provider issues that caused their cesarean.

“First cesarean was caused by medical interference, second was forced and medically unnecessary”
“Unplanned Cesarean, provider lied to me and told me it was an emergency cesarean, but my medical records showed an “elective” cesarean. My second baby was a HBAC (Homebirth after Cesarean)”

While many of us do not want to admit that providers do these things, in some cases it is fact, sadly enough. Another reason women really need to be their own advocates in the maternity care climate today.

While all the mothers who participated in our survey have had c-sections, not all of them were negative situations, or even medically necessary as we have seen in some of the above comments. When a cesarean is necessary, like I have always said, it is an amazing and lifesaving procedure, and we wouldn’t have the backlash of cesareans today if they were not overused.

Angela, a mother of two children elected for a cesarean with her third child

“first two were difficult vaginal births, was told related to the large size of third baby c-section was required.”

And another mother shared

“ one for fetal destress, one because of craniosynostosis”

There are many different types of cesareans, some life saving, and some that do nothing more than compromise the future reproductive health for out mothers.

You tell me what you think!

March 17th, 2010

Post Cesarean Feelings Survey Initial Results

When Theresa Shebib and I embarked on a small survery about cesarean section mothers, we never imagined it would skyrocket so nearly 861 mothers worldwide.  Starting as a simple project of two cesarean mothers, and a passion for internet blogging we threw together a survey with 16 questions that peaked our own interests about other mothers experiences.

Over night the project grew a mind of its own multiplying in size a number of times. The information, numbers, and comments.  Much to our surprise many women were more open and honest than we expected. It was amazing to see the impact of social media today on this project.

What became even more shocking to us were the replies, numbers and information we were able to obtain with this project.  I will go question by question reviewing and sharing some of the results through various posts, but first before getting into each individual question, and the comments and experiences listed, I would like to give a general overview and release of the actual poll results.

Starting with question #1 : How many Cesarean Births have you had?
1 Cesarean – 67.4%   580 mothers
2 Cesareans – 23.5%   202 mothers
3 Cesareans – 6.5%    56 mothers
4 Cesareans – 2.6%   22 mothers
1 mother skipped this question

Question #2 – Your Cesarean Birth was :
Elective or Planned : 14.8%   118 mothers
Unplanned : 39.5%  316 mothers
Emergency : 21.0%   168 mothers
Repeat Cesareans :  15.1%   121 mothers
(First was unplanned cesarean, scheduled subsequent cesareans)
First Birth was Cesarean, VBAC attempt or other births : 5.6%   45 mothers
Always attempted vaginal birth, always ended in cesarean : 3.9%   31 mothers
62 mothers skipped this question

Question #3 – If Elective or Planned, What was the reason?
Previous Birth was Cesarean, Doctor Recommended :  33.9%   112 mothers
Knew what to expect, was the birth I wanted: 10.3%  34 mothers
Fear of labor & Natural childbirth : 2.4%  8 mothers
Previous Traumatic Birth, Cesarean was Less risky : 6.4%  21 mothers
No VBAC Support or availability : 5.5%  18 mothers
Other : 56.1 %  185 mothers
531 mothers skipped this question

Question #4 – What Support did you have During Labor?
Midwife : 18.2%  152 mothers
Doula : 9.3%   78 mothers
Spouce/Partner : 90.7%   758 mothers
Family/Friend : 37.0% 309 mothers
Hospital Staff : 49.2%  411 mothers
25 mothers skipped this question
*Note, mothers were allowed to choose more than one option

Question #5 – Would you describe your experience as :
Wonderful : 27.7%   227 mothers
Empowering : 7.4%  61 mothers
Frusterating : 26.7%  219 mothers
Traumatic : 46.8% 384 mothers
Disappointing : 45.5%  373 mothers
41 mothers skipped this question
*Note, mothers were allowed to choose more than one option

Question #6 – Do You feeling like you were in control and respected through the process?
Yes : 37.4%   318 mothers
Somewhat : 35.3%  300 mothers
No : 31.4%  267 mothers
10 mothers skipped this question

Question #7 – Were you happy with your birth support team?
Yes: 71.1%  601 mothers
No : 28.9% 244 mothers
16 mothers skipped this question

Question #8 – Do you feel adequately informed about interventions, medications, and complications during labor?
Yes : 41.1%   350 mothers
No : 28.3%  241 mothers
Somewhat : 21.6%  184 mothers
Does not apply : 8.9%  76 mothers
10 mothers skipped this question

Question #9 – Do you feel you were adequetely informed about the risks of a Cesarean section?
Yes : 51.5%   434 mothers
No : 48.5% 408 mothers
19 mothers skipped this question

Question #10 – How do you feel now about your cesarean section?
It was necessary, greatful we are all ok : 48.2%   406 mothers
It could have been avoided : 25.4%   214 mothers
I wish I had made difference choices that may have not resulted in a Cesarean : 30.6%  258 mothers
Neautral/No strong feelings : 6.0%   51 mothers
It was a traumatic experience : 31.8%   268 mothers
I am angry : 22.8%   192 mothers
18 mothers skipped this question

Question #11 – Did you discuss your experience with family and friends?
Yes : 90.8%  768 mothers
No  : 9.2%  78 mothers
15 mothers skipped this question

Question #12 – Please rate your physical recovery in 1 – 10 scale.  1 being easy, 10 being difficult, painful, with compications.

1 – 16.0 % 136 mothers
2 – 12.9%  110 mothers
3 – 12.2%  104 mothers
4 – 7.0%   60 mothers
5 – 8.7%  74 mothers
6 – 8.1%  69 mothers
7 – 9.9%  84 mothers
8 – 11.5%  98 mothers
9 – 7.0%   60 mothers
10 – 6.7 %   57 mothers
9 mothers skipped this question

Question #13 – Please rate you emotional recovery in 1 – 10 scale. 1 being no issues, 10 being difficult, or PTSD.
1 – 17.9%  152 mothers
2 – 10.2%  87 mothers
3 – 7.5%   64 mothers
4 – 5.5%  47 mothers
5 – 8.7%  74 mothers
6 – 7.1%  60 mothers
7 – 11.8%   100 mothers
8 – 13.5%  115 mothers
9 – 7.7%  65 mothers
10 – 13.3%   113 mothers
12 mothers skipped this question

Question #14 – Did you seek counseling or other support?  (Support group)
Yes : 27.8%  234 mothers
No : 66.7%  561 mothers
N/A : 5.5% 46 mothers
20 skipped this question

Question # 15 – How do you plan on birthing your future children?
Elective/Repeat Cesarean : 23.3%  196 mothers
VBAC : 49.3%  416 mothers
Home Birth : 22.8%  192 mothers
Water Birth : 12.1%  102 mothers
No more children : 26.6%  224 mothers
18 mothers skipped this question

Question # 16 – Would you consider having a VBAC?
Yes : 77.5%  628 mothers
No : 22.5%  182 mothers
51 mothers skipped this question

On top of all the questions we included a box to add any additional comments, in which 302 women used to comment about their experiences and even made comments about the survey itself.
In the following posts, we will start to break this information down question by question providing quotes and comments from the real mothers who took the survey, and opinions on the numbers, and what they say for birth, especially cesarean birth today.

Danielle A. Elwood
&
Theresa Shebib co-founder of www.HealthyBabyNetwork.com

March 14th, 2010

This Week’s Round Up

There are a ton of things that have gone on this week, starting with the National Institute of Health’s Vaginal Birth after Cesarean conference in Bethesda Maryland.  Lots of activists, professionals, and reporters descended on Maryland in hopes of a huge change in the maternity care system in our country, and it looks as though it worked!
A couple, or should I say, a ton of articles from this week…

United States urged to confront shocking maternal mortality rates
Too Many Women Dying in US While Having Babies
Doctors Debate C-Section Options
Deadly Delivery by Amnesty International
Women Struggle to Avoid C-Sections
Panel Urges more Choice in Birth after Cesareans
Too Many Preventable Deaths Among New Moms
Group Urges New Rules for Vaginal Birth after Cesarean
Panel Urges new Look at Cesarean Guidelines
NIH Panel : End Bans on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Underused
Panel : Vaginal Birth after Cesarean not too common
Panel : Women Need a Chance to avoid repeat C-section
Are C-Sections too common?

On to my favorite blogs for the week, from babywearing to ICAN :

Slings & Safety by Doula-la-la
The illusion of Choice
Once a Cesarean, Rarely a Choice
WSJ talking crap about Breastfeeding
New Moms at Risk, and a Wake Up Call to Nurses

I am extending my giveaway another two weeks because of the lack of people who signed up for it. So if you are interested in winning a beautiful nursing reminder, sign up!

Wednesday night wrapping up The NIH Conference, I had Joy Szabo on my radio show also.
Check that out too!

There wasn’t much blog talk this week that didn’t center around the NIH VBAC Conference, but if you have something you wrote, or even loved someone else’s post, please link it up here!

March 13th, 2010

2011 ICAN Conference Chair

Well, as many of you already know, I am heavily involved in ICAN, better known as the International Cesarean Awareness Network, and I have been since shortly after the birth of my first child. I started my own chapter in my local area, and then I moved on around the time that I was ready to give birth to my second child to become the Northeast Regional Coordinator also. Because I am so passionate about ICAN and what they do, I have been always willing to go above and beyond to help.

So when the opportunity came up to be on the 2011 ICAN Conference Committee, I of course applied. Knowing that this conference, I will not be too pregnant to travel, heck, I won’t be pregnant at all! LOL So I knew there would be nothing holding me back this time. I desperately wanted to go in 2009, but Ben decided to join us just 3 short weeks after the conference in Atlanta, so had I gone, who knows what would have happened!

I originally applied to be the 2011 Speaker Chair, with a second option as the Registration Chair. I thought the speaker chair would not only be fun, but because of the awesome connections I have made in recent months, would be perfect. (Not only that but I am starting an ICAN movement towards a “Silver Fox” panel for the conference which would include Marsden Wagner, Eugene Declerq, and Sutart Fischbein) and the registration chair was simply a second pick.

Yesterday, Maureen, the woman who is the head for the conference in 2011 contacted me with a favor and of course, like I always do, I took on the challenge. Which was to accept the National Promotions and Publicity Chair instead of what I had applied for because of the lack of interest in the chair position. I was truly surprised at that because with all the social media today, I would have assumed that people would have jumped on something so easy!

Of course I told Maureen, like I normally tell any ICAN Board member, I would help where ever they needed me to, and then she told me to consider myself the official 2011 ICAN Conference National Publicity and Promotions Chair. Score!  While I was pretty confident that I would obtain a position on the conference board, I did not think it would be anything as important.

So what exactly am I supposed to do with this title right?  Sounds like it is pretty broad?  Well some of my duties include what I already do on a pretty much daily basis with social media connections.
Some others include :

• Advertising the Conference to ICAN members, and other National Organizations that would be interested.
• Develop advertisement for the conference.
• Communicate with National Publications (which I have already been doing heavily with the recent media on c-sections, maternal mortality, and the NIH VBAC Conference).
• Networking… Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc.. (So if you want to blog about the conference as it gets closer, I am your woman!)
• Work with the Local Publicity and Promotions director to write press releases

So many more things, it seems to be like a great position, and like I said before, I am in the habit of really doing most of anything they ask of me. One example is a video I made earlier in the year for ICAN. I obtained the music from a friend of mine (Rob Taylor) who is a local musician in my area, and all the pictures came from ICAN chapters and members Nationally.

I hope you enjoy!
I had a really great time making it, and I am super excited in my new future at ICAN, at least until it is over in April of 2011!

March 11th, 2010

Joy Szabo, NIH, & What Wasn’t Addressed

Last night I was lucky enough to have a 45 minute slot with Joy Szabo on my radio show. I was certain people would call in with questions to ask her about her experience, but it seemed as though the National Institute of Health VBAC Conference has really been overshadowing the whole week, especially in the birth and activism community who happen to be the main readers of my blog!
So half way through the show, when I realized that no one was calling in with questions for Joy, after talking about her story, feelings, and experience, we turned the table over to the final draft letter from the NIH panel.

That is when the show started to pick up, because people are MAD!  No matter how many times the same topic was brought up, it was left out not only in the draft letter, but in essentially their revised draft. While we do not know if it will make it into the final statement, most of us are not optimistic.
The topic?  Women being able to make their own choices, and say NO to their provider, repeat surgery, and NOT have to go through any type of legal recourse or court ordered intervention like we are we are slowly starting to see in our country.

It was brought up yesterday morning during the time in where the audience was able to make comments, suggestions, and ask questions, but again brought up during the Press Conference by Susan Jenkin’s from The Big Push for Midwives.  During the press conference panel members continued to dodge the question, and comments once again.

Now most of us went into this whole week not expecting much from the conference because many of us have been down this road, and knew that change is often not something that comes about, but after the first couple speakers, slides which included pictures of the ICAN logo and the banner from The Unnecesaean, many of us were smiling ear to ear hoping, and praying this would really be the step we needed. By day 3 it turned clear that it would not be what many of us would have liked to happen.

The one positive I find that came from this was the final suggestion for ACOG to revisit and revise their statement including immediate terminology, to something that is much more realistic in our medical community today.

We got a little carried away in the show last night, and went over our time limit, but I wanted to again thank those who did come on the show, speak, and bring a great discussion. Joy Szabo for bringing the issue of VBAC Bans into the mainstream media, Traci Perg for being so passionate, outspoken, and bringing up amazing points about modern day feminists, as well as pro choice supporters, Lauren Cooper, current Chapter Director for ICAN and her reflections on the conference. Lauren is a good friend of mine, as well as a great mentor, and she will be coming back on in April for one of the radio shows focusing on Cesarean Awareness Month, and last but certainly not least, Sarah from Salisbury Connecticut, a local doula, friend and advocate in my community.

Tell everyone what you think about the panel’s statement and leave a comment!

PS!  Please, please please!  If you have had a cesarean section, take our Post Cesarean Feelings Survey, it will ONLY be available till Monday March 15th, and we are trying to hit between 1000 and 1500 mothers!  Pass it along on Facebook, to your friend, family, or clients!
Post Cesarean Feelings

March 11th, 2010

Post Cesarean Feelings Survey

Many of you will know I have been working on a project with the website Healthy Baby Network to evaluate woman’s post cesarean feelings, we are going to be wrapping the survey up this coming Monday, March 15th, so if you can take the survey, pass it along, and help for the next couple days, we would all really appreciate it!

Post Cesarean Feelings Survey

March 8th, 2010

Hospitals not “equipped” for VBAC

Since the NIH VBAC Conference is starting today, I wanted to touch on this subject. We often head hospitals with active VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean) bans in place use the excuse that they are not “equipped” for an emergency that could come from a VBAC in the case of something like a uterine rupture, etc. I have pondered about this thought over and over, and realized that if these hospitals are truly not equipped for an emergency that would or could come from a VBAC, then maybe they should not be operating a Labor & Delivery unit…. period.

Emergency situations can happen in any kind of childbirth, previous cesarean or not, and there have even been cases of uterine rupture without any type of a previous cesarean section. So because of this I feel as though this excuse on many levels is simply that, and excuse.

Why not just come out and say we are

• lazy
• scared of getting sued
• misogynistic
• anti reproductive choices

We don’t want women to use their own vagina to birth their babies, we want the big bucks from the repeat cesareans!

Here’s to hoping NIH’s VBAC conference will help turning around all the National VBAC Ban’s and help the VBAC rate rise again!

March 7th, 2010

The Week’s Wrap Up

So much has gone on this week in my life, and in the world that I thought it would be best to really cover it all, and post why these events are important.

ABC News covered two high profile news stories regarding birth, and promotion of Natural Birth as well as Out of the Hospital birth.

• CDC Says Home Births on the Rise in the US – New CDC report shows home birth rates, as well as other out of hospital birthing options in recent years. And magically it cannot be blamed on Ricki Lake like groups like ACOG have been claiming in recent years.  You can go back and read My Post on it that even attracted the #1 internet troll in the childbirth community!
• World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer also covered the topic of the rising Maternal Mortality rates in the United States.  Tackling the issues that new mothers should know, including AVOIDING UNNECESSARY MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS which are very typical, and routine in the hospital. You can view the video of this story right here.
• New York Times takes on VBAC – A great article showcasing a Native American hospital and how so many National Hospitals could be learning a lesson from their rate of VBAC and maternal health.  To read the article, click here.

Now to talk about things going on around the world of Blogging… I try to keep up with as many of my favorite blogs as I can, but with two kids, and the increased amount of things I have going on in my life it is hard to make my way every where I want to be.
If I forgot you, or your awesome blog, I am sorry!

• The Feminist Breeder was on my TV!!!! – Gina, AKA the Feminist Breeder, one of my favorite bloggers, as well as internet buddy was featured in a discovery health channel special on “Radial Parenting” which, I don’t think she is very radical at all as she parents pretty similar to us, but some ignorant assholes on the internet seemed to think they are fruit loops.
  Anyways, Gina blogged about it, and keep an eye out for the special!
• PhD in Parenting wrote a post about Mentoring the next Generation, which I loved. It may have been a “Wordless Wednesday” post, but it speaks volumes, and honestly, it doesn’t require any worlds.
• Michele from Birthcut.com, and a good friend of mine blogged about choices regarding VBAC and her own feelings. It is powerful, and moving, or at least it was to me! It really shows so many sides of the thoughts women go through when deciding their path for a birth after cesarean.
• Dou-la-la one of my all time fav bloggers talked about her new found love for Kourtney Kardashian. Which I am right on board with.  I am a total reality show junkie, and I really think the message that Kourtney has been sending to the general public, and mothers all over is awesome.

National Institute of Health is holding its VBAC Conference this week. No ya don’t say right?  I have only talked about it how many times in recent weeks right?  LOL  Well there are a lot of good posts, and posts about the conference coming up. I will be starting my live coverage tonight starting with The Feminist Breeder’s Radio Special. You can watch all of my live updates on NIH’s VBAC Conference here.

• Henci Goer talks about the conference and what may or may not come out of it.
• The Feminist Breeder discusses how VBAC access is a human rights issue.
• Kristen from Birthing Beautiful Ideas discusses NIH VBAC in detail and discusses who to watch for.
• The Unnecesarean talks about why VBAC should be the Norm.

And last but not least, the highlights from my own life this week.

• I got a new computer!  And I am in love with it.
• We have had awesome weather, and I have been able to take my children outside to play!  (Pictures to come)
• Our new couch is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday.
• Connecticut Worst to First received an awesome donation that will enable us to do a lot of the work that needs to get done for 2010.
• My baby only wants to sit up and play, and eat table food… it seems like he has grown up overnight.
• Because of the above, the playpen has come back out in our house!
• I am dying my hair tonight…

So overall, it was a pretty good week.
I am thinking about doing this type of a post weekly, so it you like it, comment and let me know!

March 2nd, 2010

National Project : Submit Your Story

The Connecticut Worst to First Campaign is looking for stories from women all over the Nation as part of a video project we are working on.
We are looking for women from all walks of life, and all areas who want to tell their story of struggling with the Hospital system regarding maternity care and birth.
From women victimized in the hospital, or subjected to court orders, CPS, or other forms of harassment, to unnecessary episiotomies, cesareans, and just overall rude comments.
If anyone would like to submit a story, or learn more, you can e-mail me at
Danielle@CTWorsttofirst.com

February 25th, 2010

Anxiety Attacks & Cesarean Section Education

Twice a month I am scheduled to teach a class called “Lowering Your Risk for a Cesarean”.  Seldom I have someone who signs up, and I do not actually go to instruct the class unless someone has signed up.  Well yesterday night I had a woman who had a need to the class, and I am so happy she found the class, as well as ICAN because I really think she is armed with so much knowledge and education now that she will be just fine.

But during the day yesterday, I found myself having horrible anxiety and feelings about my own cesareans. They almost haunted me for the day. Which was the first time it had happened in a while. I thought I was getting to a point where I could openly discuss my experiences, and have moved on from the major hurt. I was wrong.

During the day I found myself thinking about my first son’s birth, imagining the feeling, feeling like I was laying on the table again, hearing the OB’s talking about their plans for the weekend and re-living the one OB stabbing the other with a needle which led to chaos in the OR. I found myself having anxiety attack after anxiety attack. Something I have never experienced post cesarean, something I haven’t dealt with since I was a junior in high school.

I am still trying to figure out what my trigger was for this day, but I think it may have been a comment someone made to me in passing conversation the other day. I don’t remember the exact line but it was something along the lines of “the trauma isn’t caused by the cesarean, it is caused postpartum by the anti cesarean movement”.  This is something that I have been stewing in for the past couple days trying to understand how someone could make a comment like that. Especially a person who has never had a cesarean section themselves.

(Just a side note too, I have never encountered an anti-cesarean movement, but I have come across, and become very active in the cesarean awareness community since my first cesarean.)

I talked about this last night in my Momotics Radio Show in which I had Nicole Deggins from Your Birth Right on, and I was so happy after the experiences I had all day long to have such an amazing, smart, and educational woman on my show. We discussed the comment that has really set me off, and then it moved on to the way women in our society today are not really able to express their feelings on a negative birth experience because it is not “socially acceptable” especially if you do have that healthy baby.

I don’t want to go off as much as I did last night, but I think society as a whole needs to STOP further victimizing the women who have bad birth experiences, or birth trauma and instead, embrace them!  Help them, hug them, hold them… help them work through their trauma, not just simply tell her to get over it and move on.  Comments like those FURTHER victimize these already vulnerable women.
You wouldn’t tell a rape victim to just get over it.
You wouldn’t tell a bride who’s wedding was ruined to just get over it.
You wouldn’t tell a woman who’s spouse was killed to just get over it.

I thankfully was able to work through my own thoughts yesterday by getting out of the house on my way to my class and cranking the Lady Gaga in the car and getting out of my own head. It worked, if only a temporary fix, but it helped for the time being.

February 22nd, 2010

National Institute of Health VBAC Conference

Most of you that already read my blog are not only probably already registered and attending this, but have stellar agenda’s that you will bring to the table, as would I if I was able to find childcare for this mid-week conference.  I came to the conclusion last night, after discussion several different options with my husband that it simply is something I am going to have to pass on, as much as it pains me. This all on top of finding a super awesome roommate yesterday.  Sorry Kristin, I would have LOVED to hang out!

But it is so important that VBACtivists make their way to this.  I think it is way more important than most are realizing.  This will hopefully help to change the tides and attitudes towards VBAC in our birthing community today. With the amount of illegal VBAC bans taking place nation wide, and the lack of access to women, this is truly becoming a crisis in maternity care.

It is no secret to educated women that VBAC is statistically safer than repeat cesarean sections and carry lower risks than a second major surgery, but with one third of all babies being born through major surgery, we are seeing a trend changing to the majority repeating that surgery for all subsequent births.  Right now 90% of all women have elective repeat c-sections, the vast majority for no medical reason.

So what exactly is NIH & this VBAC Conference?
March 8th-10th, in Bethesda, Maryland
the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Office of Medical Applications of Research of the National Institutes of Health will convene a Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean.

They will touch on some very key issues such as :

• What are the rates and patterns of utilization of trial of labor after prior cesarean, vaginal birth after cesarean, and repeat cesarean delivery in the United States?
• Among women who attempt a trial of labor after prior cesarean, what is the vaginal delivery rate and the factors that influence it?
• What are the critical gaps in the evidence for decision-making, and what are the priority investigations needed to address these gaps?

• What are the short- and long-term benefits and harms to the mother of attempting trial of labor after prior cesarean versus elective repeat cesarean delivery, and what factors influence benefits and harms?
• What are the short- and long-term benefits and harms to the baby of maternal attempt at trial of labor after prior cesarean versus elective repeat cesarean delivery, and what factors influence benefits and harms?
• What are the nonmedical factors that influence the patterns and utilization of trial of labor after prior cesarean?

What happens at an NIH consensus conference?

• At the conference, invited experts will present information pertinent to these questions, and a systematic literature review prepared under contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will be summarized.
• Conference attendees will have ample time to ask questions and provide statements during open discussion periods.
• After weighing the scientific evidence, an unbiased, independent panel will prepare and present a consensus statement addressing the key conference questions.

If you are unable to make it, they will also be offering an internet version, where you can watch live during the conference itself.
I will be doing this will chaotic kids in tow.

For information on registering, you can visit the conference website.
It is FREE!

I hope a lot of the awesome VBACtivists will be attending, I know so far that these awesome women will be there, so maybe just go for a chance to win such awesome advocates?

The Feminist Breeder
Jen from VBACFacts
Desirre Andrews, ICAN President
Kristin from Birthing Beautiful Ideas

I will be looking forward to all your reporting and tweeting!

February 20th, 2010

“Elective Cesareans are too risky!” – WHO

When I read this title of an article I recently read, I couldn’t be more happy. Finally a major health organization speaking out against elective cesareans, maybe the tides are really working on a change!  But I am sure it will be snubbed by many mothers who simply love their major surgery to deliver their baby and want to continue believing their choice is risk free.

There are many parts of this I want to write about today, while trying not to make this a long winded rant reflecting my own personal views. What I have learned over the past couple years, since I got involved with the “Cesarean Awareness movement” and became an ICAN Chapter Leader here in my state of Connecticut is how many women simply are not being given accurate information regarding a repeat cesarean as opposed to the choice for VBAC.  When the first thing out of a providers mouth is “Your uterus could rupture” most women will not think twice about their choice to go and schedule that second birth. But here is the problem…

Yes, your uterus can rupture, but they are not being told that…

1. Anytime during pregnancy after a primary cesarean section, you can experience a uterine rupture. While it may be a SMALL risk, it is a risk, and with each subsequent cesarean, that risk goes up.
2. The risk for uterine rupture in a health, and low risk woman during VBAC is 0.6%.  Not even a full 1%.

Nor are these providers coming out and saying VBAC is not only healthier for mother, but also for baby. Sadly when someone like myself shares the above information, in many cases it is just received in a defensive manner because what do I know?  I am not a Doctor… I am not even a VBAC mom!

According to many women, Doctors are all knowing Gods, and the way our society was raised, never to question the medical professional, it has started to do more harm than good in our childbearing women. I certainly know when I was growing up, Doctors were wonderful people, not someone I should question or think to ask for a second opinion. Into my adulthood is when that changed. But my personal experiences aren’t important in this.

“A new report from the survey, which was published online today in the medical journal The Lancet, found that in Asia—in both developed and developing nations—cesarean section births only reduced risks of major complications for mother and child if they were medically recommended. Elected surgical deliveries, on the other hand, put both at greater risk.”

“Cesarean section should be done only when there is a medical indication to improve the outcome for the mother or the baby,” the authors of the report concluded. Common reasons for a recommendation for cesarean delivery included a previous cesarean section, cephalopelvic disproportion (when the baby’s head cannot fit through the mother’s pelvic opening) and fetal distress.”

Above quote is taken from an article out of Scientific American.

But let me move on to all the risk factors of cesarean, after cesarean after cesarean.
Let’s discuss the risk of hysterectomy first.
With your first cesarean section, your risk for a hysterectomy is 0.65% or 1 out of 154, with your second cesarean that number drops to 0.42% or 1 out of 238, but jumps with your third cesarean to 0.9 or 1 out of 111, and if you wish to go on for a fourth child, it goes all the way up to 2.41% which translates into  1 our of 41.

Now onto the risk of a blood transfusion.
With your first cesarean section, your risk for a blood transfusion sits at about 4.05% which works out to 1 in 25, you second cesarean it drops to 1.53% which is 1 out of 65, then goes back up for your third and fourth cesarean. Third being 2.26% or 1 out of 44, and fourth being 3.65% or  1 in 27.

But one thing I wanted to touch on is the risk of uterine rupture during VBAC and the numbers associated with that.
With your first VBAC the risk for uterine rupture sits at 0.87% which works out to 1 in 115, with your second VBAC your risk for a uterine rupture does down to 0.45% or 1 out of 222, and third goes to 0.38% or 1 out of 263. So with each VBAC you do have, your risk for a uterine rupture, which scares the bejesus out of everyone goes down.

All above statistics came from this post, which cited sources.

The risk for adhesions with each surgery increases, making the risk of damage to other organs, such as your bladder increased.  Adhesions are something I personally have been battling with.

I just think if women were being given accurate information, and true informed consent, the repeat cesarean rate wouldn’t be 93%.
I am just worried to see in the next decade the kind of issues women who had cesarean’s 40 years ago are going to start happening as a result of the surgery.

All in all, I am going to throw my personal two cents in here and say Cesarean sections should not be elective procedures that are treated like getting your teeth cleaned. They are MAJOR surgeries with MANY risks.  Stop to consider ALL these risks before making your way into a hospital to give birth.

February 18th, 2010

It’s a Blogaversary!

Today, it has been officially 2 years since I started my blog. At the time it not only had a different web address, but a different host, and it was not nearly as pretty. LOL!   It has certainly come a  long way in two years.  I hope in another two years I can look back and have grown even more. Today to celebrate, I want to look back through some of my posts and highlight my favorites from the archives.
Sit back, relax, we are going back in time!

The Business of Being Born – My reaction to watching the movie for the first time, and the birth experience of my first child. It helped to shape me as an advocate today.
Patient Choice C-Sections? – When my sister’s provider offered her an elective cesarean, knowing her medical conditions, and risks for bleeding out.
A Generation of Women – Slowly becoming more radicalized in my beliefs… can you tell? LOL
When Did Natural Births Become so Taboo? – The title of it kind of explains it all.
ICAN Northeast Regional Coordinator – When I learned the news I was going to be taking over the position of the Northeast Regional Coordinator for ICAN in place of my mentor Rachel Zeller who helped me through my journey.
Elective Vs. Necessary – I hash out the real meaning of both terms, especially in regard to medical choices.
Volunteers : A Dying Breed – A post about volunteering and how today, volunteers are extremely limited because of the selfish nature of our society.
My Experience as a Labor and Delivery Nursing Student – A guest post from a good friend of mine, childless, and an RN now, she reflects on her rotation through Labor and Delivery in two of our local hospitals, and what made her so interested into becoming a full time L&D nurse.
Woman’s Rights Violations – A post about the limited medical choices women are being allowed to make regarding their reproductive choices and how essentially they are violating the rights of women Nationally.
A Major Problem with Birth as We Know It – A post about violence against birthing women, The National Advocates for Pregnancy Women, and a woman who was forced by the Marshall’s to leave her house and go to the hospital to be assaulted and forced into an unnecessary surgery. Sadly it is not the first case we have seen.
Dr Amy Beats a Dead Horse – Just because this list wouldn’t be complete without our resident Natural Birth hater.
Hospitals Cracking Down on Early Inductions – One of my… FINALLY! moments…
Your Baby is Too Big to Birth – A tale of a big baby in 1969… that baby being my brother.
I Never Thought I Would Have to Prove This – VBAC Safety and Michelle Duggar
My Birth Playlist – Just to add a little bit of my sense of humor into this post…
You Might Be A VBACtivist if… – A little more humor

I think that I have done a pretty good job of highlighting myself, and my changes over the past two years. It was hard to pick posts from this time because there are so many posts that I love, and would love to share over and over again, and many of them help to shape me as a person, writer, birth advocate, and everything else I see myself as today.

So here is what you guys should do!   Go back through time… read through some of my old posts, leave some comments, and comment here on what posts are your favorite, or why you keep coming back to read, or even how you found my blog to begin with!
Lets have some fun with this!