National Caesarean
Awareness Day
September 11th.
Introduction
Today we are fortunate to have choices in childbirth.
However, we lack a full understanding of the impact of those
choices and how they may effect the birth. Popular views are
that caesarean section is a safer and easier option for
birth. This may be so for a minority, but for the general
population, major surgery of this kind can pose greater
risks to mother and baby.
Many emotional issues
surround caesarean delivery.
- The unexpected pain and length of
recovery (even those without
complications)
- Bonding between mother and
baby
- Lack of support and understanding
of the emotions women can experience such as guilt,
violation, inadequacy
These issues may be acknowledged by health
professionals, however their intensity is often overlooked.
Society too is guilty of this. Commonly family and friends
make misguided comments such as "at least you have a healthy
baby", or worse, "you did it the easy way". This only
compounds the feelings of confusion and isolation.
Vaginal Birth after
Caesarean (VBAC) is a viable and safe option for
most.
The issue of VBAC is often confusing and contradictory.
Vaginal birth after caesarean is proven to be a safer option
for mother and baby than repeat section. Yet the social and
medical attitudes are slow in adopting a less fearful and
supportive stance.
Women that do chose VBAC can feel demeaned by policies,
terminology and precautionary interventions instituted by
their caregiver. These are often neither evidenced based,
nor woman-centred, during their implementation.
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