this is an article that just came out, written by an OB, who is questioning the efficacy of continuous electronic fetal monitoring and proposing that it's failures lead to unnecessary cesarean surgeries.
it's worth a read, especially since you are most likely to be required to have continuous fetal monitoring in most any hospital. i am not sure what birth centers do, but i assume, like home birth, that the monitoring is intermittent (every 10-15 minutes, until pushing, which is then about every 5 minutes, give or take - correct me if i'm wrong).
"Test leads to needless C-sections"
coming up: all about homebirth - what is it and is it right for you?
kamille,
ReplyDeletei'm sooo glad you have this blog and links to many other blogs. my blog is private, so you probably don't know this, but i had an "emergency" csection with paxton. i have SO MANY REGRETS. i got an epidural and found out literally a few mins after getting it that i was an 8. because of my epidural, i was stuck in bed... and paxton wasn't in a favorable position to push him out... i question the doctor's honesty regarding the csec. i remember her commenting before wheeling me in the OR that since she had been there (many, many, many hours) she had only delivered babies by csec. it makes me soooo incredibly mad. i want a vbac more than anything and i'm quickly learning it's an uphill battle. i've watched "the buisness of being born" and i'm interested in a midwife with the next child... i worry about a home birth only because paxton had to go to the nicu and i'm still traumatized by the whole experience.
anyways, thank you for taking the time to write in this blog. it will help me TONS (even though i'm not pregnant or anything...)
vanessa, thank you so much for your comment! i am so sorry about what you have been through, i know it is a really traumatizing experience to have an emergency c-section, especially when perhaps it was unnecessary.
ReplyDeletehonestly, i read your blog as you were about to have your baby, and your updates really made it sound like you had a doctor who was "c-section happy." i wasn't surprised that you ended up with a c-section, and i felt so bad for you. it is hard to come to grips with the fact that your doctor may have done an unnecessary surgery on you, but i am glad you are realizing this because that realization will lead to a better outcome next time.
it is very common for babies born by c-section to have to go to the NICU, because something about being born vaginally vs. by cesarean changes the way the lungs work and makes it more difficult for them to breathe. i think you can rest assured that if you had a healthy, vaginal delivery, your baby would most likely not have to go to the NICU. if you do not feel comfortable with homebirth, that is A-OK! you can still have a wonderful experience in the hospital. it is all about choosing a care provider who will truly keep your best interest in mind.
here is a link to a BEAUTIFUL in-hospital VBAC. the third video will bring you to tears, seriously! it is so triumphant.
http://birthingbeautifulideas.com/?p=1553
here is the story:
http://birthingbeautifulideas.com/?page_id=716
have you joined and ICAN group? it would be a great place for you to find support concerning your c-section and encouragement for a VBAC.
http://www.ican-online.org/
i know they often have local group meetings where you can meet other mothers in person.
thank you for your comment! i am so glad that my blog is helping you! keep in touch :)
Yes, I joined an ICAN group and love it so far.... each day I'm leaning more toward a homebirth, but I'm still unsure. It's funny that I'm not even pregnant but I'm already soooo involved in how my labor will be the next time. I'm slightly grateful for the AWFUL labor/birth experience because without it, I would have NEVER considered going "naturally" and especially not having a home birth, so I guess everything works out as it should.
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