I'm in the process of lifting my jaw off the floor, regarding the recent
posts on surgical births. I would be very interested in examining the
research that supports having a C-birth over a vaginal birth. I have seen
some studies that suggest that *for the baby*, the risk for both are about
equal. I would be curious to know if the vaginal births in the study were
actually labor and births that had high intervention rates vs. labors and
births with little to no interventions. In my experience as a doula...so
many of the problems we see with babies following a vaginal birth were a
direct result of rather extreme interventions during the labor process. Do
these same studies suggest that it is safer for mom, not only during surgery
but later...NO.  I think...examining the stats from Ina May Gaskin and the
Farm...very impressive stats that cover 30 years I believe, their C-birth
rate was 1.4% and during these same 30 years...they only lost 4 babies and
*no* mothers. In addition looking at countries that have a higher percentage
of midwife attended births, they actually have the lowest infant and
maternal mortality rates in the world. CIMS has a excellent fact sheet
regarding elective c-births.

http://www.dona.org/PDF/CIMScsec-fact-sheet.pdf

As someone who didn't have a "choice" regarding my three C-births, my
Physical Therapist that I'm seeing every other week for pelvic floor
dysfunction contends that women who have had abdominal surgery are more at
risk for; pelvic floor dysfunction, Levator Ani Syndrome, Thorasic Outlet
Syndrome and other chronic pain conditions. I would love another baby but
A). feel the risk for pregnancy related risks, including ectopic pregnancy,
miscarriage, placenta abruption, placenta previa,  and the typical surgical
risks (including death).....since dose related, is too risky. And B). Since
I'm having daily chronic pain related to my three surgeries, I cannot in my
right mind have another one. I really don't feel that most women, Dr's and
other care providers are aware of the damage done from multiple C-births but
I bet the Physical Therapists of the world will enjoy the increased
business.

Finally, birth is life changing, it is a spiritual, physical and emotional
event. As someone who works with women approaching second and subsequent
births, I can tell you that most women who have had a surgical birth with
first baby, emotionally are impacted forever, usually not for the better.
Many many of my clients hire me because they want their second birth
experience to be more emotionally satisfying/or less traumatic, how you
birth matters and how you birth affects how you feel as a mother and your
success with breastfeeding.

Mary Anderson.

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