Dear Vaishali and Nancy, You both argue for a woman's right to choose a C-section, but there is
no evidence to suggest that this right is in jeopardy.  Currently, more than 25% of US hospital
births are C-sections.  About 10% (if that) of hospital births are unmedicated.  C-section rates are
increasing rapidly, with more and more doctors singing the praises of elective C-sections.
Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to find a US hospital that genuinely supports unmedicated
birth.

While Nancy outlines a C-section situation that is minimally harmful (trial of labor, no mother/
infant separation), this situation is, in today's climate, likely to be quite rare, and, even if a mother
makes this happen, she and her baby are still more likely to experience breastfeeding and other
health problems than those who have had an intervention-free birth.

If we want to help mothers and babies and want to preserve the notion of birth choice in any
meaningful way, I think breastfeeding supporters should be advocating less birth intervention in
hospitals, not more.  There are plenty of powerful, famous doctors out there promoting birth
interventions; I don't think they need our help.  Women who would like to have an unmedicated
hospital birth do, however, need our help, perhaps now more than ever.

Kerry Ose, PhD (who prays that 30 years from now, when my baby daughter is ready to give birth,
she is not facing a hospital climate in which it is as difficult to avoid a C-section as it is to avoid an
epidural today).

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