Yup... it is that time again. April is Cesarean Awareness Month! While a lot of people don't care... I do. Anyone who has ever talked to me about my birth experience or how I now view birth, knows how important this is to me. What it partly comes down to is... I want my next baby to come out the way that it is supposed to! I have dreamed about it since I was a little girl! I used to shove a baby doll up my shirt and have a pretend delivery. I've always been obsessed with babies and birth. And now that I look back, I don't know why I was so stupid and trusting of the doctors I had. Why the heck did I even go to the hospital that night... it wasn't really quite time yet (oh yeah... first time mom excited to meet her baby...) and why did I let them admit me when I was 5 cm dilated, but my contractions had COMPLETELY stopped?! (oh yeah... I just wanted to meet my baby...) And why... oh WHY did I let them break my water?! And talk me into going ahead and getting my epidural... even though I was in NO. PAIN. AT. ALL. Let's not even talk about them starting me on pitocin like it was something natural to do...*sigh* I hadn't really been prepared. I didn't even get to take a childbirth class because they were all full. I didn't know anything about the Bradley Method, or that you don't have to be a crazy tree hugger to give birth without meds! ;) I really honestly had no clue. And now, I wish I had known.
If you ever plan on having kids... educate yourself! It isn't just a simple thing where you get pregnant, you go to the hospital, pop your baby out and live happily ever after. (ok, maybe there are a few...) but so much can go wrong! ESPECIALLY if things don't go naturally. DO watch The Business of Being Born. Read birth books, talk to other people, hire a doula, use a midwife if you can, make sure your doctor is REALLY on board (ask for their cesarean rate if you want!), and take a good birthing class (like the Bradley Method). Oh yeah, and make sure you have a support system--family and friends. Make sure your hubby feels the same way you do, because I'm pretty sure it would be really hard to do alone...
When I get pregnant again I will re-watch The Business of Being Born, talk to my friends who have had a VBAC and/or a non medicated birth, take the Bradley Class, and hire a Doula. No options for a midwife down here! :( AND... you better believe I will fight the OB's rules for VBAC. I'm sorry, but being about 5'0 should NOT exclude me from giving birth to a child. What a load of bull.
Besides just wanting my baby to come out the "right" and natural way, I want that whole experience. Remember me and the doll story? Well... I've always wanted to have my baby and then have the baby put on my chest. Then we would get a family picture. And you know, if all I get next time is the baby coming out of the right place, that is more than good enough for me! Because I want to give birth the safer way. And more often than not, a VBAC is much more safe. And I want a lot of kids. I want at least 4. That is a lot of slicing open if you ask me... And I want to be able to take care of a newborn baby AND Abby after I have another baby. I don't want to be recovering from a MAJOR SURGERY. I want to be able to move and I really, really, really want that experience. Yes... I am one of those csection mommas who feels like I really did miss out on something when I had Abby. No, I do not love Abby any less, never have, but I hated my birth experience. Yes, they are completely different. I nursed Abby like I planned and I loved it. In fact, it was the ONLY thing (besides getting a baby) that I got my way.
Anyways, I could go on for DAYS about this, but I won't. :) But I will leave you with this little fact:
In 2009, 32.9% of Births Resulted In Major Abdominal Surgery; 13th Consecutive Year to Show Increase. I read that on ICAN's website. Sad. Sad. Sad.
So here's to my VBAC journey... whenever I get to begin it... (yes, I'm whining now...) Here's to giving birth to a child, the natural way... And here's to trying to have patience to begin this journey... And being patient at the end so I can get what I want.
