The debate: birth naturally or by c-section?
There is so much conjecture as to “how” you actually have your baby these days that people seem to forget the most important thing. A healthy, happy baby and mother should be the ultimate end result! How you get there is not the most important thing! I had a breech baby 2 years ago by Caesarian and gave birth to number two also by caesarian last week. It gives me some clout to have an opinion on the Natural Vs Caesar options available to women these days.
First let me start by saying I am a natural born chicken! I hate pain and will do almost anything to avoid it. The idea of up to 40 hours of pain and pushing to be followed by an emergency Caesar does not thrill me one bit, and this has happened to several of my friends. Not my preferred option! But all this pressure to not have an elective Caesar really gets my bloody boiling. After all: whose choice is it? Why shouldn’t you choose the relatively pain free option (lots of drugs please!) with a highly skilled surgeon and his team making sure you and your new baby are safe and sound? Who decided in this day and age that you should go through as much pain as possible so you can “feel like a woman” and have a natural vaginal birth? Not me sister! I want the option that is the least risky to both me and my newborn child. As my first child was in the breech position (head up the top not engaged down the pelvic area for a natural birth) the least risky option was a Caesar.
Yes, I know all the arguments about how you recover quicker with a natural birth but what about all that tearing and stretching? I don’t know about you but I am quite keen to keep myself tight and tidy “down there”. As one of my dear friends put it, I don’t want sex to be like “throwing a sausage down a hallway” afterwards!
So my only advice to anyone tossing up which way to have their baby – decide yourself and do not let public opinion sway you. This is one time in your life when you should never bow to peer group pressure! Talk to as many medical professionals as you like (midwives, doctors, obstetricians, whoever you like) but be informed and make sure it is the best option for you and your baby. No matter what your decision is, don’t let anyone make you feel bad or “not womanly” for not wanting to have a natural birth! Now go forth and multiply!
Email us your Birth story and we will publish the best responses and reward the mothers with a copy of the Book “Birth Stories” plus a Shesaid Pamper pack!
