You know that 5 percent figure?

[cappuccinosmom]

The one where about 5 percent of women just can't birth without serious medical intervention?

I'm beginning to think it's the other way around--I feel like I'm in the 5 percent of women who *escapes* obstetrical management, and even I haven't gotten away from it completely. :

The number of inductions and c-sections I'm seeing among aquaintances and friends is just driving me up the wall.

[Peppermint Poppies]

I know what you mean ... a friend of mine had a c-section this week, purely because her baby's head hadn't engaged yet ... at 37wks! And another friend has her c-section booked in a week's time for the same reason :

[Jenlaana]

It may be 5% who NEED to have a cesarean, but the figure of how many actually have them is more around 30% and in some hospitals WAY higher than that even. So that leaves the question... exactly how many unnecessary surgeries are we doing? Its so unfortunate that these women will never get to experience birthing their babies. How many of them will never know, their entire lives, that they deserved something better? How many of them will realize years later that they were cheated, and mourn what they have missed?



I was supposed to be one of those casualties of medical society (again). It feels like a knife to my heart every time I talk to someone who is having a cesarean because they are too nieve or blinded by "medical talk" or fear to insist on a better way.

[Mavournin]

Originally Posted by cappuccinosmom

I'm beginning to think it's the other way around--I feel like I'm in the 5 percent of women who *escapes* obstetrical management

I feel the exact same way.

I just gave birth to my third at home and despite the fact that baby is not even my biggest (and that I have had homebirths in the past) I have my friends all calling me and coming by saying they "were sure" I would require a transfer and probably a c/s. It's just the saddest lack of faith in the capabilities of the female body I've ever seen.

[13Sandals]

The number of inductions and c-sections I'm seeing among aquaintances and friends is just driving me up the wall.

I had four friends/acquaintances deliver this year and 3 were induced for non-emergencies and none were past their due date (two ended in c-sections). really seems no one actually gets 40 weeks anymore (unless you are birthing at home).

[AugustLia23]

It's sickening really, that women are being treated this way. How horrible it is that doctors are using womens babies as a way to get them to do whatever(basically) they want. What woman would say no to an intervention if a doctor(who may as well be G-D in many people's eyes) told them that there was a chance that their baby could be in danger?

We are perfectly capable of growing and nurturing our babies a vast majority of the time, but so many women are losing this trust in thier bodies. On another board I visit(mainstream), most of the women have rented dopplers to listen to their baby's hb's because they don't trust that their body won't kill their baby's for no reason. I'd be surprised if most of them didn't end up with inductions(that is the women that aren't already having repeat c-sections).

Many women also don't see inductions and c-sections as anything different than any other birth. And even I would rather have the baby sooner than later, but I know that this isn't the best thing for my baby. I'd like to let them choose when they are ready to come out.

I could go on and on and on...

[theretohere]

I think that this is so sad- that it's now the majority of women who have epidurals and other pain relief, as well as augmentation and cesareans.

[MamaPam]

DH and I were talking about this last night. Everyone he works with also has kids but I am the only one who has not had and does not want a C-Section. :

-Pam

[mom2talus]

I feel pretty comfortable in saying I'm in that 5% that NEEDED intervention, but I believe wholeheartedly that that other 25% getting c-sections are just being used by doctors who don't want to work long hours.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

Watch out Brazil, here we come.

[Synchro246]

I kinda think the 5% is a bit low and idealistic. I'd lean more toward 10ish%. No question that our country has atrocious rates of unnecessary intervention though.

[JanB]

Yeah, on my due date club on another message board, everybody is talking about their scheduled inductions or C-sections now. One person mentioned that she had a C-section scheduled for 2 weeks before her due date. I politely asked why, naively assuming that she must have some kind of serious medical condition requiring early induction or something along those lines. Her answer was, "Oh, I don't know, that's just what the doctor wants to do." : How do you agree to a scheduled C-section at 38 weeks and not even bother to ask the reason for it?!?

Sigh.

[birthjunkie]

Originally Posted by JanB

How do you agree to a scheduled C-section at 38 weeks and not even bother to ask the reason for it?!?

C'mon, now. Where have YOU been? Every modern woman knows that 36 weeks is considered full-term in the new millenium. Tell your friend she better find a more civilized OB. By the new standards, she could feasibly be back in her size 2 jeans by 38 weeks

[jillmamma]

I agree it is so sad that doctors want you to birth on their schedule instead of the baby's! A friend of mine just delivered her DD right after midnight today. She had gestational diabetes (controlled with insulin shots) and is 36, but last week was starting to get pressure from her doctor to induce soon because the baby was already 7 lb and would only get bigger. She was just 38 weeks along! : The sad thing is that they started pitocin at noon, she got an epidural, and they had to use forceps to get the baby out so she has red marks on her face. They seem to be doing okay, but I just wish the doctor would have let her go to at least her due date and come when she was ready.

[DoomaYula]

Yeah, it's disenheartening, to say the least. I have two friends who have medical conditions that require c-s but tons of women I know have c-s. If not a c-s, than induction for a big baby or my personal favorite --

A woman I know was due right around a major holiday and she was induced early because "there won't be enough medical personnel on duty if you go into labor on the holiday." : : :

What bothers me lately is that I get these clients who say they want one thing, and then when they're in labor and confronted with an "authority figure" -- nurse, CNM, doc, med student, whatever -- they totally cave into the pressure. One pp nurse just kept offering my client Rx Motrin (or whatever they give pp), she was just absolutely pressuring her: "That labor was really difficult on your body, you're going to need it. You're going to want it later, why not just get it while I'm here in the room with you? Better to take it now than to want it at 4am." (Writing this, I'm thinking it sounds like she was offering crack!) Anyway, client had had a med-free birth, she was a multip who'd never had any medication during labor or birth, and she finally caved and took the Motrin.

I'm not saying that taking Motrin is evil; I just resent the pressure from "authority figures;" and the fact that so many women see medical folk AS authority figures.

[Jenlaana]

I think for a lot of women, myself included, its extremely difficult to fight the system in the midst of something as momentous as birth. Between the hormonal tidal surges, the fear and excitement of a new baby, the learned reverence for doctors (its ingrained in so many of us), and the discomfort of the unnatural hospital setting, its hard to stand your ground. Especially with doctors and nurses and CNMs that use scare tactics and take advantage of the extremely vulnerable state. I had to bring my DH to every doctor's appointment to back me up, because I knew that if they ever got me alone long enough, I would be scared into agreeing with them. Its horrible the way that women are treated by OB doctors and the hospitals. I've never felt so much like a child as I was when I had my cesarean, and when I went to an OB for my second pregnancy and they "informed me" that I needed to have another one.

[crittersmom]

I am feeling upset with myself and the "system" right now.I had late medical care for this pregnancy I didn't see anyone until I was 29 weeks and my first official MW appt was on Mon.In order to give birth or even be seen with the MW at this hospital I have to agree to GD testing,GBS testing,not gain more than 40 lbs. and the use of a Doppler.I also had to do a 24 hr urine catch to prove that I am normal at this point since I used to be on BP meds unrelated to pregnancies.The appts are only 15 minutes long and I have to sign a form saying that I agree to this.If I don't then I will have to go with the OBs and residents who will use every tool in thier belt rather than what is necessary and the staff who have never had experience with a pain med free birth.I am a military spouse so there aren't alot of other hospitals for me to choose from especially here in HI.I actually planned on a UC anyway and each time I enter the hospital it just confirms my decision.
I have to agree with PP it is hard to stand firm when you are alone and in lobor or close to it.My second pregnancy they were overmonitoring me making me come in for weekly NST tests.I was 38 weeks with the baby's head at -1 station and the DR whizzed in and said that my fluids were low(I think they were at 7 or 8) so I needed to be induced.I asked really can't I wait since my DH was deployed and my mother wouldn't be there until two more days and my MIL wouldn't be there until that weekend.He said oh yes your baby might compress his cord.I went in for the induction that night and even though I still did it without the pain meds and it was fast and relatively easy since I waqs ready anyway,I just had my doula who I had luckily just hired.I still am angry that I allowed this to happen to me when I was vulnerable.

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Poppies

I know what you mean ... a friend of mine had a c-section this week, purely because her baby's head hadn't engaged yet ... at 37wks! And another friend has her c-section booked in a week's time for the same reason :

wow really none of my dc engaged till i was pushing.