Advocacy

In the coming weeks, I'm hoping our local ICAN chapter will undertake a new venture. We will be peppering the Greater Victoria area with pamphlets about c-section and VBAC. Anywhere you find new moms or moms-to-be, you'll find our pamphlet. Community centres, OB/midwife offices, kiddie stores, coffee shops. You name it. We'll be there.

If I get permission from ICAN, I'll post a link to the pamphlets here so you can download and print them yourselves. Stay tuned.

The c-section rate at Victoria General hospital is nearing 40%. It's nearly that high in the rest of Canada and across North America. What will you do?

ICAN Birth

A video montage of women who had cesareans because their doctor told them their pelvises were too small - and their success in birthing subsequent children. CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion) is a very common misdiagnosis - one of the reasons the c-section rate is climbing ever higher in North America.

Five Beautiful Births!

1Remember this mama? She gave birth without medical intervention early last Sunday morning to a beautiful baby boy!

I'm waiting on news from several other friends:
- a mama having her second baby is at 38 weeks - the doctors are raising her hopes by saying "he's going to come any minute - he's right there!" Poor woman has been on pins and needles for the past 10 days. Why can't these doctors keep their mouths shut? Update 11/21/07 - Baby boy (!) was born this past Sunday at 41 weeks - no complications.

- A first time mama who is 41+ weeks. I'm thinking about writing her an email on the dangers on induction... Update 11/02/07 I sent her an email on the dangers of induction last night...at approximately the same time as her son was being born at home!!!

- Another first time mama in Israel where the c/s rate is quite low, I've heard. I'm not too worried about her. A baby boy born early Sunday morning, 11/4/07!!!!

- Yet another first time mama in Sweden - also low c/s rates Baby also born early Sunday morning 11/4/07!!!!

I'll keep you updated!

Thinking of Letter Writing

A friend gave birth the other day - it was a little scary and I'm glad I didn't know the story until well after the fact. The OB broke her water when the baby wasn't fully engaged resulting in, surprise, a cord prolapse. Luckily, this powerful mama pushed that baby out before she had a chance to think and everyone is fine. I got VERY made at the OB, initially, but my friend assures me that the situation was more complicated.

Still, it got me thinking about my son's birth... I haven't cried over my c-section in at least a month, but I found myself breaking down last night after reading my friends birth story.

I've already written to my midwives with very specific suggestions for what to do next time a mama PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) goes for induction. One of the midwives was very respectful and promised that she'd look at future situations differently as a result of my letter and experience. The other midwife, well, I haven't heard from her, but she did tell me at my last appointment that I shouldn't dwell on the past - I should just move forward. So much for empathy.

I'm wondering now if I should extend my letter-writing to the OB who performed the surgery and the GP into whose care we were transfered when my blood pressure went out of range of the scope of the midwives' practice.

I respect both of these doctors and I don't believe they were being cavalier in their pronouncement that I needed a c-section, I just think they were following business-as-usual in a hospital where the c/s rate is 40%.

I'd like to tell them how I feel post c-section and what I wish they would've done to help me make an informed decision (my husband and I did, ultimately, consent to the c/s, but it's been a case of "if I knew then what I know now..." in the months since my son's birth).

I will probably write these letters since I can't think of a reason not to. Both doctors are reasonable and compassionate and I fully expect to hear back from the OB (who offered to provide his services for free when he found out I wasn't covered by the provincial health plan) and possibly the GP.

Anyone think it will make a difference?

Outrageous

OK, so this isn't about caesarians, but it is about babies. I received an email today from babycenter.com. The subject: 5 bizarre baby behaviours.

I must admit that my curiosity was peaked. While my 9 month old ds does things that I wouldn't expect a 10 year old to do, I take his behaviour in stride - assuming, for the most part, that it is developmental.

So, what did BabyCenter have to say about these "bizarre baby behaviours"? The one that stood out to me was head-banging. I thought, why the heck are they talking about this? Head-banging is something you saw neglected orphans in Romania doing because they were always left alone in their cribs.

Why would western children head-bang (something the article suggests 20% of children do)? Then it dawned on me. Ferber and cohorts. These babies who head-bang? They usually do it in their cribs "to comfort themselves", says the article. All these babies have without a doubt been "sleep trained" by one of the so-called experts. What are they experts in? Society and media sponsored child abuse.

Newsflash: BABIES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO HEAD-BANGING FOR COMFORT! That's why we became parents. If we didn't want the job of comforting baby, there are plenty of parents out there who would love to adopt and comfort your child.

When will we all wake up form this surreal existence we call Modern Society where it's considered best for a mom to be sliced open to deliver her baby and for that baby then to be placed in a crib to cry himself to sleep?

Stop the train, I want off.

Cautiously Optimistic

On a personal note, Yom Kippur is approaching. It is a day for atonement and reflection.

The day after Yom Kippur is the date DH and I set for beginning to TTC bebe #2... VBAC, anyone?

Kitzinger

For my doula training I have to read The Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger.

I got an older copy out of the library (published in 1996) and in it she says that 20% of women will have CPD (cephalopelvic disproportion). Now, I'm no scientist, but my gut says that this is absolute bullshit. Historically, 20% of women didn't die in childbirth because the baby wouldn't come out. In fact, Childinfo.org reports the rate in Afghanistan (we can probably agree that birthing conditions are primitive here) is 1,900 per 100,000 births - a maternal mortality rate of 1.9%. Where is all the CPD in Afghanistan?

I have to assume that this part has been edited in current editions. Anyone know?