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I've never heard the overweight explanation before, and anecdotally, not a single one of the women I know who had a C section could be described as overweight. About half of the women I know have had C sections, all of them at the doctor's insistence.
The US C section rate is high, and there are plenty of theories behind it, the most prevailing one is it is part of the increased medicalization of childbirth. In my own experience, I agree. With my second child, my OB wanted to schedule an induction a week before my due date, and she made it clear to me that she was quite unhappy with me when I refused. Then, I had to tell the nurse at the hospital three times that I did not want an epidural. After my daughter was born, I looked up at the IV stand and noticed a bag of pitocin that I had not agreed to. Both of my girls were born naturally and within two hours of me arriving at the hospital. No distress. No gestational diabetes. No pre-eclampsia. No reason whatsoever to push interventions, and yet the interventions were pushed on me repeatedly.
Not a single person I know who had a C-section would describe it as "easier" than a vaganial delivery. In fact, two had long drawn out recovery periods while I was out grocery shopping with my 3 day old baby in a sling. I can't imagine wanting a C-section. My delivery nurse said I was thisclose to needing one, and had already called to have an instrument tray brought in (they lady before me used the one that was in there before me) but thankfully we managed to get him out.
I don't know why anybody would want a c-section for convenience. It is major abdominal surgery. I had one with my son 12 years ago due to very high blood pressure. I was 38 weeks along, and my son wasn't dropping yet. So for my safety (and ultimately his) I had one. Plus my doc said that my pelvis was extremely narrow. So either way, I probably would have ended up having one anyway.
I am not sure how other women recover from a c-section. But for me, it took me a good year to finally feel like myself again. I had tremendous pain, and numbness. I couldn't even breastfeed my son because no matter what position he was in, I was in too much pain. If I had a choice, I would have much rather had a vaginal delivery.
Not a single person I know who had a C-section would describe it as "easier" than a vaganial delivery. In fact, two had long drawn out recovery periods while I was out grocery shopping with my 3 day old baby in a sling. I can't imagine wanting a C-section. My delivery nurse said I was thisclose to needing one, and had already called to have an instrument tray brought in (they lady before me used the one that was in there before me) but thankfully we managed to get him out.
My daughter is alive only because I had a C-Section.
Never had a vaginal delivery, but I can't imagine that a C-section is easier, just by virtue of the fact that it is actual surgery. Laughing, taking deep breaths, or coughing without pain is out of the question for the first few days. You have no idea how much you use those abdominal muscles until they are cut! I can remember lying there after the surgery, floating on my morphine high, and realizing that I could feel the start of the pain deep down inside and thinking, "Damn, if I'm on morphine and I can FEEL this, it's really gonna hurt when the morphine wears off." And it did.
I don't know why anybody would want a c-section for convenience. It is major abdominal surgery. I had one with my son 12 years ago due to very high blood pressure. I was 38 weeks along, and my son wasn't dropping yet. So for my safety (and ultimately his) I had one. Plus my doc said that my pelvis was extremely narrow. So either way, I probably would have ended up having one anyway.
I am not sure how other women recover from a c-section. But for me, it took me a good year to finally feel like myself again. I had tremendous pain, and numbness. I couldn't even breastfeed my son because no matter what position he was in, I was in too much pain. If I had a choice, I would have much rather had a vaginal delivery.
That sounds about right--it took a good year to heal completely. Even now, almost 20 years later, there are numb spots along the cut line/scar. You are never really the same after. I didn't have any problems breastfeeding, though.
A month after my daughter was born I went to a friend's wedding. Got up to dance, lasted about half a minute and went and sat back down.
I've never heard the overweight explanation before, and anecdotally, not a single one of the women I know who had a C section could be described as overweight. About half of the women I know have had C sections, all of them at the doctor's insistence.
The US C section rate is high, and there are plenty of theories behind it, the most prevailing one is it is part of the increased medicalization of childbirth. In my own experience, I agree. With my second child, my OB wanted to schedule an induction a week before my due date, and she made it clear to me that she was quite unhappy with me when I refused. Then, I had to tell the nurse at the hospital three times that I did not want an epidural. After my daughter was born, I looked up at the IV stand and noticed a bag of pitocin that I had not agreed to. Both of my girls were born naturally and within two hours of me arriving at the hospital. No distress. No gestational diabetes. No pre-eclampsia. No reason whatsoever to push interventions, and yet the interventions were pushed on me repeatedly.
Pitocin can be an appopriate intervention; it helps the uterus to contract. It also bugs me for people to blame nurses for stuff that happens in the hospital, where everything is directed by the doctors. The nurse would not be the one to administer the epidural, in any case.
Quote:
Originally Posted by glass_of_merlot
Another thread were we are suppose to judge others very personal choices when it comes to parenting.
I don't see C-section as a "choice". I don't think it should be offered as a choice. I haven't worked in OB for a long time, so I'm not up on what exactly is the latest thinking, but I think the need for a C-section should be a medical need.
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C-Section Rates: Obesity to Blame?
