have you planned for a caesarean birth?
- Pooja Mistry
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
Let's start off by thinking about how you feel about a caesarean birth?
Have you considered what a caesarean birth would look like? What if things changed in your pregnancy and there was a medical requirement for a caesarean birth? What if things changed in labour and you were to have an emergency caesarean?
What feelings come to you when you are asked to consider these questions?
There is no right or wrong when it comes to answering these questions, but if you are planning to be an ostrich with it's head buried in the sand and just "go with the flow", then you really this blog just might help you realise how much you have to learn.
The World Health Organisation released a statement on Caesarean Section Rates:
"Since 1985, the international healthcare community has considered the ideal rate for caesarean sections to be between 10% and 15%. Since then, caesarean sections have become increasingly common in both developed and developing countries. When medically justified, a caesarean section can effectively prevent maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. However, there is no evidence showing the benefits of caesarean delivery for women or infants who do not require the procedure. As with any surgery, caesarean sections are associated with short and long term risk which can extend many years beyond the current delivery and affect the health of the woman, her child, and future pregnancies. These risks are higher in women with limited access to comprehensive obstetric care.
In recent years, governments and clinicians have expressed concern about the rise in the numbers of caesarean section births and the potential negative consequences for maternal and infant health. In addition, the international community has increasingly referenced the need to revisit the 1985 recommended rate."
When you look at the recommended/ ideal rate of Caesarean rates to be between 10- 15%, but are forced to the reality that shows that Caesarean births are reaching up to 45- 50% of births- it's not difficult to understand why it is so important to plan and prepare for a Caesarean birth.
We already know that 1 in 3 women are experiencing birth trauma. This can be from various factors but what are we doing to reduce this for our own experience? If the reality of the birth world is showing that we are almost 50% likely to have a Caesarean birth and the connotations of a Caesarean birth are negatively viewed... it is our responsibility to get ourselves clued up!
If you live in Leicester, these are the recent statistics released from March 2024- November 2024 about Caesarean birth rates. The average rate in Leicester for 2024 Caesarean Births is
44.1%
Remember... A Caesarean birth DOES NOT mean you have failed. It is NOT the easy way out. Every birth matters. What I want for you, is to feel knowledgeable and prepared. So how can you do that?
The ULTIMATE Birth Preparation course that equips you for ALL BIRTHS!
An intense all you need to know for a positive caesarean birth AND recovery!
Have me with you to walk the journey, explain the medical jargon and hold space for you and your birth partner!
The best start to a positive preparation!
A Caesarean Birth matters just as much as a vaginal birth.
Just like you and I can make mistakes at work... Our medical professionals are also human and can do the same.
So don't be the Ostrich. Don't walk in blind. Plan for every birth so you can take back the control!
Pooja xo
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