Comments on: baby stuff…

By: Aggie Friend

Aggie Friend — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:28:45 +0000

Where’s my post?

By: Soña

Soña — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:01:38 +0000

Actually, ACOG no longer makes a blanket policy statement against VBAC although they do advise of the risks you mention, specifically uterine rupture. ACOG also advises of the risks of repeat c-sections. Clearly, birth, no matter what the course, is risky. It wasn’t my intention to indicate that VBAC was somehow preferred but that it’s an option for subsequent births. Unfortunately, it is an option only for some women. It should be an option to any woman who wants to pursue that course of delivery but partially because of the insurance premiums you mentioned many hospitals and OBs are not willing to allow a woman to pursue a VBAC whether or not she is a good candidate or not.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:09:48 +0000

great comments ladies! It almost feels like a little chat over coffee.

By: Soña

Soña — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:20:36 +0000

I think the real question in all of this isn’t how someone chooses to birth or even whether or not that mom’s choice is what the baby has in mind but whether or not we have any choices at all in birthing. It wasn’t too long ago that all women were put under to deliver and the men were kept in the wiating room…things do change. The “once a section always a section” delivery method is now being questioned by medical literature and yet many hospitals in the Metroplex will not allow a VBAC or even a trial of labor after an initial cesarean delivery.

Clearly all mothers and mothers-to-be have the same goal in mind, a healthy baby, but when there is little choice given to the mother in how that baby arrives it can cause an otherwise joyous time to be fraught with stress. Because healthcare issues are in the national spotlight right now this is a very timely issue but I’d suggest that it is always an important issue for women to be aware of. Not because of any perceived guilt-factor or one-upsmanship in the mommy wars but because when our medical choices are limited we all lose. Cesarean deliveries are expensive, as my pocketbook can attest, and that does have an effect on everyone’s insurance premiums. Uncomplicated vaginal deliveries are the far cheapest option in birthing and if a mother chooses to attempt a VBAC, barring any medical emergency, she should be allowed to.

All that aside, as a new mother I can definitely see how each parenting choice puts you on one side or the other of some debate, I suppose it’s all we can do to just keep up with what side we’re on. And of course, share the funnel cake.

By: Aggie Friend

Aggie Friend — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:31:52 +0000

You know I agree with you 10000000% and I have to add into the mix the issue of breast feeding vs. bottle. Another source of guilt thrown into that crazy newborn time! So I may not have been the prehistoric woman that survived childbirth AND could feed her children well too….but afterall this is not prehistoric times and formula has all of that good breastmilk protein in it now anyways! RELEASE the guilt….all of us! Lift each other up….!

By: Patti

Patti — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:40:07 +0000

I’m going to have to agree, even though i dont have kids. the bundles of joy you produced are irreplaceable!

By: Brit

Brit — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:27:40 +0000

I delivered via C-section and have two adopted children…. I am so glad to hear your words on this. Others have questioned the role of a mother without a natural delivery. I think that the “getting” is the easy part no matter how you get there, it’s the “keeping” that makes you a mom!

Great job!

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:46:10 +0000

You’re right, you DID win at the carnival. It does not matter how the babies got here, the blessing is that they are here. A few short hours of the labor of “the birth of your motherhood” is nothing compared to the lifetime motherhood experience those kiddos will bring you.

And you know what? You got to experience the carnival rides of pregnancy. There are tons of fabulous mothers out there that didn’t get to go on those rides and through adoption still got to bring home the prize.

Also, let’s not forget all those mothers who play the carnival games time and time again, and still don’t have the prize to take home.

So in the big picture of things, you are one of the luckiest mome out there.