#cesearean

by Chantal

It’s April, and what does April bring? Caesarean Awareness.

Canada’s caesarean rate was reported as 29% of all births in 2011…

This was something I shared with my close friend and her mother, and this comment alone triggered a deep, emotional, soul shifting conversation between us. Her mother shared with me something that I’m sure some women who have birthed by Caesarean still deal with today.

“I had all 3 of my children by caesarean, and my sister always looked down at me for it.”

The comment that stuck out the most for her was, “You don’t really know what giving birth is like.”

This shook my core… with a lot more talking and tears in between, she went on to say, “I am proud of myself for bringing these kids into the world, I am no less of a mother than anyone else!” I couldn’t help but admire the strength and power of this woman for being able to open up. To be so raw and honest about her experience and her emotions around it.

Have you ever heard someone comment on a vaginal delivery not being beautiful?! Probably not! So why do people feel the need to demean a Caesarean birth? What a ridiculous thing to do!! A birth is a birth. 

Did the women who fell into that 29% statistic grow and nurture that        child in the womb?

Did they have a baby exit their bodies in one way or another?

Do they go through the large list of body changes and hormonal roller      coasters as the next birthing person?

The answer to all of these questions is yes!

Let’s talk about all the extras that come with a caesarean delivery.

Women who endure a caesarean typically have:

A longer hospital stay (average 2-4 days)

A higher risk of infection than that of a vaginal delivery

A longer recovery

Chance of complications from anesthesia

These women deserve a round of applause, not judgement! I mean, this is a major surgery! 

Any person, who can grow a tiny human inside their body and love unconditionally, deserves praise. And just because they had a cesarean does not mean that the child wasn’t birthed. We should be sensitive in also acknowledging that most of these cesereans are unavoidable.

There are countless reasons as to why it would be necessary, such as those starting in pregnancy:

Placenta Previa

Placental Abruption

Preeclampsia

Health conditions (Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease)

Infection (HIV,Herpes)

Previous birth by caesarean (not always necessary)

As well as those during birth:

Large baby

Breech baby

Prolapse cord

Baby in distress

Uterine rupture

All of these things listed are out of our hands. We can all do as much as we can to try and plan our pregnancy and birth, but sometimes nature has its own plan.

All in all, I believe that birth is empowering no matter what way! And YOU SHOULD TOO!

Let’s lift each other up and embrace birth in all its beautiful forms.

Placenta Services Myths BUSTED: Part TWO

by Andrea

Last week we discussed the first 5 common myths that surround the practice of placentophagy, the act of consuming one’s placenta. If you missed it, you can view it here! Today we will uncover and debunk the next 5! Let’s continue the conversation! Connect with us and leave comments or questions about placenta services.

MYTH #6: It’s a FAD Although it has been suggested that placenta capsules were made popular by Kourtney Kardashian (yes, I was actually told this by a nurse when picking up a client’s placenta!) the sacred practice of Placentophagy has a long history of offering benefits to mothers around the world. BUSTED: For many years new mothers around the world have benefitted from Placentophagy. The human practice itself finds its deepest roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine where it is considered a sacred medicine for balancing and restoring Qi, ones ‘life energy’ or ‘life force’. Although it is difficult to identify when the practice of giving back to ones body and being began in humans, we have enough evidence, both anecdotal and research based, to say with confidence that it is not a fad.

MYTH #7: It is NOT an option with Cesarean Birth

If you are wondering whether or not your planned (or unplanned) Cesarean Birth has eliminated your opportunity to enjoy the benefits of Placenta Services I am excited to tell you that it has not! BUSTED: Cesarean Birth, put simply, is birth! Birthing your baby(ies) in this way does not change the fact that your amazing placenta is still your amazing placenta! I always encourage my clients to inform their care providers (both medical and non-medical) of their wishes to utilize placenta services and this is especially important should you have a planned or unplanned Cesarean. Regardless of how your baby enters this world, most hospitals require you to sign a placenta release form either prior to or post delivery and it is often best to inform the nursing staff on duty of your intentions to have your placenta released to you upon arrival. This allows for your wishes to be clearly communicated and gets any paperwork out of the way giving you the opportunity to all the sweet new moments with your baby.

MYTH #8: Placenta Encapsulation is something you can DIY I am all for a good DIY and a quick search on Pinterest will offer you some options on what you need to encapsulate your own placenta however processing your placenta is one DIY attempt that is best left to a professional. BUSTED: There are a number of reasons why it’s best to leave your placenta processing and services to a professional. One main reason is because they are trained and experienced in what a healthy (and unsafe for that matter) placenta looks, feels and…smells like. They are skilled and aware of all the strict parameters of proper sanitization, cleaning, dehydrating and encapsulating and know what to look for to ensure that your capsules and services are safe for your consumption. The equipment required to process your placenta safely (please no oven dehydrating!) is extensive and costly and will likely cost you more than the investment you make to work with a specialist. And most importantly, processing your placenta properly from start to finish requires a significant time investment, time that you will likely rather spend relaxing and bonding with your new baby.  

 MYTH #9: Placenta Services are supported by Midwives only, not by Obstetricians (OBs) Under the care of a Midwife? You are bound to be informed of the amazing benefits of Placenta services! Under the care of an OB, better luck next time! BUSTED: Although it is more common for Midwives to be more open and supportive of their client’s choices, especially when they deviate from what is considered ‘the norm’ in the medical community, there is no hard line drawn in the sand on placenta services. I have come across several Midwives who are in complete support and have informed their clients of the benefits of placenta services and some who are more weary and encourage their clients to conduct their own research. I have also come across very supportive OBs who feel it is their patient’s choice and see the value in what holds a degree of medical reasoning: that the nutrients, vitamins and hormones that pass through the placenta must also, to a certain degree, remain in the placental tissues themselves. It is important to inform your care provider of your wishes and equally important to be prepared that they may or may not be informed or supportive. Starting the dialogue with them and bringing any concerns forward to a trained Placenta Specialist is the best way to ensure that you are well informed and confident in your decision.

MYTH #10: If you are Vegetarian or Vegan you cannot benefit from Placenta Capsules You might be surprised how often this question is raised by concerned Moms-to-be who want to ensure that they would not be bending any of their ethical or lifestyle choices by exploring the option of consuming their placenta. Rest assured, no animals were harmed in the making of your placenta, in fact the cutest little baby just so happened to be the result! BUSTED: Most people choose to adopt a Vegetarian or Vegan lifestyle for a number of different reasons and most often to prevent the exploitation and commodification of animals, for their health and for environmental purposes. Because your placenta is an organ created by you to sustain the life of your baby and is naturally discarded no humans or animals are harmed in the process. In fact, by choosing placenta services you are closing the life circle of your pregnancy and honouring the life sustaining organ that was the womb buddy to your baby while he or she grew healthy and strong. There is no better way to honour this important part of your pregnancy by giving back its nourishing benefits to yourself postpartum.