#iamamother

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.