And as many times as necessary.

Women who elect to have epidurals without proper information are idiots. Women who have scheduled inductions without medical need are idiots. Women who allow an OB-GYN to talk them into an unnecessary cesarean are IDIOTS.

And yes, these are strong words. And I suppose I could say I’m sorry if this offends anyone, but I’m really not. Unless there is a real, medical need for one of these procedures, they should be BANNED. I think it’s selfish and unnecessary for a woman to schedule an induction, request an epidural, and then ultimately (a good part of the time.) end up with a cesarean. Let’s break this down into facts, shall we?

Now, I’m not saying that all women who have inductions or c-sections are stupid. Not at all. I think that in some cases, these can be extremely beneficial to both mother and child. Inducing labor if you’re over 2 weeks past your EDD, for example, is a good example. A lot of women take what their doctor says word for word without question. But doctors don’t emphasize enough that it’s an ESTIMATED due date. Your due date is estimated from the first day of your last menstrual cycle. If you’re wrong in remembering the last time Auntie Flo came to visit, your due date could be wrong by up to two weeks in either direction. (Which is why some ‘early’ babies are fully developed and HUGE compared to some ‘on time’ babies.)

C-sections, on the other hand, are used WAY too often. I don’t think there’s any reason to schedule a c-section unless the health of your baby or yourself is at risk. I work with a woman who is physically incapable of birthing a baby the old fashioned way. She always has to have a c-section. That’s a good reason to get one. Some ladies have small pelvis’ that aren’t able to accommodate an infant passing through. That’s a good reason. Some women have heart issues and the strain of labor would be too much for them to bear. That’s a good reason. (That’s also a good reason to adopt, y0.) Some women have pre-eclampsia. Or placental issues. Or twins. Or triplets. Or high-order multiples. As long as there is a valid medical reason, I see no issue with C-sections. But this “designer birth” trend that’s going on needs to stop.

Women have been having babies for THOUSANDS OF YEARS without the aid of modern conveniences. It’s only in the last century that we have started to rely on hospitals and doctors to have our babies for us. We need to rely on our bodies. We are women, and we are strong enough to do it on our own. Ask your mom what her birth experience was like. My mom had two children without epidurals. I’m sure a lot of your mothers and grandmothers did the same.

And while I may have come off has harsh in the beginning, I’m not out to get anyone who elects to have an induction, epidural, or c-section. That’s not my intent. My goal is to help educate women on the dangers and side-effects of these procedures, and help them realize that YES, you CAN do it on your own. Your body knows what to do. Trust your body.

2 Responses to “I've said it before, and I'll say it again.”