It is sometimes frustrating to see moms choose to schedule a cesarean without what we (people who trust birth) see as a true medical need.   It is easy to blame the moms, why don’t they know better? 

Well, I think the problem is not with the moms, it is with the birthing community leading them to that choice in many different ways…  The moms are often scared into a cesarean or don’t realize they have other options.

Here are some ways moms are led to cesareans before their birthing time even begins. 

Some are gently led there, by little lies given along the way by their care providers.  The big baby card is a prevalent way care providers do this today.  (Your baby looks like it is going to be big… your pelvis is small… this baby is too big for you to birth, you had better have a cesarean) 

Some are scared into it, VBAC moms are told it isn’t safe, or they can never have a vaginal birth, it didn’t work last time, it won’t this time either. 

Some are told vaginal birth isn’t even an option… your baby is breech; you HAVE to have a cesarean.  Moms don’t even know they have a choice, they can try to turn the baby or they can find a care provider who supports vaginal breech birth.  (It is hard to find these care providers, because many are not being trained to do so.)

Twin moms are also often talked into cesareans.  I am not so familiar with the reasons they are given for this, but I know that many moms with twins assume they have to have a cesarean.  So if you know some of the reasoning, feel free to add to my comments.

Scroll down to read the following posts…

So what can we do to help an individual mom?

What if she doesn’t listen?

What can we do to help change the system?