September 24, 2007

Double digits and elective primary c-sections

Wow, I finally hit double digits in the countdown to baby #3! Time has been going by so quickly. I want this pregnancy to go more slowly just because it will be my last, but at the same time I can't wait until December to meet this little guy. I swear this kiddo moves all over the place. Last night he was kicking me in both hip bones, which makes me wonder about his position. There's still lots of time for him to turn regardless, so right now it makes no difference deliverywise, but I'm curious. Based on shape of my abdomen and where I'm feeling movement, I think he's lying transverse, but who knows.

Work this weekend was pretty slow. We had a surrogate delivery this a.m. A sister carried a baby for her brother and sister-in-law who had been trying to conceive for 10 years. 10 YEARS!!! She had a c/s and her husband and the biological parents were there in the OR and it was beautifull. It's been awhile since a delivery moved me to tears (for happy reasons) but this one did. It was the dad. I always cry when the dads cry. When momhanded him his daughter, it was absolutely beautiful. Tears just kept coming from his eyes and he was so gently without looking like he was afraid of this little 8 lb baby. Love moments like that. I can't even fathom what it must be like to finally have a child after trying for so long.
In other news, I found out that we are now doing elective primary c-sections. I just don't understand this trend, and I feel pretty strongly that it's not right.
** Warning: graphic description ahead***
Why on earth would someone not want to even try to let their body do what God intended for it to do and go straight to having their abdomen and uterus cut open, pulled out, sown back together and then shoved back in, without any medical reason? I'm not talking elective repeat c/s or first timers who have c/s for twins, or baby's condition, previa or whatever. Just one's not wanting to labor and have pain. I've got news for them: pain from abdominal surgery lasts much longer than the pain of labor. And I'm not just talking from nursing experience but from personal experience. Oh well. What do I know and what does nature know? There's only one group that's actually doing them and they say "Well, you have to give everyone that option". Why? Why steer someone to something more dangerous in general for mom and baby? Well, I'm off to bed. Hopefully the little bean will decide to stop doing his little jig he's doing right now and follow my lead. We'll see :)

2 comments:

AtYourCervix said...

Kill me now...primary elective c/s.

Glad to hear you had a very tearful, happy delivery though! I love those - and I agree, it's the dads that cry that get me every time!

Kristina said...

As a doula, I'm not a big fan of elective primary cesarean births. However I should share my SIL's story. She wasn't afraid of the pain - she was physically afraid of the idea of a baby coming out of her vagina. Is this a phobia (and could it have been treated)? Had she been sexually abused? I don't know those answers. Although I always favor natural birth, I favor women's choice and a positive memory of birth more. I believe, in my SIL's case, the cesarean birth was the empowering choice and the vaginal birth would have been the emotional nightmare. Of course, it still makes it hard for me to bear witness to something that turns me off so much.