http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/trying-to-avoid-a-cesarean-birth/ A New York City mom sharing her knowledge as a childbirth educator, labor support doula, and her own journey through motherhood Thu, 17 May 2012 04:43:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/trying-to-avoid-a-cesarean-birth/#comment-3785 Cynthia Gabriel Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:47:52 +0000 http://prenatalyogacenter.com/blog/?p=2261#comment-3785 Yes, these are important steps to reducing the chance of a cesarean. Another very important step, I believe, is to make serious plans to go into labor naturally. 1) Plan to wait for contractions to begin naturally and 2) Make a plan for what you will do if your water breaks before contractions begin. These two scenarios, if left unplanned until late in pregnancy, can often lead to interventions and cesareans. If you do not have a plan in place for what to do if your water breaks, you may end up "on the clock" -- threatened with a cesarean if your baby is not born by a particular time. But there are ways to avoid that, if you are prepared! More and more women are medically induced and inductions (especially with Pitocin) can lead to cesareans via a number of routes. (One example: Pitocin makes contractions more painful, women are more likely to ask for an epidural, epidurals are known to cause fevers, if a woman has a fever in labor she may end up with a cesarean to make sure the baby is OK.) Get support (a doula is very helpful!) so that when your doctor or midwife recommends induction, you have someone to call right away before you agree! This is a serious, serious decision and you should consider it as seriously as you would a home purchase. Do your research! Plan well! Get support! Yes, these are important steps to reducing the chance of a cesarean. Another very important step, I believe, is to make serious plans to go into labor naturally. 1) Plan to wait for contractions to begin naturally and 2) Make a plan for what you will do if your water breaks before contractions begin. These two scenarios, if left unplanned until late in pregnancy, can often lead to interventions and cesareans. If you do not have a plan in place for what to do if your water breaks, you may end up “on the clock” — threatened with a cesarean if your baby is not born by a particular time. But there are ways to avoid that, if you are prepared! More and more women are medically induced and inductions (especially with Pitocin) can lead to cesareans via a number of routes. (One example: Pitocin makes contractions more painful, women are more likely to ask for an epidural, epidurals are known to cause fevers, if a woman has a fever in labor she may end up with a cesarean to make sure the baby is OK.) Get support (a doula is very helpful!) so that when your doctor or midwife recommends induction, you have someone to call right away before you agree! This is a serious, serious decision and you should consider it as seriously as you would a home purchase. Do your research! Plan well! Get support!

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