Comments on: Caesar vs Natural

By: Abigail

Abigail — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:08:34 +0000

I am currently 17 weeks pregnant with my first child. Naturally there is a lot of fear of birth, of parenthood precisely because it is unknown to me.

All the opinions here are helping me navigate the overwhelming amount of (contradictory) information available.

I’d find it really useful if you all would share what resources you found most helpful in forming your own opinions.

By: Judith

Judith — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:15:46 +0000

hi ladies,
I am jumping the gun a bit – am Mom of a healthy 15 months old, natural drug free birth – would love to do it all over again and was very happy with the birth experience.

Is it possible in SA to deliver twins naturally or are you usually “pushed” towards Cesarean?
Anyone has some experience?

By: ObliviousMom

ObliviousMom — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:34:30 +0000

Water really really helps with the pain. I did not have a water birth but was in the bath until just before my baby was born. Had no drugs and do not think I could have done it without the warm water!

By: ObliviousMom

ObliviousMom — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:31:51 +0000

I decided to give ante natal classes a skip and do my own researched and it was the best decision ever. Firstly, there is NO reason to watch gory birthing videos. If you are the one giving birth you do not actually see the gore. Secondly, by reading a few different opinions online you can get a far more balanced view of what the options are and make you own decision without undue influence. Having done my own research I decided early on that I would not have a preterm induction as they do not work and that was that. I told my gynae not to mention baby too large, placenta is calcified etc as I was not going to interfere. The baby is the only one that knows when it is time to be born.

So when at 41.5 weeks I finally went into labour I was not really prepared but that does not matter. If you have a gynae who is able (by which I mean who actually has natural birth experience) they tell you what to do. Also the hospital nurses know exactly what to do and guide you through the process. I had a fairly fast progressing labour and so was not able to have an epidural. The pain was bad but really just an aside in the awesome experience of pushing out your baby. It is phenomenal to witness the power of your own body and your baby. And do not under estimate the power of your bodies own pain coping mechanism. During labour you produce a huge amount of endorphins which really help. Definitely the best experience of my life.

By: ObliviousMom

ObliviousMom — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:29:03 +0000

After all my research I have sadly concluded that the rise of c-section in SA and other countries with private health care is due to money and greed. Doctors are paid a set amount per live birth. It is thus far more lucrative to do 4 caesars an hour then wait around for a natural birth. Many doctors suggest pre-term inductions so that they can claim to be pro-natutal knowing full well preterm inductions have very low success rates and the result will be a caesar and more cash to them. It is just the way of the world – skewed incentives create skewed results.

By: lucia

lucia — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:44:30 +0000

Where did you gave birth, i had two ceasar and i am expecting my third child and i would like to go the natural birth route.

By: gail

gail — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:53:37 +0000

Very intersted in all yor stories,
I have 2 friends basically 7 months pregnant, and Im just going onto 8 weeks, I am trying to weigh up my gynae options, Hospital options, and have just been enlightened to the Midwife route…as I was enquiring about water births…and complications leading to C-sec.
Does anyone know if a Midwife will be covered by Medical aid? or would only a gynae be?
My hospital has the option, and I would like to know what my financial options would be here…
can anyone help?

Has anyone out there had a Waterbirth, does anyone know of anyone who has had one, and what the experience was?

I know if you go for a Water birth, you will not be able to have an epidural, Is the pain any less in the warm water?

Thanks

By: Janine

Janine — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:22:49 +0000

Hi All

I’m 24 weeks pregnant with my first child and have been told by a midwife and another lady who gives antenatal classes that statistics show that 60 – 90% of births in private hospitals and with gynaes are done via c-section.

I was advised that in most cases the option for natural birth is taken away from a pregnant lady without her knowing it, purely for commercial reasons and because the gynaes are able to schedule the ceasars.

I am so frightened by this as my desire is to have a natural birth, but I have to be open to the fact that I might end up having a ceasar if there are complications. I am now considering going with a midwife, purely just so that my options are kept open until the very last minute.

My gynae tells me that 45% of his births are natural births. I’m not sure whether I should swop to a midwife or stick with my gynae, who I really like and am comfortable with.

If the statistics given to me by the midwives are true, then I’m most afraid of losing my choice for a natural / ceasar birth.

Does anyone have any advice?

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:51:04 +0000

Dear Carmen

May I suggest tw things to assist you.

Firstly: Consider chatting to a midwife in yur area merely to get a perspective other than a doctors. It is possible to have a natural after having a ceasar and midwives are more likely to be straight with you.

Secondly: May I suggest you make use of the service of a doula. She will be there to support you in any decision you make in order to make your labour & birth a pleasant experience, no matter how you choose to birth your baby.

Go to the following at your leisure:

http://www.birthworks.co.za – This site has a directory of midwives & doulas in your area as well as information about different birthing options and the benefits & drawback of each option.

http://www.birthing.co.za – On this site has information on what a doula is and what she does and what the benefits of having her are.

These are just my suggestions. I hope they can be of some use to you.

I wish you everything of the best

Kind regards
Christine

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:25:29 +0000

Hi Kiora,
The first thing I did once I had decided to have natural birth was find a gynae that was open to the idea. A lot of gynaes will just say NO!!! My gynae was open to the idea, but nervous! Each month I would plague him and eventually we came to the agreement that if I hadn’t delivered by 39 weeks we would do a caesar! Luckily Jared came at 38 weeks. I also had a doula (helps the woman in labour but does not assist in delivery – there for mom) and she kept me focussed on what I had planned and discussed with her beforehand.
I was 29 when I had him and yes, I do have a bit of a tummy after two c-sections!!! Just can’t get the muscles to work properly again, but hey!!! I’m ok with that most of the time!!!
Good luck!!
Lindsay