How to Avoid a Cesarean Section (C Section)

More and more women are having cesarean sections (C sections) these days for a variety of reasons despite the fact that they are higher in risk. Waiting until you're in the hospital in labor to even think about it is the first step towards having one. If you want to avoid having one yourself you'll need to take the following steps to prepare yourself ahead of time.

Things You'll Need

• determination
• supportive partner
• time for research

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Instructions

• 1

  See a health care provider regularly and as soon as possible after finding out you are pregnant.

• 2

  Be as healthy as possible. Eat healthfully. Don't drink juice and eat only a few servings of fruit a day. Eat six small meals. Switch to a lower fat milk. Use low-fat cheese and dairy products. Cut out all refined flour and sugar. Exercise every day. All these measures will help keep your blood glucose level steady. If your blood glucose levels spike or are high often it leads to a larger baby. And, of course, a larger baby leads to an increased chance of C section.

• 3

  Choose a health care provider who views childbirth as a natural event, not a medical emergency.

• 4

  Consider using a midwife. Midwives practice in stand-alone birth centers, in homes, and in hospitals. They may practice in partnership with doctors or may have their own practice. Midwives use many safe strategies to avoid C sections for which doctors often have not even received training.

• 5

  Consider giving birth at home with a certified nurse midwife and nurse. Studies of planned home births in developed countries with women who have had uncomplicated pregnancies have shown sickness and death rates for mother and baby equal to or better than hospital birth statistics for women with uncomplicated pregnancies. (See Resources.)

• 6

  Consider a doula. A doula helps the pregnant mother and her partner to prepare and put into practice their birth plan. She stays with the mother throughout labor providing emotional and physical support. Studies show that mothers who have had doulas during their labor and delivery have 25% shorter labors, 50% fewer C sections, 40% fewer epidurals and 30%-40% decreased need for forceps, vacuum extraction, pitocin and narcotics.

• 7

  Harden your resolve to avoid an epidural. Educate yourself. Epidurals have negative side effects such as mothers developing low blood pressure which can lead to decreased fetal heart rate. Higher rates of fever in mothers resulting in 25% more C sections. Decreased rate of dilation from the use of epidurals results in more C sections. But epidurals don't just effect the mother. Babies develop increased rates of abnormal heart rates, non-ideal birth positions, breathing problems at birth, neurological injury, neonatal jaundice, poor sucking reflex and hyperactivity up to age 7. Labor is longer and thus more difficult for mother and baby. It is the first step on the slippery slope to a C section.

• 8

  C sections have negative side effects as well not to mention that it is major surgery and recovery is significantly longer. Babies born by C section have an increased risk of breathing problems. Women experience deeper postpartum depression. (See Resources.)

• 9

  Compose a birth plan. This is a document which describes what you want to happen during your birth. Do you want an epidural? Do you want to avoid drugs completely? Will your partner cut the cord? These kinds of questions are covered in your birth plan. Include the strongly worded request that you do not want to be asked if you want an epidural or drugs for the pain. Believe me, when you're struggling with the pain yourself it makes it much harder to resist when the nurse asks you every time he/she comes in whether you want drugs for the pain. This statement does not cut off the possibility of actually using pain reliever. All you have to do is ask for it.

• 10

  Once you've decided on a birth plan make sure everyone who deals with you in your medical facility is familiar with it. Bring it to your health care provider a month prior to the birth and go over it with him or her. If you give birth at a health facility (as opposed to at home), make sure all the nurses that are assigned to you read it.

• 11

  Discuss with your birth partner how important it is for him or her to stick up for you and your wishes if the hospital personnel want to do something to which you object. Doctors cannot force you to do anything you don't want to do. Sometimes births don't go as planned. But you need to feel that you personally have chosen a different circumstance than what is on your birth plan. And to do this you will need someone to support your wishes.

• 12

  Prepare well for your labor and delivery. Read about and decide which of the various kinds of labor techniques such as Lamaze, Bradley, and Hypnobirthing feel right to you.

• 13

  Attend your birth classes. Since some babies come early it would be wise to finish your classes at least four weeks before your due date. Some women give birth early. Then religiously practice your chosen labor techniques every few days until you go into labor.

• 14

  During labor tell yourself in no uncertain terms that you will wait until after a contraction before deciding what whether to have an epidural (the first step toward having an unnecessary C section). Make deals with yourself. Tell yourself that you will make it through another five (or three or two) contractions before considering an unnecessary C section again.

• 15

  If you find the contractions enormously overwhelming and feel you cannot continue, you can ask for a drug to take the edge off of the pain if you must. But remember the longer you can go without painkiller the better your chances will be of avoiding an unnecessary C section.