Birth

NB: I am in no way judging a woman's choice of birth so hold the phone - this is about better birth outcomes.

Just a day before Ricki Lake's aforementioned movie premiere and the lead story in Sydney's major newspaper is a timely one. Choice of birth is for each expectant parent to decide. I had just never thought through the impact of the increasing number of C-Sections on overall bed availability.

They definitely have their place. But C-sections are increasingly becoming the default which seems a shame as the process of natural birth is one of the few experiences that ties generations of women together. In Australia as the article suggests, 30% of all births are now done by C-section. It certainly hasn't delivered Australia better birth outcomes. In 2007, we ranked 20th. America is at 28th. The clear goal is improving birth outcomes. An approach other than C-sections would appear to be a good first step.

Comments

[BoggyWoggy]

Here's one consideration;
Babies are much bigger today than at anytime in human history. Female vaginas, on the otherhand, have not adapted. Personally, I had the joyful experience of 2 natural childbirths...and I have absolutely no regrets. However, women who are my friends were literally forced into C-sections, after hours and hours of attempting natural birth with 10 and 11-pound babies. Ugh. I'm so lucky mine were 8 1/2 pounds and 8 3/4 pounds...