C-Sections and Interventions – Why to Avoid Them If Possible
Since the Garden of Eden childbirth has been a natural 
and joyous event in a woman’s life! Science and medicine have brought new options for expectant mothers; some are very helpful, others could be unwise in the long run.
Scenarios available for young mothers-to-be are hospital births with an OB-GYN, home or birthing center births with a mid-wife, and some hospitals will allow specified midwives to be present during labor and delivery but with limited control.
After watching a clip that aired on Date-Line some time ago and reading about the death of a healthy 28 year old new mother from an infection acquired in the hospital, I have researched the topic and my negative opinion about mid-wife assisted births has drastically changed.
Data worth considering if you are pregnant
Women with particular conditions or illnesses should make use of medical expertise which is essential and even lifesaving at times. However, interventions can also interfere with the normal rhythms of birth and create problems.
Cesareans should only be performed when a vaginal delivery could put the baby’s or mother’s life or health at risk. There are many more unnecessary C-section deliveries today than ever before due to fear of lawsuits. Women who have had a cesarean section will most likely have c-sections in future pregnancies.
Cesarean section is more common in women who have have been induced, especially in first-time mothers, before full term or when the cervix is not soft and ready to open, according to research.
Epidurals and spinals can limit your ability to move and change positions in labor which help the baby to descend and assume a good birth position. You may want to avoid these and opt for other options for pain relief that a midwife or doula can provide.
The use of drugs to induce or speed up labor does not help the mother if there is no medical need and can increase the pain of the contractions and lead to concerns with the fetus’ heart patterns.
The likelihood of having a cesarean is also increased by artificial rupturing of the membranes or bag of waters before labor or in early labor. Do not permit a provider to do this unless there is an obvious medical reason.
Do not set time limits for your labor. There is no need to resort to a cesarean birth if mother and baby are both doing well. (This would not happen in a birthing center or with a midwife, but occurs commonly in many hospitals.)
Women who have had C-sections have more infections after the birth including those which require powerful antibiotics and may necessitate being re-hospitalized. And some infections can be resistant to antibiotics.
The risks in future pregnancies increase with each C-section. There will also most likely be more scar tissue in the previous incision area with each C-section which can cause more blood loss and longer operating time with the next cesarean.
Babies born by C-section often have lungs with a little extra fluid in them and tend to have more mild respiratory problems in the newborn stage. They tend to experience asthma in childhood and even adulthood more frequently than babies born vaginally. Babies delivered by cesarean section may have more difficulty establishing breast-feeding.
Most women who have a C-section will need to take oral iron pills because the blood loss is at least twice as much as blood lost during a vaginal delivery.
Probably the least significant reason to have a C-section is because the baby is too big, which is hardly ever the case. Current medical research has not proven that C-sections are better for most large babies. When doctors recommend a C-section, they know that it is preferable to deliver vaginally, but that sometimes it is necessary to perform a C-section.
In summary, healthy, low-risk women should preferably choose a birth setting that has a record of low intervention rates such as birthing centers or home delivery which will allow them to labor in the way that is most comfortable for them. Hospitals usually have higher intervention rates .
When you are trying to determine how you want to deliver your baby, discuss these issues with your doctor or midwife until you are confidant that you have sufficient information to make an informed decision, but if you do not have a clear and very significant medical reason to have a cesarean section, having a vaginal birth is probably the safest option for you and your baby.
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