The Unnecesarean
No woman should have to fight for a vaginal birth! With a national c-section rate of 31.8% and climbing in the U.S., every pregnant woman should understand her right to informed consent AND informed refusal.
 
Candace

Candace This is an amazing video of nature at its finest. An elephant births a baby with no interference, and it's quite something to see! (Don't worry, the baby will be all right... just watch to the end.)

www.fwdder.com
The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
Oh my goodness. Her kicks were the same as stimulating a baby by rubbing it with a towel. I love that elephant mama!

Thank you for this.
about an hour ago
Jaimey Starkey-Buquet

Jaimey Starkey-Buquet Anyone a doula in the Portland Oregon area? I am in desperate search for a Vbac friendly doula. Please message me!!

14 hours ago · Report
Kristina Martinova

Kristina Martinova Hi, Jill. I am asking for your support on our cause.
The rights of the birthing woman as a patient have long been ignored in Bulgarian hospitals by the medical personnel.The specific reason for the our protest today is the childbirth experience of a woman in „St. Sofia“ Hospital (former Tina Kirkova). After her legal r...efusal to sign the informed consent as presented the attitude of the staff towards her quickly became rude, threatening and coersive. Later on she was physically handled and restrained in the lithotomy position against her will and stitched without anaesthetic „as punishment“. Each of this actions in direct violation of her rights as a patient and her fundamental human rights.
In reality this is not an isolated case but has become a common practice in our birth hospitals.
Through your site I am asking for international support from all the goregous, strong women who visit your special place on the web.
Thank you!
You van sign our protest note and read some of the stories here: http://nenanasilieto.wordpress.com/violencebirhwomen/

nenanasilieto.wordpress.com
The specific reason for the current protest is the childbirth experience of a woman in „St. Sofia“ Hospital (previously Tina Kirkova). After her legal refusal to sign the informed consent as presented the attitude of the staff towards her quickly became rude, threatening and coersive. ...
See More
The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
I will blog about it in the next week. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Kristina.
13 hours ago
Kristina Martinova
Kristina Martinova
Thank you so much, Jill!
12 hours ago
The Unnecesarean

The Unnecesarean Tonia says she feels alone in her experience of having her baby in the NICU for two weeks following an early induction. I know she's very much not alone. Please show some love.

L. Janel Martin
L. Janel Martin
I just want to say ... that in the midst of it all there is much joy, love, and resourcing for the babies. The good news is that mother and baby can be supported after wards, if not in the experience, to process their experience, to heal .. by integrating it. I hope you'll be able to read the story my client wrote about their experience. There are people who work similar to mine all over the world ... it just takes the willingness to sit on the edge of the pain, NOT go into it and re-experience it, but to sit on the edge of it and transform it. It requires mother and father or whoever to also sit with baby as baby processes his or her experience of same situation ... it's not always the same. It requires learning about how the brain imprints, records/programs the brain according to experiences of environment and seeing how it impacted the baby and how to FOLLOW YOUR BABY's expression ... not follow the books ... but to follow YOUR intuition, to process your own feelings .... so that you engage with YOUR baby ... who is who s/he, i part, because of his/her experiences. It's profound work and experience .... here's the link.

Story of Elijah's birth, surgery, and healing with CranioSacral-based Integrative Attachment Therapy
http://www.facebook.com/babykeeper?v=app_2347471856&ref=name
... See More
It should be mandatory for cesarean born baby and families .. and everyone. In my experience it is the women who gave birth surgically and homebirth women who come to me .... because cs births are so traumatic they are searching for anything to help, and homebirth women are not traumatized, experienced a much more gentle, undisturbed birth and are able to see the subtlest of needs of the baby and to recognize the things in their birth that were a disruption. Midwifery and homebirths are zero without disruption but are just not as brutal. Without drugs women are better able to feel them and address them. Babies with cord wraps, suctioning, early cord clamping, caregiver issues that created any feelings of distrust, fear, abandonment, lack of choice, for mother etc,and any baby who did not get to do "self-attachment" breast crawl can benefit from and should have an integrative healing session or two or more. Sadly, it is not recognized by the medical and insurance establishment and not covered by insurance unless you find a practitioner working under the radar of another professional license. If so, it changes the dynamic some ... and, the issue now is that usually people have to pay out of pocket. It's more critical than having the most recent baby equipment -- pumps, mobys, strollers, etc. I'd like to see the primal period of life and supporting gentle birth and trauma healing a normal part of the process. For the millions of people who didn't have the birth they wish, it's the next best thing ... we can heal and be stronger where we healed.
9 hours ago
Sarah Krug
Sarah Krug
I can relate ♥ I had a rough nicu expierence (6weeks) with my first due to birth trauma, and had to fight for a lot of the natural mommy bonding stuff. With my second baby I was given the "choice" between a c/sec or early induction. We induced at 37 1/2 weeks and thankfully all went well, but it would have been a nightmare to have had to deal with... See More the nicu again and for unnessary complications. I'm 32 weeks pregnant now and much more confident with my options and desions, but still the fear of what ifs haunt me.
9 hours ago
Birth Faith

Birth Faith  Heartbreaking story from The Unnecesarean

15 hours ago
Heather Barson

Heather Barson I'm also a victim of Page Hospital's VBAC ban. On top of that, it's illegal for a midwife to attend a VBAC here. My only options for my next are unassisted birth, or surgery. In August I was bullied into an unnecesarean (even against the recommendation of my doctor).

Yesterday at 5:38pm · Report
The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
Ugh. Heather, I'm so sorry about that. No one should ever be bullied into a cesarean. :(
Yesterday at 8:05pm
Jaimey Starkey-Buquet
Jaimey Starkey-Buquet
Its amazing to me that there are Vbac bans. The rate of complications and even death are SO much higher with C section than Vbac. I will attempt my second Vbac in January and am VERY thankful for the option.
14 hours ago
Patrice Nichole Byers

Patrice Nichole Byers Any
Midwives in Arizona, particular in Apache Junction or nearby? I have a
friend who wants to delivery, naturally, with a midwife. Her husband is
opposed to homebirth and so she wants to delivery in a birth center or
if she has too a hospital but with a midwife attending. She hasn't been
able to find a midwife who will bi...ll her insurance, as oppose to having to pay upfront. Please, any tips or advice you could give me so I can pass along to her. Or if you are midwife or know a midwife who might be willing to work with her, perhaps even meet with her and her husband, that would be GREAT!

See More
Yesterday at 10:49am · Report
The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
No way! Darn. She'd still be a good contact for that area, I think.
14 hours ago
Patrice Nichole Byers
Patrice Nichole Byers
Okay! I also asked her if she talked to them about a water birth at the hospital with one of the mdiwives. My friend is really interested in a water birth and hydrotherapy for labor relief, but she keeps getting told conflicting things about the use of tubs in the hospitals by the various hospital staff. I will tell her to talk to Tiffany.
14 hours ago
The Unnecesarean

The Unnecesarean Request for evidence and personal experience… A woman e-mailed on behalf of a friend who has a seizure disorder that began after a stroke a few years ago (caused by birth control). She is pregnant (not sure how far along) and was planning an unmedicated birth. Her doctor has informed her that they will be “taking the b...aby around 37 weeks by c-section.” [Continued in first comment...]

See More
Yesterday at 6:50am
The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
Michelle, no need at all to apologize! Sometimes c/s at 37-ish weeks are medically indicated (obviously) and clotting disorders are nothing to mess around with. Since we don't know all the details about this woman, all input and experience are helpful.
14 hours ago
Michelle
Michelle
well i hope she keeps us all posted
11 hours ago
The Unnecesarean

The Unnecesarean Can anyone help this woman in Alaska? - "Thought I could find some support or at least some good advice :) I'm due in march and I'm wanting a VBA2C I'm having trouble finding a provider who is willing here in Alaska and was thinking about even going out of state to get a midwife. If anyone has anything that may help I would be greatfull."

Yesterday at 6:28am
Jessica Lees
Jessica Lees
Thanks everyone for the great info,I'm going to do some research and see what turns up. I'm in the Fairbanks area but I'm very willing to travel so any options in AK or other states are helpfull :)
Yesterday at 1:20pm
Megan Reilly
Megan Reilly
this is good to know. when i have my next child i very well may be living in Anchorage, and i want to VBAC.
Yesterday at 4:06pm
Susan Williams Wojciechowski
www.theglobeandmail.com
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada will launch program to teach physicians breech vaginal delivery
Jessica Lees

Jessica Lees Thought I could find some support or at least some good advice :) I'm due in march and I'm wanting a VBA2C I'm having trouble finding a provider who is willing here in Alaska and was thinking about even going out of state to get a midwife. If anyone has anything that may help I would be greatfull.

The Unnecesarean
The Unnecesarean
Hi Jessica,

I put your request on the page so everyone will be sure to see it. I want to make sure that you don't miss it. :)

Jill
Yesterday at 7:17am
Jessica Lees
Jessica Lees
Thank you Jill =) I appreciate it
Yesterday at 10:06am
Heidi Nielson Sylvester

Heidi Nielson Sylvester This birth story is truly a classic case of pit to distress, I don't usually post other people's blogs, but this just so sad.

emptyuterus.wordpress.com
The night before the induction Hubby and I were so nervous we stayed up almost the whole night talking, I think we only got about two hours of sleep. At 3:30am I woke up and took a bath, and then we headed for the hospital.
Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams
this is definately a good example of the differences between reading a birth story by someone who has done all the homework and knows ahead of time what they should/should not do to help facilitate a natural birth, and someone who is just following doctor's orders. I almost feel sorry because this woman, while admiting a lot of it wasn't want she ... See Morewanted, considers this a good birth. Totally sounds like between the induction, the pit, and the EFM (and taking away the birth ball and making her lie on her back in bed) those doctor's were doing everything they could to avoid her having a VBAC without just telling her she couldn't have one.
Yesterday at 6:16am
Yvonne Elswick
Yvonne Elswick
It's kinda funny in a sad sort of way that I have /liked/ all my OBs, but I have never /trusted/ them. They just don't really seem to care about me and my babies as /people/ rather than /patients/ to move through the line. If we have another baby, I hope to birth with a midwife. If I can't find one in my area, I may just /accidentally/ deliver at home.
Yesterday at 8:16am
The Unnecesarean

The Unnecesarean Reality Rounds talks about the indirect, passive-aggressive "games" nurses feel compelled to play with doctors. Sad.

realityrounds.com
Have any of you ever played “Hide the Vacuum?” No, I am not talking about hiding a household appliance because you do not feel like doing housework. I am talking about “hiding” the vacuum extractor during a childbirth. Apparently it is a very fun game.
Sasha Davis-Siggs
Sasha Davis-Siggs
I have to say I am grateful as hell for the vacuum with my son. Because of the doctor's actions I freaked out and pushed my body beyond its limits trying to get my son out before she could do anything to me. I hit the wall of what I could do and my posterior boy was stuck but good, and I couldn't move him any further, I was done, too weak, too ... See Morescared, too stressed. He required very little from her to get out, he was pretty close, but I just could not do anymore on my own. So, you know, hates her, hates what she did to me, am grateful he made it out despite all of it. Wouldn't it be nice if it hadn't been *needed* in the first place?
Mon at 1:07pm
L. Janel Martin
L. Janel Martin
I just want to add for the mother the post is for... that in the midst of it all there is much joy, love, and resourcing for the babies. The good news is that mother and baby can be supported after wards, if not in the experience, to process their experience, to heal .. by integrating it. I hope you'll be able to read the story my client wrote about their experience. There are people who work similar to mine all over the world ... it just takes the willingness to sit on the edge of the pain, NOT go into it and re-experience it, but to sit on the edge of it and transform it. It requires mother and father or whoever to also sit with baby as baby processes his or her experience of same situation ... it's not always the same. It requires learning about how the brain imprints, records/programs the brain according to experiences of environment and seeing how it impacted the baby and how to FOLLOW YOUR BABY's expression ... not follow the books ... but to follow YOUR intuition, to process your own feelings .... so that you engage with YOUR baby ... who is who s/he, i part, because of his/her experiences. It's profound work and experience .... here's the link.

Story of Elijah's birth, surgery, and healing with CranioSacral-based Integrative Attachment Therapy
http://www.facebook.com/babykeeper?v=app_2347471856&ref=name
... See More
For eveyone:
It should be mandatory for cesarean born baby and families .. and everyone. In my experience it is the women who gave birth surgically and homebirth women who come to me .... because cs births are so traumatic they are searching for anything to help, and homebirth women are not traumatized, experienced a much more gentle, undisturbed birth and are able to see the subtlest of needs of the baby and to recognize the things in their birth that were a disruption. Midwifery and homebirths are zero without disruption but are just not as brutal. Without drugs women are better able to feel them and address them. Babies with cord wraps, suctioning, early cord clamping, caregiver issues that created any feelings of distrust, fear, abandonment, lack of choice, for mother etc,and any baby who did not get to do "self-attachment" breast crawl can benefit from and should have an integrative healing session or two or more. Sadly, it is not recognized by the medical and insurance establishment and not covered by insurance unless you find a practitioner working under the radar of another professional license. If so, it changes the dynamic some ... and, the issue now is that usually people have to pay out of pocket. It's more critical than having the most recent baby equipment -- pumps, mobys, strollers, etc. I'd like to see the primal period of life and supporting gentle birth and trauma healing a normal part of the process. For the millions of people who didn't have the birth they wish, it's the next best thing ... we can heal and be stronger where we healed.
9 hours ago