More information about cesareans - avoiding it, or waiting till labor starts on it's own, and recovering faster

Here's a website that summarizes a few main points about cesarean recovery, as well as trying to avoid an unecessary cesarean, or waiting till labor starts to do the cesarean. Many cesareans are scheduled at 38 weeks gestation.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Childbirth-3495/c-section-recovery.htm

The assumption is that the baby will be fully developed by then, and the doctor won't likely be caught off guard by having to do an operation for a woman who goes into labor before the scheduled time. Evidence shows that not all babies are fully developed by 38 weeks, and that waiting for labor to start before doing the cesarean lowers the risks of the operation to the baby. Even sheduling at 39 weeks has benefits over 38 weeks.

There are many ways parents can get involved in decision making even for high-risk births. Decide what's important to you and your family and discuss that with your caregivers.

Here's the excerpt from the website :

"Expert: Elayne Glantzberg - 12/21/2007

Question
Hi Elayne,
I will be having a c-section in June when I deliver my first child. I wanted to know if you had any recovery information and tips to make this post op easier? Thanks for any help you may offer!

AnswerMy first tip would be to do everything you can to avoid this primary c-section, including getting several second opinions. It is vanishingly rare for a woman to have a complication requiring cesarean delivery that would be detected this early in pregnancy. Even a complete placenta previa can often self-resolve by term.

My second tip would be to wait until you go into labor before having the c-section, if at all possible. Babies born by scheduled c-section, without labor, are 2-4 times more likely to support from respiratory problems requiring a stay in the NICU, and are 3 times more likely to die in the first month.

Going into the surgery, discuss with your doctor the possibility of a more gentle cesarean, one in which the uterus is not completely removed from the body. Sometimes some of the dissection of your internal organs can also be avoided or minimized, particularly if you are not undergoing an emergency c-section. This will help minimize your pain and your risk of internal adhesions later on.

After the surgery, do not be afraid to take your pain medication. Even if you are breastfeeding, your milk will not come in for at least 2 days, and possibly longer due to the shock of the surgery to your body. During this time, your baby will not get any significant drug amounts through your milk. You need to get out of bed and moving around as soon as possible, to speed up healing and prevent blood clots from forming.

Try to get back to eating and drinking normally as soon as possible. Your body needs the nutrition in order to heal itself. Most doctors prefer to wait until you pass gas before allowing you to eat again, since this indicates that your bowels have "woken up" from the shock of the surgery; however, for some women this can take up to 36 hours, and going that long without food is very bad for anybody recovering from surgery, let alone a new mother. Lobby for at least a liquid or soft diet to begin within hours of surgery.

Some kind of support on your incision will help you stay comfortable and mobile as your heal. Remember that this operation will involve slicing through your abdominal muscles, making everything from sitting up to rolling over to sitting down a nightmare. Some women wear a special post-operative belly binder in the hospital and after they return home, and you can discuss this possibility with your doctor. Another option is the new C-Panty, which provides a built-in silicone compression panel to support your incision and help speed healing.

However things go for you, good luck! "

Birth Quotes

Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers ~ strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength. Barbara Katz Rothman


The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." Rajneesh

The genius of her body is designed to give birth with ease and grace. In our soft warm hands, we are holding the keys to the future. Elena Tonetti- Vladimirova

It seems that many health professionals involved in antenatal care have not realized that one of their role should be to protect the emotional state of pregnant women. Michel Odent, MD

We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong. Laura Stavoe Harm

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." Elizabeth Stone

Before you were conceived, I wanted you
Before you were born, I loved you
Before you were here an hour,
I would die for you
This is the miracle of love. Maureen Hawkins

Childbirth classes neglect to teach one critical skill: How to breathe, count, and swear all at the same time. Linda Filterman

Before I was married I had six theories about raising children. Now I have six children and no theories. John Wilmot, earl of Rochester

They say men can never experience the pain of childbirth. They can...if you hit them in the goolies with a cricketbat for fourteen hours. Jo Brand

Question about breastfeeding

Q. What is the normal duration for a woman to have breast milk?
How long does the milk usually last? How many months is the average/normal duration?


A. The milk will last until the child stops breastfeeding. The baby's sucking is what stimulates the mum to produce more breastmilk. The more baby breastfeeds, the more milk mum produces, for as long as the child goes on breastfeeding. There is no normal time for breastfeeding. Some mums don't breastfeed at all, some breastfeed a few weeks, a few months, or a few years. In some countries, mums breastfeed for many years. Children do need milk for the first few years of their lives, whether that is cow's milk, soy milk, or human milk. Breastfeeding past one year is usually not practised in today's culture, but it is possible and probably beneficial.

Question about breast milk production

Q. My breast milk is getting low, and i just gave birth 3 mos ago ?
what can I do to make more.


A. How do you know you're milk is getting low? do you mean you're baby seems hungry after feeding, or you're pumping and getting less milk than before?

Breast milk production is stimulated by baby's sucking. that means that the more baby drinks, the more milk you will produce. it has nothing to do with how long ago you gave birth.
if baby is not latching and sucking effectively, or is being supplemented, your milk production will decrease. if you are only pumping, that is not as effective as a real baby sucking.
Many women pump to see how much milk they are making, and are surprised if they see so little. but you must understand, the baby is able to get tons more milk out than a pump.

so the short answer of how to get more milk, is simply to breastfeed your baby more.


Comment: Thank you. I really appreciate your help!

Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting - Welcome Message

Hi,

Welcome to my new blog devoted to moms, dads, families and moms and dads-to-be worldwide!
Let's share our common threads and interesting differences in this crazy journey from pregnancy to parenting and beyond.

Before having kids of my own, I was not the type to swoon over babies, and could never imagine myself being pregnant or looking after a newborn. But after the birth of my first child, I was hooked. The birth journey was such a profound experience in my life - revealing to me the depths of my soul that I had never before seen. I wanted to talk to everyone I met about this strange and magical feeling I had experienced, but could not understand why no one else seemed to care. Why wasn't birth headline news everyday?

And then there was the newborn. Evey newborn a magical creature in and of itself. At first glance, they may seem to be helpless, unmoving blobs. But spend a few moments queitly in their presence and you may notice the peaceful serenity that surrounds them. I found myself, day in and day out, staring at sleeping newborns, wondering at their exquisite beauty. It didn't matter how exhausting and chaotic looking after them was while they were awake, and believe me, it was exhausting and chaotic. Once they fell asleep, the magic was evident. Never again will we be able to sleep with such complete and perfect peace as we do when we are babies.

It's been many years since life first initiated me into life's mysteries, but I still have infinitely more to learn. I know that mothers and fathers everywhere have a world of knowledge in their own stories and journeys. We can learn so much from each other. I feel so priviledged to be a mother, and to be admitted into the world of mothers. Once when I was working as a crisis worker, there were clients from Russia, Iran, China, Native people and so on. As soon as they found out I was pregnant, all the women who were mothers instantly came to offer advice and tell their stories. I felt so touched that this common experience could connect us across cultures and languages. And yet every birth is so different, every family so different, every story so different - each one magical in its own way.

I know parents usually don't get enough credit or support for the unpaid work that they do. But usually get all the criticism. :>
And they're own knowledge and experience is usually not listened to, next to the voices of "the experts".

I want this blog to be a place for moms and dads to share their wisdom and respect.
I am looking forward to receiving your stories of pregnacy, birth and parenting. What is important to you? What have you learnt? What would you wish if you could do it over? Tell us the joyful, the funny, the downright crazy, the painful, the sad, the angry, the wonderous, and the magical stories.

I hope you savour every moment of the journey!

With Love,

Kaurina