A thought on C-Section rates (and quick intro)

saraheh007 · June 2014

I will start with a quick intro since I never post. I have been lurking since finding out I was pregnant in February. I have a 2 year old son and DH and I are expecting a little girl on 10/18. I FINALLY get my A/S tomorrow, but we knew the sex from MaternT21 testing due to AMA. I've enjoyed the conversations over the last several months and have finally decided to just jump in!

Anyway, I had a thought about c-section rates in America and was wondering what you ladies thoughts were. A little background - I ended up having an emergency C-Section with my first after failure to progress (after induction). I went into the pregnancy fully committed to having a natural birth. I was induced due to high blood pressure and went from 0-60 very quickly, wasn't dilating and babies HR was dipping.

My doctor is very open to VBACs and I initially thought that I would definitely try to go vaginally this time - unless I needed induction. If I was going to be induced, I was going to just opt for a section as I didn't want to risk lack of progression again.

Now, to my thought on section rates in America. I fully recognize that the medical profession is the biggest influence on why section rates are so high in the US, but I wonder if our shitty leave policies don't play a part in this as well. I say this because I am seriously considering going straight to a section this time around simply because I know I will get 8 weeks of pay instead of 6. I feel a bit guilty that this would possibly drive my decision on how to bring my daughter into the world.

Reading the leave posts around here, I consider myself lucky (for US standards at least) because I will get 100% disability pay for 6-8 weeks depending on how I deliver. I also think it is shitty that it is just a standard 8+ weeks for everyone no matter how they deliver, but it isn't.

Would your paid time off influence your decision on how to deliver? It had no bearing at all my first time around, but because I have sectioned before, it is something I am thinking about this time. Just curious if you guys think this might be another influence on the section rates in the US - and yet another reason why the maternity policies in this country need to be completely revamped.

Emerald27 · June 2014

I'm a SAHM, but I did return to work after DS was born for several months before DH found a job (he was seeking during my pregnancy) that allowed me to quit to SAH.

I would not choose to deliver via elective csection (even repeat) based on leave time. I agree that maternity leave in the USA is shitty, but I also believe that there are important reasons for (if possible) letting baby bake until he/she is ready to be born (brain/lung development, etc.), and important benefits for both baby and mom to labor (hormones) and vaginal birth (hormones again, baby microbiome establishment, immediate bonding/breastfeeding, etc.). Those are of course ideals, and that is not to say that babies born via elective cesarean do not thrive, but I personally would not choose it for myself if the option of a vaginal birth was available.

ETA: Welcome!!! Glad you decided to jump in! Best of luck with the A/S!

saraheh007 · June 2014

Thank you for sharing and for the welcome! I agree with what you say above. Really, I would like to naturally go into labor and have a safe vaginal delivery. But when the fear of a repeat of my first birth starts to creep into my head, I find myself thinking "Well, you would get 8 weeks paid if you sectioned again" and that doesn't make me feel too good. I just wonder if that thought enters others minds.

Stupid US and the stupid rules. I do have to say, I am grateful that I have the benefits I do. Reading some of these other women's leave policies (or lack of!) makes me realize it could be worse.

ss265 · June 2014

I am in a similar position and I am indeed considering a second C-section because then I would be guaranteed 8 weeks off vs. 6 weeks. I was on the fence about a VBAC vs. RCS anyway. I had a great first C-section experience and really wouldn't mind doing it again. I was able to breastfeed immediately after my first C-section and I don't think it diminished my bonding experience at all.

I also will have my Mom staying with me for the first 2-3 weeks so I will have plenty of help. Plus, I don't really believe that I will be able to have a VBAC and the thought of a vaginal birth scares me. I honestly think I should have a RCS vs. laboring and then having to do a C-section anyway. I wouldn't do a RCS solely for the extra leave but that is definitely a small factor weighing in on my decision.

SusieBW · June 2014

I'm in the same boat as you as far as my last delivery - planned for natural, ended up with a section for failure to progress. Only I never made it to active labor or even proper induction - the cervadil they gave me to try and soften my cervix didn't work, and so they couldn't induce me.

I'm also lucky to have a good leave policy, and one in which the method of delivery doesn't matter. So that wouldn't play a role in my personal decision whether to try for a VBAC or schedule another section, but I can certainly see your point where policies like that could lead people to elect a RCS when presented with the choice. And I think that's really unfortunate, especially for all of the reasons Emerald raised relating to the benefits of a natural birth for both baby and mother.

lrobi13 · June 2014

Welcome and congrats. This article ran in one of our local magazines. Apparently my state leads the nation in C-sections...

https://www.225batonrouge.com/22014/Plan_C

My doctor is in there and after I read this I was so glad to have found her a few years ago!

eta..grammer, kinda fixed it

vrj0522 · June 2014

I have nothing to add about leave (SAHM and not facing that decision)... but wanted to say hi! and welcome!

saraheh007 · June 2014

I agree. I wish I would have fought my interventions more for the birth of my son. I know that is what led me to a c-section and I was very educated going into it all. I let the Dr's scare me - which is easy for them to do when their patient is 9 months pregnant!

Having 8 vs 6 weeks certainly isn't why I woul choose one over the other but it admittedly creeps into my thoughts when I debate it. The main reason I lean towards a section is because the birth of my son was filled with panic and fear and I do not want to go through that again. My recovery was ok, milk came in great and bonding was immediate, so thankfully the aftermath wasn't as bad.

I have some time to figure it out. The thought of scheduling my kids birthday in advance certainly weirds me out a bit.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for the welcomes!

IrishHoney123 · June 2014

Emerald27 said:

I'm a SAHM, but I did return to work after DS was born for several months before DH found a job (he was seeking during my pregnancy) that allowed me to quit to SAH. I would not choose to deliver via elective csection (even repeat) based on leave time. I agree that maternity leave in the USA is shitty, but I also believe that there are important reasons for (if possible) letting baby bake until he/she is ready to be born (brain/lung development, etc.), and important benefits for both baby and mom to labor (hormones) and vaginal birth (hormones again, baby microbiome establishment, immediate bonding/breastfeeding, etc.). Those are of course ideals, and that is not to say that babies born via elective cesarean do not thrive, but I personally would not choose it for myself if the option of a vaginal birth was available. ETA: Welcome!!! Glad you decided to jump in! Best of luck with the A/S!

All this exactly. Welcome and congrats!

Saragoeswest · June 2014

Would I elect to have major surgery in order to score two weeks PTO? No way.

Welcome to the group!

kindacrunchy · June 2014

I can looking at the extra two weeks as a silver lining or conciliation. However, to factor that into a decision seems silly to me as unless you have the most fantastic health insurance ever the cost difference between a vaginal and cesarean birth is probably greater than the two weeks of disability pay.

slsl509 · June 2014

Welcome but get out of my head. I was thinking exactly the same thing this morning. It's not that I would choose a section just to get more paid sick time it's just that it makes me feel less fear about having a possible repeat. The sick leave time should be the 8 weeks regardless IMO and it's BS to have a difference.

Currently I'm planning for VBAC but it honestly won't take much convincing for me to have a repeat c-section. I had a very easy recovery, bonded extremely well with DD, had great pain control and really have no complaints about the surgery. It is definitely a major surgery - but I have had major surgery (cancer) and will have more surgery after this baby because of that cancer. So I guess that doesn't scare me that much. I do want to wait to go into labor on my own because I don't like the policy of scheduling a c-section at 39 weeks. My urgent c-section was on a Sunday at 5 am - neither shift change nor Friday night.

TL;DR No, it's not a driver in my decision but I have definitely thought about it.

Want a personalized experience?

A thought on C-Section rates (and quick intro)

Re: A thought on C-Section rates (and quick intro)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards