The Amish Community and Their Low C-Section Rate

I often hear of stories that go along the line of “If I hadn’t had a c-section, I would have died.”  Really?  Are you sure?  It’s almost impossible to declare that for most c-sections.  I think in very rare cases, this statement is completely true.  C-sections do save the lives of mothers and babies.  I loved how it was portrayed in Call the Midwife episode 2.  This series is set in the 1950’s in England just when c-section was starting to become available.  A mother gives birth to her 5th child but first living child because she was finally able to have a c-section.  She had a malformed pelvis as a result of rickets as a child.  Thank goodness for c-sections!

So you see I am not against c-sections.

I had a friend recently (actually several) who was bullied into a c-section by a her midwife who is very pro c-section.  Then after the c-section, the midwife proceeded to scare my friend into thinking she would never be able to have the large family she always wanted.  The midwife said she could only have one more child- if she was lucky.  To me, this is a great tragedy.  Part of me wants to slap my friend upside the head and say “DO YOUR RESEARCH!” but most of me can’t blame her.  She’s trusting her care provider.  That’s what we’re taught to do, right?  And who really has time to do the research needed to make an informed decision?  And even when a mother makes an informed decision, there are still others surrounding her who will question her sanity and make her feel inept and perhaps that she’s putting her baby in danger.  I even felt this as I prepared for my 2nd home birth (4th natural birth).

Read this article.  I loved it.

Amish offers clues to lowering US c-section rate