If you are visiting from the TODAY show blog, welcome and thank you for visiting. :) If you haven’t yet read my guest post on the TODAY show, you can read it here: Viewer: Learn more about cesarean births. I’d love it if you would like to contribute to the discussion and leave a comment over there.
Because there was only so much information I could include in my guest post, I’ve put together some additional resources here for those of you who are interested in learning more about c-sections, VBAC, giving birth vaginally to larger babies, and more. I believe in informed consent. Knowledge is power.
Information about Cesarean Sections and VBAC:
- International Cesarean Awareness Network – “The International Cesarean Awareness Network is a non-profit advocacy and support group whose mission is to improve maternal and child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, provide support for cesarean recovery, and promote vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).”
- Childbirth Connection’s Cesarean Section Resources
- The Reality of C-Sections by A Mama’s Blog – Heather writes about the many things about c-sections that she didn’t know and wished she had been told before she had her own c-section, as well as includes pictures of actual c-sections (something we didn’t get to see on the TODAY show).
- VBAC Facts – Jennifer, teacher of The Truth about VBAC classes, deeply believes that women, after educating themselves on the risks and benefits, should be the ultimate decision makers on their medical care – not OBs or insurance companies.
- Maternal Death Rates Rise, C-sections Now Considered a Factor – another post by Heather from A Mama’s Blog
- The Unnecesarean – The Unnecesarean provides information about preventing an unnecessary cesarean and resources for making fully-informed decisions about childbirth while offering an irreverent take on the maternity care crisis in the United States and beyond.
Giving Birth Vaginally to Large (Macrosomic) Babies – Information & Birth Stories:
Although your doctor may suspect that you might have a larger baby, that does not mean you should automatically schedule an induction or a c-section. Ultrasound exams are notoriously inaccurate for predicting the weight of a baby and can be off by a pound or more in either direction. There’s no way to know how much a baby will actually weigh until it is born and weighed. If you are told you are going to have a large baby, weigh the risks and benefits of any intervention and make the choice that is right for you and your baby.
- Big Baby Bull****
- Baby Julian – My son (pictured above) was born at home and was a surprise footling breech. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 8 oz., and was 22 inches long.
- Baby Lazlo – Justine gave birth to her 11 lb., 23-inch son at home
- Baby “D-Man” – Kat’s son weighed in at 11 lbs., 3 oz.
- Baby “Muski” – Kate’s son was a VBAC and weighed 10 lbs., 3 oz.
- Baby Peggy – Annette‘s daughter was 9 lbs., 6 oz.
- Baby Jaxon – Jaclyn’s son weighed 9 lbs., 4.4 oz.
- Baby Iris – Sybil‘s daughter was 9 lbs., 14 oz.
- Baby Mikko – Lauren’s son was 11 lbs., 13 oz.
- Baby Emma – Jessica’s daughter was 9 lbs., 2 oz.
- Baby “Boychick” – Arwyn‘s son was 10 lbs., 6 oz. and born at home
- Baby Julian and Baby Emma – Annie‘s two kiddos (not twins) were 9 lbs. and 9 lbs. 8 oz.
- Baby “Junior” – Candace’s son was 10 lbs., 4 oz. and sunny side up
- Baby “M” – Jennifer’s son was 9 lbs., 10 oz. – a home birth after cesarean (HBAC)
Additional Childbirth Resources:
- Business Of Being Born – A documentary that “interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system.”
- Pushed Birth a book by Jennifer Block – “The painful truth about childbirth and modern maternity care”
- Ina May Gaskin – Author of Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. “Discover the proven wisdom that has guided thousands of women through childbirth with more confidence, less pain, and little or no medical intervention.”
- Doulas of North America – A doula is “a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.”
- Considering an induction? Use the Bishop’s Score for Labor Success – “This tool measures certain components with regard to the mother’s cervix and baby’s position to evaluate her readiness for an induction and ultimately increase the chance of having a vaginal birth. This scoring system can also be used to determine the likelihood of spontaneous labor.”
- Post-Partum Crotch Care 101 – A humorous, but very practical list. This is one of those things that nobody ever talks about, but is good information to have.
Are there any childbirth resources YOU think should be on this list? Leave a comment and let me know. Thank you. :)
Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is not medical advice and should be used for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a medical professional (doctor or midwife).
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