This week on our instagram we are talking about c-sections.
I want to be completely transparent. The way I was as a brand new doula, is that nobody under any circumstance should WANT a cesarean. It was something that happens too often and isn't medically necessary. Something that you should avoid at all costs. Something that is highly demonized. As if a cesarean is a failure or not a real birth.
I have learned an incredible amount in the last 8 years of birth work I've done. I've gone as far as recommending cesareans instead of pushing to avoid them at all costs. I've seen people feel defeated and less than when a birth has ended with a c-section, and I HATE that.
There are many things in our control, but there are also many things that are not.
There are steps you can take to set yourself up in the best way possible, but there are SO many unavoidable things that can happen and place you in a scenario where your baby is being born from you belly.
Let me say this louder for the people in the back...
"THIS DOES NOT DEFINE YOU!"
It is not a failure. It is not letting people down. You can do all the birth training in all the world. The hypnobirthing, the lamaze, read all the Ina May books, and you still may end up relying on a cesarean. AND THAT IS OK!
As doulas, if you end up needing to schedule a cesarean, OR if your birth journey ends in an emergency one, we are prepared. We know the protocols, we are there with you every step of the way we can be. We are blessed to have access to them in so many situations.
There are incredible doctors and nurses that do not want you to be afraid, or feel disappointed. I have seen them first hand do such a lovely job of keeping the process as family centred as possible.
The recovery may sound scary, but from experience I have seen that they aren't a lot of differences. The amount of rest you need to heal from your cesarean is EXACTLY how you should be resting from your vaginal births as well.
Are you going to need more help? Good! Get used to asking for it because this whole parenting thing takes a village and now is the time to start!
Did you know we offer a cesarean prep course?! It's a 90 minute in home visit to go over how the day can look, the ins and outs of the actual procedure, and how to heal.
We are happy to help in any way we can, whether its physical or emotional healing, we are there for you.
