International Cesarean Awareness Network

Hi all,

This is my first blog on the new and beautiful ICAN website (thank you web team). 

 As the VP, I am almost attached at the hip to Pam Udy our hard-working President.  An intrinsic part of my job is to support Pam’s daily efforts however possible - phone, IM, email - no job is too big or small. We haven’t figured out how to connect psychically yet unfortunately.  Myabe someday though….   read more »

 

There are many reasons why a woman chooses to birth in the hospital. Women have the right to choose where and with whom she will birth regardless of what another would choose. 

Women need the tools to navigate the hospital setting. She and her baby ARE unique. They are human beings. Laboring women are often placed under one-size-fits-all standing orders and protocols. Because of this, pregnant women need to be very careful regarding the books read, the types of birthing shows viewed, the care provider chosen and the childbirth class taken prior to entering the hospital to birth.

Take the hospital tour - ask lots of questions - induction rate, induction medications and/or procedures routinely used, average cesarean rate for first time moms, VBAC rate, pitocin use rate, epidural rate, use of non-medical pain relief, natural childbirth rate, IV use versus heplock, percentage of moms who utilize doulas, is pain management highly suggested to every laboring mom, monitoring norms, availability of tub or shower for labor, standard protocol on eating and drinking in labor, use of non-supine pushing positions, mobility in labor, are the labor and delivery nurses open to anything goes in labor, what is protocol on immediate postpartum baby care, is there a lactation staff available….   read more »

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Childbirth Preparation: Prenatal Ponderings

1.       This is a stunningly awful PR move on the part of insurance
companies.  Denying c/s moms insurance unless they’ve been surgically
sterilized?   These policies punish women indiscriminately.  Though
the NYT article indicates that companies are denying coverage to women
who had an "elective" cesarean, ICAN women know full well that many of
the "elective" cesareans noted in medical charts are performed against
the wishes of mothers and only because the doctor predicted dire harm
with a vaginal birth.  Raise your hands – how many of you got the
"your baby is sooooo big, it will get stuck and die" speech?  How
about the "you’ve gone overdue and your baby will probably die if we
don’t induce/section you?"  Let’s not forget the "you’re low on
amniotic fluid and your baby has nothing to breathe" speech.  Too many
women in the U.S.  end up with cesareans for very suspect reasons.
These cesareans aren’t elective or medically necessary…they are
bullied.  read more »