International Cesarean Awareness Network

Why so many?  That is the question I find myself asking more and more these days.  As I wander the hospital, making my rounds, I see so many women everyday that just had major abdominal surgery to deliever their babies.  All the smiling faces, but sad eyes.  It makes it hard to go back, but I must, to finish my lactation educators certificate.  I wonder how hard it will be once I acutally start my L&D rotation?  Most of these woman have no idea that what just happened to them.  I see the struggles of all these sectioned women trying to breastfeed with their sore incissions.  All these babies with low birth weight, because they were taken too soon.  Some in NICU.   Even though there is no VBAC ban here, it is still rare that someone even tries for one.  Strange to me, who would want to go through the pain of a cesarean if you didn’t have to?  But more and more women are having cesareans, and less and less are choosing to try for a VBAC.  I so desperatly want to tell these women the truth.   read more »

During Cesarean Awareness month, I love it!  I just got back from an amazing twin HBAC.  Mom had two prior children, first born vaginally, the second born via cesarean for faliure to progress.  Mom has history of VERY long labors, even on pitocin.  I knew I was in for a long haul when her labor started.  I got a call around 10:00pm Monday night saying her water broke.  Contractions were not that regular, but strong.  Since her water had broken, the midwife decided she would stay as well, so mom had two labor supporters!  She did  read more »