My intention is only to clarify that THE SHAME IS NOT THE WOMAN'S!!!!

Brooksy's baby i had a homebirth and am (for ME) against even going into hospital for a birth, let alone having surgery, BUT if i had twins and the first one was breech i would have a section. If both or at least the first was head-down i would try for a vaginal but i would do so from an informed POV with many many female relatives who have birthed their twins vaginally - if you are informed and are having the section you feel is the safest option for your babies what shame is there? It is NOT the same as you having a singleton pregnancy and being told FOR NO GOOD REASON you must have a section you don't want for "safety".

It's hard, how to protect the choices of all and the feelings of all?

Is there anything wrong with having a c-section? OF COURSE NOT!

Is there anything wrong with forcing or coercing someone to have an unwanted and unnecessary c-section.....?

If a woman wants a natural birth should she not be able to find out the intervention rates of her local or chosen hospital? And if a woman wants a c-section should she not be allowed the same? I have a good friend who was raped repeatedly from the age of 3 by her grandfather. She has had 3 elective c-sections due to the associated psychological trauma with pain in or near her vagina. She knows the risks and made her choice and though FOR ME vaginal birth was very healing in relation to my past abuse, i know for her it was unthinkable and i completely support her. In her position would you not rather KNOW if you were going to an obstetric centre where women-requested c-sections were NEVER granted without serious medical reasons? The idea of her arriving in labour (she has laboured before all of her births, as she feels it's the best of both for her babies) to a hospital where she will be forced to go through what will amount, to her, to be a repeat of the horrific abuse in her past, is truly awful.

ALL WOMEN deserve to have access to ALL statistics for ALL hospitals so they can make their birth choices with a fullness of learning. Knowledge is power. If you KNOW you want a section, for WHATEVER reason, you need to know where you will have the best surgeons and most supportive team, if you know you DON'T want to have a section except in dire medical need, you need to know where you are most likely to be able to achieve your vaginal birth without intervention.

Whether a woman births vaginally or surgically doesn't she have the RIGHT to good, safe, transparent obstetric care? Doesn't EVERY WOMAN have the right to an informed choice? It is not better to force a woman to birth vaginally than surgically. Every woman has the right to birth her baby in safety and peace in the way she feels most confident about, and every woman deserves to be fully informed in her choice.

I am not against c-sections, i was BORN by elective c-section in the days when VBAC's were impossible to obtain. I am against coercion, scaremongering, secrecy and policies that are for the good of ANYONE but the mother and the baby. I want to know in the supermarket the ingredients and cost of what i'm buying - why would i want less in my obstetric care? I wouldn't take my car to an F1-team mechanic to get fixed and i wouldn't employ a zoo vet to vaccinate my dog. I want the right person for the job. That means if i want a vaginal homebirth i don't want an Ob, and if i want an elective section a midwife isn't going to be much use. I want to be able to choose a professional who will do the job i want doing. The job is irrelevant, the choice is EVERYTHING.

Bx