Should c/s rates be published? Naming & shaming...

[richsaralex]

After reading alot of these posts, i'm thinking that what we all really want is HONESTY from the medical profession - no scare mongering - just the real facts about the process of becoming a mum!

There are so many wives tales out there, and just as many medical scare-stories going around that of course women think that pregnancy/labour/birth is dangerous! A good friend of mine is pregnant for the first time and I have had to tell her "dont read any pregnancy books, dont listen to people talk about it their bad experiences - nothing!" because she is paranoid about EVERYTHING that happens - she thinks every little pain is a miscarriage or something wrong with bub... all because of the stories and rubbish shes been told! Shes one of the ones who is sure to be scared into having a c-section or other unnecessary intervention!

What women need is the TRUTH about pregnancy, the TRUTH about labour and the TRUTH about birth (not the scary one-in-a-million rare complications and problems)!

If we were all totally and honestly educated with the truth, then perhaps less women would be choosing c-sections in the first place, and docs would be less able to scare us into making bad decisions.

[Olive]

i think it should be made public, freedom of information.

[sushee]

I don't want to repeat my post from page 8 but suffice to say, I'm still amazed that women think asking hospitals to make known their black and white STATISTICS known is somehow an attack on a woman's birth choice. At what point did this particular thread start becoming about people thinking that by wanting to know these statistics, that somehow it means that people are judging you?

I honestly don't care how you decide to have your baby. My concern has never been about the women who knowingly choose to have a c/s, whether they medically need it or not. Your body, your choice. The women I AM speaking about are the women who were scared or coerced into thinking they HAD to have a c/s. Can anyone else see the difference, or are some of the posts that said just that (including mine on page 8) somehow invisible to some of the posters here?

And to say that you think it's better to make a complaint after the fact instead of informing yourself before you actually get to that point is completely mind-boggling.

[maz]

I think many of the 'new' posters and members to BB who have come in here have to remember that Belly belly is a gentle parenting forum that supports vaginal and natural births, including VBACS. Maybe instead of repremanding those of us who are voicing for many silient woman suffering...you should go and have a look in the c/s birthing thread and the debreifing thread at the amount of woman who end up having c/s's and feel dreadful afterwards. Ha dyou thought that maybe having known the statisic might have helped with their choices at the time?

The reason for the article is to help woman see the bigger picture.
Take your dame rose coloured glasses off and think of others.

[*Belle*]

I agree Sushee, I can see the difference, my post before was personal, however thinking about it now about the general public, the more education and information the better. I think that the information should be available for women should they choose to research births and their choices before the birth so they are aware of all posibilities and not get pushed into something they dont want to happen.

Totally agree too MAZ

[BellyBelly]

Yup at the end of the day, those who dont want to know wont care and it doesnt matter. But those who do want to know and see it is a very important piece of information towards having a normal and natural birth as possible, we miss out. It should be available for those who want it, those who do can miss out. I think the information will be presented professionally and media hype blows everything out of context.

So funny, those who dont care think there is choice. You can choose vaginal birth or c/s.... stats dont matter... but those who do care know there is a hell of alot more to it than that. There is NO choice in many regards, its not fair, its not equal, very lobsided and those who dont care wont care.

[richsaralex]

So true!

I just wish there were more birthing centres like the one I attended with my first birth (and will attend again in April!).

Its in a hospital but has no OBs or docs at all - only midwives. Its completely independent. They provide fantastic care and a brilliant education (their pre-natal classes are AMAZING and opened up my eyes to so many things), and they are pro-choice without shoving anything in your face!

I'm not sure if i'm allowed to say who they are - but if you live in Newcastle or surrounds - look up the Belmont Birthing Centre. I cant recommend them enough!!!

[BellyBelly]

Belmont is BRILLIANT! Carolyn Hastie manages it, and she's awesome