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Vaginal birth after previous caesareans

For once there has been a number of positive birth stories of one kind or another in our major newspaper.

I read with delight a report written by woman who finally achieved a vaginal birth after three previous caesarean sections. Each of the caesareans had been performed for medical reasons, and each time she had planned to labour in ways normally designed to reduce the risk of intervention becoming necessary, that is, in a birth centre or at home, with midwives, using no drugs etc. The first three times, a sudden problem appeared that meant a caesarean was necessary for the baby’s sake.

Finally, with the full support of an obstetrician, she booked into a midwifery program, was able to have continuity of midwifery care and gave birth, in hospital to a 4.1 kg baby in about 4 hours. She was over the moon and felt an incredible sense of achievement.

One of the best things about this story was that she was able to tell it herself and there was no “comment” from an obstetrician. So often, a doctor’s comments are added “for balance” and their often unfounded, non-evidence based throw away lines completely undermine the thrust of the story and feed into people’s fears. This woman’s achievement was allowed to stand unsullied by ill-informed medical commentary and I applaud the Sydney Morning Herald for making that possible.

If only more women could get the support they needed to have this kind of life-shaping and affirming experience, against all odds.......

Posted by andrea at December 07, 2004 06:47 AM