Last night in our Prepared Childbirth class we talked about managing pain through medication and about Cesarian sections. We watched a video of a c-section, too. (Yuck.)
The instructor said that the current national average for c-section deliveries is around 32% or 33%. My hospital's average is 27% or 28%. I'm glad that my hospital is below the national average, but I wonder if that's still unnecessarily high. Here, all breach babies are born by c-section, for example. Is that necessary? I'm not a OBGYN, so I don't know-- but it seems to me that some breach babies could come out okay, given the chance. I know that it happens elsewhere, anyway.
I was born by c-section. That was back when they knocked the moms out completely. Now, you're awake for it (unless it's an emergency c-section, then they knock you out because that's the quickest way to numb you) and you're numbed from mid-back to your legs. The instructor said that during the procedure you might be able to feel touch and pressure, but no pain.
Personally, I think I'd freak out and totally lose it if I could feel them pulling my baby out of my uterus, even without any pain involved. When I had my wisdom teeth out years ago, I paid $600 extra (and I was brokedy-broke then) to have them give me the sedative stuff that makes you forget the procedure. And they STILL had to give me laughing gas before the procedure started because I was a nervous wreck.
So I don't think that I'd do very well during a c-section.
Elise? Please, please, please don't grow your head bigger than my pelvic opening. Please try to avoid any signs of fetal distress. Just please come out of my vagina, okay? I promise to take you to Disney World as soon as you're old enough to appreciate it if you'll just come out of my vagina. Deal?
C-sections are wonderful to help moms and babies when bad things happen. They are overutilized in the US though.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, they were among the coolest surgeries I've ever seen. I was thinking about how I might want a mirror if I had a c-section so I can see my insides. But I am a nerd and like gross things.
oh, yeah-- i'm glad that c-sections are possible and available for people who need them. i just hope that i dont need one! yikes!
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