Cutting through Cesarean Stigma
April is Cesarean Awareness month and it wasn’t until I had one myself that I connected the term “natural birth” with the exclusionary—and frankly offensive—connotation that a non-vaginal birth is unnatural.
Language means everything.
Calling vaginal birth “natural” disempowers C-section moms, robbing us of the ownership and control over our birth experience.
Women whose babies are born vaginally give birth. Mothers whose babies are born via surgery, have a C-section. To “have” a C-section makes it sound like I play a passive role, when in fact I gave the gift of birth just like any other mother who has a vaginal birth. The accomplishment is the process and a healthy baby, it’s not the final step over the finish line.
It makes me angry that there are still some in our society that pass judgment on women who opt for a planned Cesarean. A Cesarean is not an “easy way out”. In fact, it can actually lead to more problems later down the road, including hysterectomies.
We should be empowering women, no matter how they decide to give birth and every women deserves to feel pride in bringing their child into this world.
Although, there are things I wish I knew before having a C- section.
I didn’t realize that I would still have bleeding and clotting, even though I didn’t have a vaginal birth.
I wish I knew that you could request that the curtain be dropped if you wanted to see your baby born.
I wish I knew that the medication would cause me to shake uncontrollably on the operating table.
That the drugs would make my face would itch more than it’s ever itched in my life, like a thousand scoops of pre-workout (if you know, you know).
I wish I had considered proactively planning for a C-section, to have music, for more description and communication from the OB.
That farting after a C-section is a huge accomplishment.
I didn’t realize that I wouldn’t be able to eat right after a c-section and that I would have to limit my fluid intake or else I would vomit.
I didn’t realize that the water and fluid retention in my body, especially my legs and feet, would get worse before it got better.
I didn’t realize that I would not be able to drive for about three weeks after my C-section.
I didn’t realize how much it would hurt to cough, sneeze or laugh in the first couple days after the surgery.
That the first poop will suck, so stock up on stool softeners.
Peezing (sneeze-pees) happens to every mom, vaginal or C-section birth. There is no escape.
Remember that language matters, regardless of your position in life. Lets work together to remove the stigma of Cesarean births. All births, vaginal or C-section are breal births. Motherhood is not measured by how you gave birth, it’s measured by how you raise your children and set a good example for them.