Sometimes, there are additional risks (that exist before or occur during pregnancy), which mean a planned caesarean birth is advised (or chosen) in order to prevent and avoid potential problems during a vaginal birth. It is the availability of this prophylactic surgery, and the countless lives it has saved, that is celebrated today.
Helen Turier, Tamba‘s Head of Family & Professional Support, says:
“For our families, a c-section can be a life saver for both mother and babies. In fact it is recommended in the higher risk multiple births such as triplets, identical twins that share a placenta and amniotic sac (MCMA) and for those who have had complications during pregnancy such as TTTS or growth restriction. Planning to have a c-section is not a decision that clinicians and mothers make lightly but it is important that mothers are educated, informed and supported in making the right decision for them and all of their babies.”
Erb’s Palsy Group‘s Karen Hillyer says:
“We are delighted to support Celebrating Caesareans Week. The families in our organisation are very grateful to those obstetricians who recognise the impact and trauma that having a baby affected by a Brachial Plexus Injury brings. To know that your newborn baby has a lifelong disability, which could potentially have been avoided by having a caesarean birth is very hard to accept, and for those mothers who wish to have more children after their difficult birth, it is always a concern that the emergency situation will happen again and another baby will be injured. Our organisation has many families who have more than one child affected by Erb’s Palsy, and had those subsequent deliveries been planned caesarean births, the outcome for their babies would have been very different. For some women, a caesarean birth represents an opportunity to extend their families in a healing and positive way, and we are pleased to be associated with this awareness campaign.”
Dr Clea Harmer, Chief Executive at Sands, says:
“Caesarean section is a life-saving intervention for some women and their babies. Access to a safe caesarean, performed at the right time for the right women and babies, has the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of birth injuries and deaths every year across the globe.”
* * * * *
“Baby girl born at 36 weeks due to restricted growth, she weighed a tiny 3lb 11oz and spent two weeks in the neonatal unit. Still to this day I can hear the sound of the machines in the neonatal unit. Had I not gone to MDU due to reduced movement, I could have had a stillbirth. When she was born she had to be resuscitated. I’m very, very grateful to the NHS.”
“Baby girl born at 39+1 due to being Frank beech. I’m proud of my birth but deep down still struggle with acceptance. But I’d have one every day as long as my daughter arrived into the world as perfect, healthy and safe as possible. I was told there was a chance of one of us not making it out of a vaginal birth so I’d c-section every time.”
“My son was born 5 weeks early with pneumonia and sepsis. He was 5lb 7oz, and shortly after birth on arrival at NICU he was resuscitated. I didn’t see him for 24 hours and didn’t hold him for 4 days. I hated not having the “normal” experience of having a baby but thank my lucky stars every day that he is here. They did say if they hadn’t monitored me so well and I had gone further on in pregnancy our little guy wouldn’t have survived!”
“I planned my c-section due to a host of reasons, including anxiety, but mainly because I had pelvic girdle pain; it was so bad that our baby had to come a little earlier to relieve the pain. It was such a good experience, and actually the c-section was the best part of the whole pregnancy. The doctors, midwives and nurses were amazing and I owe them everything.”
Please see the Celebrating Caesarean Week PRESS RELEASE for more information.
- Produced by author and journalist Pauline Hull
CAESAREAN BIRTH - Your Baby, Your Body, Your Life, Your Choice 
Its so wonderful seeing these beautiful twin babies and prem babies born safely. In any other scenario they might not be so fortunate. My first baby was born at 34 weeks by emergency CS due to fetal distress. She had the cord wrapped around her throat. How lucky we are to have access to safe medical care when so many around the world still do not. We have a lot to celebrate this week and every week.
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