Cesarean Awareness Month: A Collection Of Images Featuring Planned and Unplanned Surgical Births
April is Cesarean Awareness Month (CAM), which focuses on topics spanning the reduction of preventable c-sections, tips for cesarean surgery recovery, and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) advocacy. The Gather Birth team also feels it’s a great time to celebrate the families who have welcomed their babies through surgical birth by sharing their stories!
As of 2019, 31.7% of all babies in the United States are born by cesarean section. While some of these are planned, most cesarean births are not. Planned c-sections are often performed for babies in a breech (feet down) position, families expecting multiples, and placental variations that cover the cervix. Unplanned cesarean births begin with the intention of a non-surgical birth, but, for one of several reasons, become a c-section. While they are not intentionally surgical, it’s important to know that the majority of unplanned cesarean births are not considered an emergency. In fact, less than 1% of all births are considered a true emergency c-section birth. Reasons for unplanned cesareans might include a labor that isn’t moving forward despite attempts to support its progress or a baby showing signs of fetal distress.
Our team has supported and photographed many families in operating rooms (OR) here in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. But while we’ve had many invitations into the OR, we’re not always permitted inside. For that reason, we’d love to see CAM highlight the benefits of allowing birth supporters (doulas) and birth photographers into the operating room with their client families.
The presence of a dedicated, professional birth support person in the OR helps parents as they welcome their baby during a c-section in so many ways. They are especially important in the event that the birthing parent and baby need to be separated; having an additional supporter in attendance enables a partner to remain with baby while the birth support doula continues to be present with the birthing parent. Photo documentation of c-sections is equally important, as it helps to remove the stigma around cesareans while also maintaining a special, family-centered approach to a surgical birth.
How can you improve the likelihood of your chosen birth support or birth photographer being welcomed to join you in the operating room? Advocate. Start early on and mention your goals often. We recommend our families bring up their birth support pro and/or photographer in prenatal visits soon after hiring them. Mention how important it is to you that they are in the operating room should you have a cesarean. We see the most success with families who continue to let their medical team know about their goals at each visit.
Having a planned cesarean? It’s equally important to ensure your medical team is on board with your birth support plan and photographer. Often times this decision can also be in the hands of your anesthesiologist. If this is the case, your medical team will know your goals and can help you navigate their approval as well.
Discussing your cesarean preferences ahead of time is also an important way to ensure your team can be present, as well as your needs and desires are met. We always walk our clients through c-section preferences during a prenatal meeting even if they aren’t planning a cesarean. Both our birth support clients and birth photography clients benefit from a prenatal birth planning session with our team of experts, which includes discussing a cesarean. Not working with the Gather Birth team on your baby’s birthday? You can still book a birth planning session for support with your birth preferences and a game plan for success if your birth changes plans to a cesarean.
