Unforseen Caesarean Consequences
Without weighing into why C-section is now a major growth industry, and why natural birthing is seen by many as dangerous, and archaic, I would ask you to please think about the effects of a major abdominal operation in our fee for service medical world.
Besides obvious known risks that your doctor may tell you about, there are many that are not factored into the equation. Any abdominal surgery has possible unexpected consequences. These are fairly standard, and I will ignore the risks anesthetic may raise for the mother.
In addition, peculiar to pregnancy, all tissues take on a stretchy, relaxed quality that allows for the immense changes that women’s bodies must undergo. This translates after birthing as the ability to bounce back, with adequate rest.
However, when there is a major abdominal wound to be healed, in addition to providing nourishment for her newborn, possibly the body preferentially follows nature’s plan as a mother.
Post birth, recovery may be compromised – maternal hormones keep ligaments and structures in a semi floppy state until after breastfeeding; this often means that healing is in a different form than a non pregnant belly may have achieved, resulting in unusual and she needs rest to recover herself and heal after the surgery, which is at odds with her body needing also to provide.
If baby is to be cut out of mum – there are significant dangers. Baby has not been appropriately prepared. This is evidenced through the increased incidence of mortality expressed in various statistics – the latest published in the Courier Mail a few months ago.
This study cited was over 5 million births in USA, where the Caesarean operation was conducted though not medically necessary. A higher rate of neonatal death (up to one month after birth) was reported, meaning many thousands of babies needlessly died, in mum’s push to be in control and not feel pain, and the medical need to not be culpable for nature and their possible communication errors.
Babies born artificially have a higher risk of asthma and other allergic experiences as their first initiation to the outside non sterile environment is supposed to be her body – not the apparently aseptic and plastic/steel hospital arena. Babies born through the medical exit also significantly suffer from lack of nature/nurture.
Please study:
www.WombEcology.com
www.sarahjbuckley.com
www.cordclamping.com
How to Minimise Consequences
- – Personalise the birth – it is far more than an operation – these are totally different to being the usual ‘patient’.
The instant of birth is the only time the bonding hormones are where they are needed to allow you and bub to imprint upon each other. This will never be replaced, and you do not need it stolen from you, through your being polite and not wanting to create waves. If you do not demand your baby to be yours immediately, and if you listen to all the fear based ‘perfect’ reasons not to have baby intact, skin to skin, you will be paying the price – it is your relationship you are endangering.
The medical take MAY be that you are endangering baby’s life – but the cord should still be intact and still providing life blood – literally. The place for a compromised baby is still attached to mum, still being nourished by her body – except in very statistically remote circumstances. It may pay to ask under what conditions the pediatrician needs to be bonding with YOUR baby, and remind all of these. Yes, this requires you to be assertive. It also requires you to NOT hand over responsibility, just because you are in patient mode. It will be different for the staff to be held accountable. It is possible to be done in advance, as a Caesarean birth plan, and be as respected as the birth plans you may have written for the vaginal option. - – Personalise the event. Ask to know who everyone is in the theatre, and their roles, and that they be introduced to you.
- – Ask that all respect your new relationship. No cricket, hospital gossip, general conversation – this is the first falling in love moment and only one you and your baby will ever experience. It is sacred.
- – Ask for the screen to be down, so you can see baby emerge from your body.
- – Request that no-one say what sex – you discover this for yourself.
- – Request that the cord is left alone, and baby is instantly placed upon your belly, and covered with a warmed blanket. At least until the cord blood has been returned to baby for his/her breathing requirements. The paediatrician may need to be elsewhere soon, but this is your only time for you and baby to utilise the hormones that give you both the edge in knowing each other at a mammalian level.
- – You both are as much as possible left alone, to explore each other, within the constraints of it still being a major abdominal operation that is only half completed.
Afterwards
Start the exercises the physio gives you the instant you are awake. The time to heal and heal well is NOW – not when the wound is better, you have time, and you feel like it. You COULD hope you don’t need to repair yourself – but the cut and the stitching are unlikely to be perfect, as the body is in maternity node and layers of skin and muscle behave differently then.
Physical/Energy
There is significant repair work needed after the wound has healed. On the physical level, a good obstetric acupuncturist can work with the scar, allowing as much as possible the return of the circulation that was severed through the operation.
If this does not happen, it is possible to be left with very outrageous keloid, coloured, raised and puckered belly scarring, which is a cosmetic and also major energy blockage issue.
Even with an apparently perfect scar remaining, the circulation has not been repaired, and sexual sensations may be missing or muted. The area around the scar and the lower belly may be numb – often for years later, or ever after.
This is not what the birthing could have been – vaginal is the way nature intended. All these optional extras are not mentioned in the push for C sections, and you may discover them in the privacy of your own home . ..
After the wound is healed, applying comfrey ointment twice daily will be of assistance. Comfrey normalises skin growth, and heals holes in the aura – the energy fields that all have surrounding them.
Using a moxa stick (see www.easybabies.com.au ) as prescribed in the book “What Dads Can Do” and accompanying DVD, also DVD “Birthing and What Dads Can Do”, you can substantially alter the scarring residue. It can change massively over time, with appropriate attention.
Pelvic Opening Massage as directed in the works above, will restore the energy flow, allowing sex and sensation to be felt – often better than before.
Pelvic opening is not just for birth preparation – it can be used to tidy up all the menstrual issues that then create and are created by the sexual/body shape and identity issues.
Emotional/Energy
The major issues are often emotional. Forgiving self for somehow not doing it right/properly may feel appropriate, but we all do what we think at the time is the right choice. Whatever happened has been done, and now is the only moment you have.
Undoing the reasons behind the caesarean may be helpful before another baby project is embarked upon. “The Silent Knife” is an excellent book, as is “The Caesarean” by Michel Odent.
Really understanding the issues, rather than accepting what is given by the medical support workers for yourself can be a great liberator.
Going on a journey www.thejourney.com may be of great assistance.
Some choose the rebirthing option to explore the family/cellular patterns that we carry through the time lines. Still others look to kinesiologists. These are not within ‘mainstream’ medicine as they are health centred not disease focused.
Taking at least a course of zinc supplementation , vitamin B many times a day, and magnesium – preferably as a liquid drink – will allow some biochemical support for you, and help the lactation flow.
‘Healing Birth’ vibrational essences www.roseofraphael.com have been formulated for all participants to take around birthing – we were all birthed, we all carry expectations, beliefs and the residues of life experiences – even the horror of having to listen into other people’s ‘helpful’ stories.
Shocked babies need this one – as do their parents as we all attend these vents as a team.
After using this essence, the “Welcome Newborn” may be appropriate – to soften the effects of being here in this place, and to allow the joy to filter through.
It is possible that mum may need to take both “Reproductive Healing” and possibly Sexual Healing’ after a particularly torrid birthing experience.
The book ‘What Dads Can Do” was written with accompanying DVDs specifically to allow couples to work through the likely issues BEFORE birthing, so baby gets a clear run of being the centre in the parent’s world, instead of trying to jostle for attention alongside the wounded mother and distressed father issues.