As a fifth-time mother at the ripe old age of 37 (my oldest is 16) I believe this 'trend' is just the natural swinging of the childbirth pendulum. In my grandmother's generation, medical science allowed birthing mothers to be given what was called 'twilight sleep,' which allowed them to give birth while practically unconscious. This led to many forceps deliveries, as the mother could not push effectively, or even really tell when she should push! Daddies waited nervously in the lobby, puffing cigars and pacing until their offspring was brought to them for inspection. In my mother's generation, liberated women of the sixties and seventies demanded control over their bodies- and over their birthing, opting for natural childbirth with little medical intervention. Fathers were expected to be partners, both in the marriage relationship and in the birthing process, resulting in coached-birthing (Lamaze, etc,) and 'family bonding.' Not a bad thing, over all, but women who opted for drugs or a more traditional birth were viewed as unenlightened, ignorant, and even unwomanly for doing so!

By the time my first son was born in 1992, the 80's had come and gone, where in full-time career women had demanded choices in their births, as in their professional lives: they educated themselves, did research, and made their own decisions as to whether they wanted a natural birth or one with a little pharmaceutical help. 'C-section' had become a dirty word, and was to be avoided at all costs, unless lives were in danger. Unfortunately for me, that meant an induction when labor stalled, two and a half hours of pushing, and a nightmare delivery with more stitches than I could count when I would have gladly welcomed a surgical birth. However, this was not an option- and I have suffered reconstructive surgery as a result.

Four children later (all vaginal, thank you,) I have seen this new mom-controlled birthing option coming for years. Moms want control over their bodies and over their births, just as in years before, but with a modern twist: our decisions (pharmaceutical/surgical/natural) are not looked upon with shame any more. We respect the decisions of our laboring sisters; after all, I would not want another woman calling the shots concerning MY body! And this time around, I am having a scheduled C-section because of the possible tearing of scar tissue- and my practitioner did not even blink an eye!

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Well, we could start by pressuring our governmental reps to make some meaningful change in the way the lawsuits are handled. In the current atmosphere, any lawsuit can be filed at any time, for any reason (hot coffee, anyone?).

Second, Judges need to get a spine, and throw out the cases that are frivolous. And when the judges don't, juries need to get that same spine and stop falling for the sob stories and look at facts. (going back to the coffee... who DOESN'T know that it's hot? WHY would you be stupid enough to hold it between your legs while you're driving, and how does that entitle you to some ridiculous settlement?)

Third, the AMA needs to stop sheltering doctors who screw up. Stories have come out of doctors who have made grave, yet preventable, errors (surgery on wrong limbs, for example), and they are still practicing.

Finally, and perhaps most important, we mothers need to KNOCK IT OFF. There are plenty of examples, both here on this board and elsewhere on the net (and, for that matter, in mom's groups around the country), where we sit and second-guess one another's decisions. I was told by a member of my own mom's group that I "didn't really give birth" because I underwent an emergency c-section. Really? Then how did that child get here? Fairy godmother??? It's time we stand together, as mothers, and support each other. If I have a C-section, it's just as valid as your home-birth. If I choose to formula feed, it's just as valid as your breastfeeding. My reasons are probably as valid and as well-thought out as yours. I do not love my child any less than you do because you chose to go the "natural" route. Sometimes surgery IS the answer, and sometimes formula is a necessary tool.

Stop the judgement and start the support. When that happens, our battle will be halfway won.

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I agree. I am being forced to have a c-section because my Dr is worried about liability if my uteris ruptures. I have a 1% chance of that happening, and if it happens in the hospital, it will be taken care of quickly. I am thinking about laboring at home until the last minute in order to avoid the c-section this time. I have had both natural and c-section births, and believe me, the natural was much much better.

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I think it's important to use the 9 months of frequent doctor visits preceding labor to make sure that your doctor's childbirth philosophy matches your own.

I had pregnancy induced hypertension with #1 but managed to go into labor naturally after 1 week of bedrest, and she came so fast (3 hours, 45 minutes from "I think that was a contraction" to "it's a girl!") that there was no time for interventions like pit and an epidural.

I had Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy with #2 (my liver broke, it's fine now, but it could have caused stillbirth), so after consulting with my regular doctor and a specialist, we decided to induce at 37 weeks. Unfortunately my blood pressure spiked again at 36 weeks, so I had to be induced at 36 weeks. The doctor used Cytotec (which I was terrified of, but it turned out just fine) and broke my water after that had been in place 4 hours. One hour and 9 minutes later, we heard, "It's a girl," again. No pain meds, except for the Tylenol 3 they gave me for the headache that led me to realize that my BP was up again.

So, my advice is to shoot your babies out like a cannon, and then they don't have time to mess with you. :)

Seriously, though, I think they've gradually narrowed and narrowed the window of "normal pregnancy" and "normal labor" to the point where no one can feasibly fall through the window anymore. They've done it in response to malpractice suits and whatnot. The doctors have to do what they have to do to protect themselves, but so do we.

Ultimately everyone wants a healthy mom and a healthy baby to be the outcome of every birth. Personally, I believe that the best way to ensure that outcome is to let things alone until the need for intervention is unavoidable. Some others believe that controlling every aspect of pregnancy and birth is the way to ensure that the outcomes are good. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But the first step to having the kind of birth YOU want is finding the kind of doctor whose beliefs are similar to your own. We can't be afraid, as women and mothers, to stand up for our own rights to our own bodies and our own birth experiences. If the doctor you've been seeing for 8.5 months suddenly turns into Mr. C-Section, it's not too late to find a new doctor. It takes a strong belief in oneself, and a strong desire to protect oneself, and some women are afraid of hurting his feelings or being too outspoken so they don't rock the boat.

I hope the girls I'm raising become boat rockers.

Amy @ http://prettybabies.blogspot.com

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I have 5 children. My first two were born in the hospital and after the birth of #2 I NEVER wanted to birth in a hospital again.

I had babies 3-5 at home in my bathtub with an experienced midwife present. The births were so much more peaceful and my husband and I had complete control over everything. The best part was resting in my own bed afterwards with my husband and other children. In my opinion hospitals are for sick people and sometimes necessary but not for a normal birth. I think as a society we have lost sight that birth is a normal/natural process.

Women should have the choice to birth however they choose. If I want the option of a homebirth I should honor the fact that some women choose surgical birth. However, I paid $4,500 out of pocket for my homebirth and I feel that if a woman chooses cesarean she should have to pay the difference in cost as cesareans are one of the MANY reasons our insurance rates are SKY HIGH.
The other issue I have with planned ceseareans is informed concent. Most women are not told of all the complications for her and her baby that come with surgical birth.

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while I support every mother's right to make the choice of hospital or at home birthing, the thing for me is that if something goes wrong(and I know the percentage is small that it would, but if it did) the mother and baby would not be able to get medical help in the qickest way possible during a home birth. You might not make it thru the transfer to the hospital. I know someone that would have died had she not been in the hopsital. It is possible to have a natural, invervention free birth at the hospital. The drs and nurses have to have consent for everything they do. If you do not want something don't have it and don't let people pressure you.

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I wish that C-sections were for only serious medical needs like when it is life-threatening for baby or mommy. I tried to have natural child birth. I even told my OB-GYN and he didn't even tell me what I would need to do to prepare for it. He didn't tell me about any classes to take or paperwork to let me know what to expect. The only advice was to make sure I wait until my contractions were 5 min. a part. Well, I didn't need to wait for that. I was a week late and when I had my doctor check me he "accidently" broke my water. I did about 15 hours of labor with out an epi but on pitocin, it was the worst 15 hours of my life. I was in so much pain, didn't know how to breath properly,first time in childbirth and had no idea what to expect , but nothing was happening. I went into the hospital 3-4 cm dialated and 15 hrs on pitocin I barely got to 10. Then when the doctor came in while I was trying to push, he says "you need a c-section because you have been in labor for almost 24 hrs and we don't want a dry birth." I was so out of it by this point that I didn't have any fight left to say that I wanted to have a natural birth but I stressed it before I had my baby. To THIS day, it hasn't been made all that clear to me as to why we went to C-section because they have given me several different reasons why which leaves me to believe that those who choose natural childbirth are set up for failure because you will just result in to surgery. I wish that I could have done natural and now with the surgery, if I want another child I will have to have a C-section again. Why can't I choose to do natural again. Why did they have to take that from me. Obviously I know why medically I can't do natural, but I would have like to have tried it again for the next time. I just find it empowering to be able to experience it even though it hurt like mad but I think it brings such a closeness to you and your baby. Maybe I'm wrong but I will never know now. Not only are they quick to do the surgery but they are setting you up to go through it again for the sake of not having to get up at 4 in the morning to deliver natural. I am still bitter over it and my daughter is two but I felt like it was a decision made with no merit, more so because they crew couldn't tell me a definitive answer as to why it was medical neccessary. I know that what I went through isn't the worst thing in the world, my heart goes to ones who have actually had life threatening situations and just know that you and your baby are truly blessed, but I was a first time mom, first time in the hospital for anything, and it was such a negative experience for me. Hopefully the next time around I can appreciate my experience a little more.

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I had all three of my children 'naturally.' They all came out of my body, created by sperm and eggs and nurtured in my womb for 38, 34, and 34 weeks 20 minutes. I had an epidermal for both labors. Two came out the usual way, the third had to be cut out. I almost died with my second twin, nearly bleeding out. We're fine now. All three were born in a naval hospital, my choice. To me, all these things are natural, because they were in accordance to the nature of childbirth in today's era. It is natural to chose to avoid pain (epidural), to seek out the comfort of a controlled setting (hospital), to strive to save life when things go wrong (emergency c-section).

I respect those women who chose to labor sans drugs. More power to them. I also respect those women who desire pain management - they are not weak or less womanly. I don't care where you give birth - pool, bathtub, kitchen, birthing center, hospital bed - you're still a mother. I agree with LS, as I often do, that there needs to be some lawsuit reform, but also that we mothers need to knock this shit off. The best place for me to give birth is the place I choose, the best place for you is where you choose.

In this day and age, when so many women are choosing not to give birth, with population growth declining around the world, we should be grateful for every child born, regardless of the birthing location.

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This site has been eating my comments more often lately...

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I think KeriKadi hit it on the nose when she said "informed consent". Seriously that's what it boils down to, doesn't it? Neither time that I delivered was I told "this might cause X, Y, Z to happen" only "If we do this, it will happen faster." The first time I was induced, didn't know it would make contractions completely unbearable, refused narcotics, and the anesthesiologist tried 5 times to get the epidural in before I told him to get out of my room and never come back. I might have still opted for induction seeing that my husband was being deployed to Korea, and left 3 days after DD was born, but maybe I wouldn't have? Maybe if they'd told me that it would be more intense, and that it was more difficult to give an epidural to someone with a curved spine? I don't know. With #2 I really wanted to try water birthing. Well, my insurance company said "We don't cover midwifeery, we don't cover homebirth unless you can prove it was an accident, and we don't cover 'alternative' hospital births (such as birthing center, midwife in a hospital setting, or water birthing)" They cover narcotics, epidurals, C-sections (even scheduled ones!), induction, and a host of other medical interventions, but nothing that could endanger the mother by being uncontrolled and natural. Talk about not having any choices! I really believe a lot of this birth management with c-sections, scheduled delivery, and multiple medical interventions has to do with law suits and insurance companies telling us we don't know enough about our own bodies ro capabilities to be trusted to make the right decision.

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I am 30 weeks pregnant with my 3rd baby, and when I learned that my son was in the breech feet down position, and that I might have to get a c-section, I panicked. I had my other 2 children the old fashioned way and without any drugs. Thats the way labor is supposed to be. They didnt have all of this back in the day when my grandmother had her 24 children. I figured if they could do it then, I can do it now. I think maybe it is because I want to be awake and alert to know whats going on around me. I do not want my baby to come out being all drugged up because I needed some pain medicine. But thats just my opinion, if you are in labor and cant deal with the pain and opt for drugs, thats what they are there for. No one should judge you because you wanted to take the edge off or take the pain away, or if you opt for a c-section. We all have our own way of doing things. I just prefer my way over say the next persons.

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