There is no shame in making the best choice for your self and your baby. The stigma around caesarian section dates centuries back, perpetuated by cultural and societal norms that are steeped at defining woman/motherhood by what our reproductive organs can or can’t do. Sadly it is often imposed by women on women , we dehumanize one another without taking into consideration facts and complexities surrounding each pregnancy . Historically mothers and children , used to die at childbirth before the invention of this procedure , in fact the very inception of C-section in the 19th century was as a measure used to save a baby from the womb of a mother who had died while giving birth. Most times if not all ,it’s not even a question of choice but rather a lifesaving decision made at the moment of crisis. To this day mothers with complicated pregnancies with no means to access an emergency C-section continue to lose their babies and sometimes their own lives ,no one should have to endure that kind of trauma. Whilst most pregnancies are uneventful and look like a walk in a park, so much can go wrong in an instant. An early separation of the placenta, a baby that gets tired before mom is fully dilated, a blood pressure that shoots up life- threatening to mom and baby are just some of the commonest reasons for emergency C-section. It is therefore crucial as a society that we are well informed , and be intentional at eradicating stigmas that leave so many woman with feelings of shame. Womanhood and motherhood has nothing to do with the type of delivery one has, but rather the bravery so many women display as they show up in the moment and fight for the best outcomes for themselves and loved ones.
Written by @dr.gynae for Parentysa