April is Cesarean Awareness Month
This is the ribbon that is used Internationally for Cesarean Awareness Month.
Happy April, it’s finally Spring! At Blissful Births and Babies, we are spending the month of April celebrating and supporting Cesarean Awareness month. Cesarean Awareness month exists to increase education and knowledge regarding the implications, prevalence, and even the different experiences associated with having a C-section. According to different resources, the rates of C-sections are rising, why could that be?
What is Cesarean Awareness Month?
Cesarean Awareness Month is the month of April, and it exists to raise awareness, support, and education regarding C-sections. C-sections are a way to deliver a baby typically when the baby or mom is in distress, there are maternal health concerns, or there are other presenting issues making it difficult to impossible to deliver a baby vaginally.
While evidence shows that c-sections are helpful and often times result in saving lives, rates at which these c-sections are delivered have been increasing over the years which raise concerns regarding the overuse of c-sections and the overmedicalization of birth. Overmedicalization of birth refers to birth being looked at as a medical experience rather than a natural experience. This can be damaging to moms and babies as overmedicalization often times is associated with using many unnecessary medical interventions.
Can I avoid C-sections?
There are not too many things we can do to avoid c-sections as sometimes; these procedures are the only solution. With this being said, there are some informed decisions that can be made in order to receive the best reflection of your perfect birth experience. Some of these decisions are;
1. Conducting your own research
2. Obtaining a doula (helps with laboring and also advocation)
3. Choose your healthcare provider wisely (if applicable)
4. Avoid elective inductions (if possible)
5. Discuss your wants and needs with your specific birth team
Looking back
Looking back at everything discussed in this blog, I think it is obvious how important it is that we celebrate April as Cesarean awareness month. Unfortunately, there are misconceptions regarding C-sections that are present within society today. These misconceptions are part of the reason that awareness needs to be raised for Cesarean deliveries. At Blissful Births and Babies, our mission is to ensure that all women feel supported and seen when it comes to their birth plan and vision. Not only this, but we believe that ALL moms no matter how they delivered, are seen and treated as equal.
References
Oldham, L. (2024, April 11). Cesarean awareness month. Balanced Birth Support. https://balancedbirthsupport.com/birth/cesarean-awareness-month/