Welcome to my blog, and please read on.  I am certain that many of you are reading this right now because your story has a lot in common with mine.

I have been blessed with two healthy, exquisite children, both born by c-section.  My daughter's birth in 2010 was a non-labouring elective caesarean due to breech presentation and suspected IUGR.  When my son was born in 2012, I went into labour spontaneously, but I stalled at 4 cm with a swollen cervix and ended up with another c-birth.  I believe this was due to stress and other psychological factors influenced by the hospital environment.  My baby's birth was given the standard label, "obstruction of labour."  In both instances, I was completely devastated and felt tremendous guilt and humiliation that I was unable to give my children the natural births they deserved and that I so desired as a woman.

My husband and I had always wanted to have 3 children, but after the second caesarean I was told by my consultant that any future children would also have to be born by c-section.  This really made me think twice.  I am concerned that having so many major surgeries, particularly within just a few years of each other, might not be a wise choice.  In addition, I found the recovery from both operations to be very difficult both physically and emotionally, including bouts with post-natal depression, and it is likely to be even more challenging with two smallies and a newborn in need of mommy's care and attention.  

I am not a medical professional, but I have spent the past year or so doing research of my own and contemplating whether or not this third, longed-for child can ever arrive into our lives safely and naturally to make our family complete.  What I have read and studied indicates that the risks of UR (uterine rupture) during a VBA2C are not much different from those after just one caesarean, provided the labour is not induced or augmented.  In contrast, the risks involved in multiple ERCS (elective repeat caesarean section) for mother and baby, in both the long and short term and with regard to future pregnancies appear to be minimized, misrepresented, underresearched or purposefully ignored by doctors trying to persuade women to give their "informed consent."  In spite of this, and although VBAC after 1 caesarean seems to be encouraged by many consultants, they seem to be staunchly opposed to VBA2C, and my understanding is that it is very uncommon, at least in Ireland.  Why this incongruence between medical research and practice?  Simple:  Doctors and hospitals prioritize perceived legal risk ahead of the health and well-being of mothers and babies.  

In the aftermath of my two surgical births and becoming a mother, I have been completely transformed as an individual.  My whole Being believes beyond doubt in our ability to create a beautiful, healthy child and in my body's ability to nurture and sustain this child, culminating in the joyful, natural birth about which I have dreamed and fantasized for so long.  I believe that every child is worth trying for the best possible pregnancy and birth.  I'm not about to condemn my third child to a caesarean birth just because my other two children were unfortunately born that way.  We have just started "ttc," and I hope that you will join us and support us as we continue to build and strengthen our family, transcending limitations, overcoming obstacles and spiraling towards ever higher levels of love and joy and meaning in our lives.


Namaste