BirthCut
"The ax forgets; the tree remembers" ~ African proverb
Welcome.
After the cesarean delivery of my son, I felt overwhelming sadness, but didn't know why. After all my son was here, healthy and beautiful. I pushed those feelings aside, and told myself it was the "Baby Blues" that everyone talks about. Surely I would feel better as time went on.
Days passed. Weeks passed. Though I was happy to finally be a mother, I still felt something was not right. I finally stopped ignoring the feelings I was having and started to work through what was bothering me. It was then that the reality of the birth sank in - I realized I hated the cesarean, and worst of all - it wasn't necessary.
I was amazed to find so many women who felt the same way about their cesarean sections, and how similar our stories were. I couldn't believe what was really happening in maternity wards not only all over the country, but across the globe. The cesarean section rate is skyrocketing - many of them unnecessary. As of 2007, the cesarean section rate in the US was 31.8%. Women are being coerced into primary cesareans, not given full informed consent, are lied to, and denied the right to a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).
Not many see or even acknowledge the emotional side to having a cesarean. They aren't aware of women having PTSD from the experience, depression, PPD, panic attacks, anxiety, the nightmares, the affect it can have on breastfeeding and early bonding, and her overall self esteem and self worth.
When a woman is upset about her birth experience, and tries to reach out to someone, it is usually met with,"All that matters is a healthy baby", or "It's not that bad". This is very damaging to her. Until someone has experienced an unwanted cesarean section, they never will fully understand, but it doesn't make her pain invalid. This has inspired me to create a place where mothers and fathers can vent, share poetry, artwork, cesarean and VBAC birth stories and anything else that helps them through those painful feelings.
A healthy baby is not all that matters. Mothers matter too.
-Michele
