Attempt to Avoid a Cesarean Birth

The increase in the rate of cesarean deliveries means that any woman who is pregnant has more than a one in four chance of having her baby by cesarean. In some cases it can be possible to avoid a cesarean, if you really want to have a vaginal birth.

Key Factors

There are some factors that can affect your chances of having a vaginal delivery versus a cesarean:

·        Selection of health care provider and their philosophy on cesarean delivery

·        Birth setting

·        Labor support availability

·        Access to medical interventions

Ways to Avoid a Cesarean:

·        Ensure your health care provider and chosen birth setting has low rates of medical intervention

·        Inquire as to your health care provider’s philosophy on cesareans

·        Put together a flexible birth plan and cover it off with your health care provider

·        Learn as much as you can about birth, take classes and read books

·        Hire a doula or other labor support (this gives you a 26% less chance of having a cesarean)

·        Learn natural pain management techniques

·        Find out how long you can wait to go to the hospital once labor begins (a long hospital labor increases chances of cesarean)

·        Try to avoid continuous fetal monitoring, as it increases chances of cesarean by 30%

·        Try to avoid an epidural if you can

·        Learn methods to turn a breech baby

·        Try to avoid an induced labor

·        Learn all the different labor positions and find a few that help you progress labor