The Business of Being Born Message Board

Q: I am one of the many who experienced a c-section against my expressed wishes. I also had a midwife. I was told after 12 hours of labor (pit and epidural) that I had a narrow pelvis. How likely is it that this is true? I’m athletic, 5′7″, over 160 pounds. My blood boils when I think of what was taken from me, presumably when it didn’t have to be.

A: I think it is rarely one thing… e.g. a narrow pelvis….that is the only reason a woman might need a Cesarean. Whether a woman needs a Cesarean is determined by a variety of factors including the size of the baby, the shape of the mothers pelvis, the strength of the uterus and the health of her baby. In your situation it sounds as though you did not feel like a participant in the decision to have a Cesarean birth. I believe when women do not have a trusting relationship with their provider and do not feel like they feel they were a participant in the decision affecting them, they can feel very resentful. I would hope that if you have another baby, you will find a careprovider who can assist you to have a different experience.

Deborah Frank, CNM
MidwivesWithWomen.com