4 COMMON REASONS FOR A CESAREAN BIRTH AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO AVOID THEM

1. Failure to progress accounts for around 30 percent of cesarean deliveries. It means that labor doesn't progress according to the usual timetable. For various reasons the cervix does not open enough and/or the baby does not descend. Some cases of failure to progress cannot be avoided, such as a very short cord. Most cases, though, are due to inadequate support for the laboring woman and violation of the basic physiology of labor. Of all the reasons for a cesarean, "failure to progress" is the most under your control. No other system in your body "fails" 25 percent of the time; why should your "delivery" system? Emotional and physical support for the mother, walking during labor, upright pushing, along with the prudent use of medication and technology will help labor progress by increasing the efficiency of uterine contractions rather than interfering with them.

2. Repeat cesarean, means you had one previously. This is the most common reason for a surgical birth, and it is under your influence as well.

3. Fetal distress is the third most common situation leading to a cesarean delivery. Fetal heart patterns on the electronic fetal monitor may suggest that a baby's well-being is in jeopardy unless he or she is delivered quickly. A fetal heart rate that is higher or lower than average is a sign that the baby may not be getting enough oxygen or is not recovering well from the decreased heart rate that is normal during contractions. While some of the reasons babies receive insufficient oxygen are beyond your control, choices you make in labor help determine your baby's well-being.

4. Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD), another reason for surgical births occurs when the baby is too big to pass through the pelvic outlet. Laboring and delivering in a more upright position, namely squatting, can enlarge the pelvic outlet, often allowing even a small mommy to deliver a big baby.

7 WAYS TO BOOST A NATURAL DELIVERY

1. Inform yourself. There are support groups for mothers who need help grieving about their previous cesarean and are adamant about doing everything within their power to avoid another one. Attend these meetings and talk to other mothers who have delivered vaginally after a previous cesarean. Besides providing you with practical suggestions during your pregnancy and labor that will increase your chances of delivering vaginally, the information you obtain from this group can empower you to have an easier and more efficient labor.

2. Eat right. Overeating may cause you to gain too much weight and raise your blood sugar to an unhealthy level. Both of these factors increase your chances of having a baby too large for vaginal delivery.

3. Exercise regularly. In-shape women have faster labors and lower weight gains than couch potatoes.

4. Employ a professional labor assistant. Studies show that mothers who use a professional labor assistant (“doula”) are much less likely to have a surgical birth.

5. Be upright. Back lying is the position for surgical birth; the more time you spend on your back, the more likely you are to have one.

6. Get moving. Avoid spending most of your time lying in bed wired to monitors – like a surgical patient. When you get moving, your labor will, too.

7. Trust your body. Believe that your delivery system will work. Believe that your pelvis is designed to birth your baby. A fear that you cannot go through with the delivery can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, since fear frightens the uterus into not working efficiently. Surround yourself with positive advisors. Even if your family tree or circle of friends is full of cesarean deliveries, know that you can beat these statistics.

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