Cesarean Awareness Month (CAM) focuses on all topics surrounding cesareans including: reducing preventable c-sections, the patient experience of cesarean delivery, and advocating for vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
One concern I have as a pelvic floor physiotherapist is the potential unaddressed trauma for the mother that may remain after a belly birth. The baby is healthy and the C-section is healing as expected so there is an assumption that mom is thrilled that all turned out well. I strongly believe in the importance of creating safe space for belly birth moms (and all moms) to express their experience and emotions regarding their birth experience, even if it isn’t what seems socially acceptable.
The following link will guide you through some of the concerns regarding C-sections and the key messages around C-section Awareness Month…
Although the following article claims that over 60% of women still have a diastasis rectus abdominus (DRA) or ‘abdominal separation’ 6 weeks postpartum, I would tend to estimate even higher from what I have witnessed. DRA is how the abdominal wall adapts to the stretch required during pregnancy and it is what gives most women grief postpartum when it comes to the recovery of the abdominal wall.
