Quick Disclaimer: For those who’ve been reading my blog lately… This post is about a time long gone when I was pregnant!! Today, at the golden age of 56, I am in full menopause and my recent health issues, though gynecologic, have nothing to do with pregnancy!! 5more about that soon, I promise!)
When I arrived at the hospital to give birth to my first son, my waters had broken yet I had no contraction, nor did I experience any pain. I was excited, yet serene.
The nurse immediately wanted to start an IV. That is when I said to her: "I am pregnant, I am not sick." For me, this declaration echoed the understanding that pregnancy is a state of wellness, not an illness. I felt pregnancy was a time of profound connection with the miracle of life growing within and I was intuitively embracing pregnancy as a natural and transformative journey…
Let me state here that I was lucky enough to have had a "healthy", "normal" pregnancy and was preparing for a similar delivery… to be on the safe side, I had chosen hospital though… Please do consult a physician if you’re experiencing any type of painful or difficult symptom. I am NOT advocating for refusing medical help in any way, shape or form.
Yet by remembering this truth "I am not sick, I am pregnant", a woman celebrates the inherent strength and vitality of the pregnant body, recognizing its capacity for nurturing and sustaining new life. Instead of viewing pregnancy through a lens of pathology, this affirmation shifts the focus towards empowerment, acknowledging the beauty and resilience of the maternal experience. It invites a shift in perspective, fostering a sense of confidence, joy, and gratitude for the extraordinary journey of pregnancy.
And don’t get me wrong… I WAS sick during both my pregnancies… but the major event wasn’t one of sickness. It was one of magic, mystery, creation and huge shifts, physical, emotional and yes, spiritual, even if I did not know it back then.
In the quiet depths of a mother's womb, nature orchestrates its grand symphony. From the first fluttering kicks to the gentle lull of contractions, the journey of childbirth unfolds in the rhythm of the Earth's heartbeat.
In the embrace of nature's cradle, there exists a primal wisdom, an innate knowing that transcends the confines of sterile walls and medical interventions. Here, a woman surrenders to the ancient dance of creation, approaching the Goddess domain of life and death.
In the natural course of childbirth, there is an undeniable power—an unfurling of strength that flows from the depths of the soul. With each surge of labor, a woman taps into this reservoir of primal energy, drawing upon the age-old wisdom of her ancestors.
For her, childbirth is not a clinical event to be managed and controlled, but a sacred journey to be honored and revered. A woman in labor finds solace in the gentle guidance of her body, trusting in its innate ability to bring forth life.
In the sanctuary of her birthing space, whether it is a physical one or simply by visualizing one, she is surrounded by love and support—a circle of hands to hold, voices to encourage, and hearts to witness the miracle of birth. Here, she is free to move and sway, to find comfort in the embrace of gravity, and to surrender to the ebb and flow of labor's tide.
And as she brings her baby into the world, she is filled with a profound sense of wonder—a recognition of the sacred bond that unites all living beings as well as well as awe, as she is close to the navel of life, to the cradle of death as well, remembering her ancestors, who, without access to any modern medicine, might have died or lost their babies at that portal of labor. In this moment of raw vulnerability and pure joy, she finds herself forever connected to the ancient rhythm of life.
Yes, I know, this might be a slightly romantic description of labor.
And yet.
And yet.
Our ancestors did it for millennia.
Of course they suffered some terrible losses that we are not ready to suffer any more. Of course, we have access (being lucky to live in developed countries) to efficient and safe medical help, which means that the prospect of death in childbirth is receding in the shadows.
Great!
Still…
When I read last week that both elective inductions of labor and elective caesarean sections in the USA, the UK, and Europe have been on the rise, sometimes to an incredible rise… I did some more digging… So...
Caesareans account for 6 out of 10 births in Greece, said the Kathimerini newspaper on Feb 02 2023.
"Experts point to many reasons including the “easy birth” mentality of many mothers-to-be and in some cases doctors, and conditions within maternity hospitals."
In the United States in 2022, 32.1% of live births were caesarean deliveries.
Across the world, there is considerable variation in the rates of elective inductions and caesarean sections. Countries like Sweden and the Netherlands have relatively lower rates of elective interventions compared to countries like Italy and Cyprus, where elective interventions may be more common.
Yet, global caesarean section rates have significantly increased from around 7% in 1990 to 21% today surpassing the ideal acceptable CS rate which is around 10%-15% according to the WHO.
Now...
"… CS reduces both maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality significantly when it is done under proper indications while at the same time, it can be of harm to the mother and the child when performed contrary. The later exposes both the mother and the baby to a number of unnecessary short and long-term complications and increase the chances of developing different non-communicable diseases and immune-related conditions among babies later in life. "
Let’s break it down. Here are some facts I found when digging the internet… You can find more articles on the topic at the bottom of the post.
C-section births: There has been a general trend of increasing C-section rates globally over the past few decades. This rise has been particularly notable in both developed and developing countries.
Inductions of Labor and Scheduled C- Sections: The rate of induced labor has been increasing in many countries, particularly in developed countries. This could be due to various factors such as medical indications, maternal preferences, or healthcare provider practices. This may be influenced by factors such as maternal request for elective caesareans, perceived convenience, or medical indications.
And … Doctors might have several reasons to prefer C-sections to natural childbirth in marginal cases: more income, more convenience in planning and scheduling, and fear of malpractice lawsuits.
"In the last decades, the proportion of birth by caesarean section has increased in an unprecedented way. This is due to many reasons, which may be country- and culture-specific. Some of the most omnipresent reasons behind this rise are: the fear of pain during birth including the pain of uterine contractions; the convenience to schedule the birth when it is most suitable for families or health care professionals; and because caesarean section can be perceived as being less traumatic for the baby."
In some cultures, caesarean section allows people to choose the date or day of the birth due to beliefs around luck or that a certain date or day is more auspicious for the child’s future.
In a number of countries, there is societal pressure for a perfect birth outcome, and health professionals may be sued when the results of a vaginal delivery are not as expected, which fuels their fear of litigation.
In addition, in some societies, delivery by caesarean section is perceived to better preserve the pelvic floor, resulting in less urinary incontinence, in addition to a more satisfactory return to sexual life.
So?
Well…
On this international day of women’s rights, I feel like screaming…
Women have been lied to.
Women have been robbed.
Women have been transformed into patients when they were simply (simply?!?) pregnant and giving birth.
I believe this is the worst aspect of patriarchy.
Internalized patriarchy.
We have been led to believe, and now we do, that pregnancy, labor and childbirth is something we NEED help to do.
Which we don’t.
Now you might disagree with me and I might be getting a lot of hate for that article.
I don’t care.
I will keep on shouting at the top of my lungs that women’s bodies and minds and souls have been made for creating life, that women are fully equipped for that (again, most women, most pregnancies, not all women!) and that we are being robbed of one of our main functions (and power!!) by modern medicine and patriarchal brainwashing… with goals of belittling and frightening women into obedience, to the point that often we are the ones pleading for the responsibility to be taken away from us.
And don’t even get me started on menarche or even worse, menopause… (actually I will write another post about that some day soon!
So… while we celebrate International Women's Day 2024 (and in the years to come), can we please take a minute to celebrate the strength, the power and the stamina of pregnant women, of women in labor and giving birth… and maybe teach the younger generations a little bit about their innate and yet extraordinary potency.
They need the reminder.
We all need it.
Now.
So much for today ...
I would be so happy to hear from you about all that.
Thank you in advance for your comment.
See you soon, for my next adventures!
Until then I send you love, light and gratitude.
Isaya
PS: for the curious mind, here are some of the sources for the numbers and the explanations I’m quoting :
- https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1204179/caesareans-account-for-6-out-of-10-births-in-greece/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37216058/#:~:text=Abstract,15%25%20according%20to%20the%20WHO.
- https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/who-statement-on-caesarean-section-rates-frequently-asked-questions
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/283123/cesarean-sections-in-oecd-countries/#:~:text=Among%20all%20countries%20that%20are,584%20per%201%2C000%20live%20births.
- https://www.who.int/news/item/16-06-2021-caesarean-section-rates-continue-to-rise-amid-growing-inequalities-in-access
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6438816/