LilSugar

Should Elective C-Sections Be Covered by Insurance?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:01:11 PDT

Too posh to push? The phrase, which was coined after Victoria Beckham supposedly asked for a C-section to deliver her first baby, Brooklyn, 12 years ago, has come to represent a whole group of women who choose to forgo traditional childbirth in favor of the surgical method. Though home births are on the rise and celeb mamas are leading the charge, one-third of American tots enter the world via Cesarean section.

As the former Posh Spice prepares for her fourth C-section this weekend, many are questioning the elective C-section procedure. The surgery can cost several thousand dollars more than a natural birth, leading some to suggest that the additional expense shouldn't be covered by insurance unless a doctor deems it medically necessary. What do you think?

How to Prepare For a Scheduled C-Section

LilSugar — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:45:22 PDT

One in every three babies birthed in the United States is now born via c-section, making the procedure the most common operation in American hospitals. In a report issued last year, the Centers for Disease Control found that the nation's c-section rate increased by 53 percent between 1996 and 2007, to an all time high of 32 percent. Though women have c-sections for many reasons, approximately 40 percent of the procedures are performed on women who already gave birth via cesarean – meaning many of these births are scheduled in advance. Knowing you are giving birth on a certain date and time gives an expectant mama plenty of time to prepare for her impending arrival. Here are eight things she can do to prepare for the big day. And don't forget to check out what to pack and what to expect after your surgery.

Tips and Tricks For Women Having C-Sections

LilSugar — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:16:45 PDT

It never hurts to be prepared. With the US c-section rate at an all-time high – 32 percent of all births are now via surgery – expectant mamas need to be armed with information before going into labor. We've rounded up all of our firsthand cesarean information to provide moms-to-be with everything they need to know before going under the knife.

Nine Important Items to Pack For a C-Section	Tips For Easing C-Section Recovery	Postpartum C-Section Surprises
Reasons Why Some Women Choose C-Sections	Tips to Prepare For a Scheduled C-Section	What Not to Say to a C-Section Patient

Would You Want to Know If You're C-Section Bound?

babysugar — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:00:29 PDT

Waiting for a c-section? Get in line! According to the National Institutes of Health the c-section rate – which currently stands at 32 percent – doesn't show any sign of slowing down. Scientists are predicting that the upswing will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. But women who go through the long process of labor, only to end up delivering via surgery, may be able to bypass the hours of contractions in the future. Researchers in Sweden have developed a test that measures levels of lactic acid in the womb. When high levels of the acid are present, contractions slow down and a laboring mama is usually rushed into the operating room. With the test, doctors plan to identify c-section candidates earlier in the delivery process.

Would you want to know if you were destined for a c-section before you ever began labor?

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Second Delivery Isn't Easier

babysugar — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:00:23 PDT

You would think that with experience comes wisdom but that isn't always the case. When I was pregnant with my first child, I read every book and email newsletter that came my way, spoke with friends about their delivery experiences and both mentally and physically prepared for the big day. When I received word at my 39-week appointment that my baby was in a frank breech position, and the doctor wanted to schedule a c-section the next morning to remove him, I took it with stride – barely flinching as I walked into the operating room.

Fast forward three-and-a-half years, and you would have thought a completely different woman was sitting there. Nine months pregnant with number two, I hadn't cracked opened a single pregnancy book as I sat at the hospital awaiting blood work the day before my scheduled c-section for baby number two. Rather than the calm and collected woman I was with my first, waves of panic set in. The whole "been there, done that" mentality that I had trusted to get me through a second delivery took a back seat to memories of what I was about to endure, fear of the upheaval I was about to impart on my first born and thoughts that I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Friends told me it was just a case of the jitters, but I now truly believe that sometimes the fear of the unknown is more comforting than knowing what awaits you.

Did you have a similar experience with your second child?

Tips and Tricks For Women Having C-Sections

babysugar — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:00:09 PDT

It never hurts to be prepared. With the US c-section rate at an all-time high – 32 percent of all births are now via surgery – expectant mamas need to be armed with information before going into labor. We've rounded up all of our first-hand cesarean information to provide moms-to-be with everything they need to know before going under the knife.

Nine Important Items to Pack For a C-Section	Tips For Easing C-Section Recovery	Postpartum C-Section Surprises
Reasons Why Some Women Choose C-Sections	Tips to Prepare For a Scheduled C-Section	What Not to Say to a C-Section Patient

Eight Tips For Recovering From a C-Section With a Toddler

babysugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:00:23 PST

And baby makes four! Heading home from the hospital following the birth of a second, third, or fourth child is a momentous occasion. While mama is negotiating the new family dynamics and figuring out how she can be attentive to each child, she is also recovering from delivery. Women who gave birth via c-section have a few extra obstacles to clear, as they heal from their abdominal surgery. Most doctors recommend that c-section patients not lift anything heavier than their baby (or 10 pounds) for the first three weeks, which may prove difficult when there is an older child at home. We've given you our top five tips for getting back up on your feet after surgery, here's how to ease your time at home when also tending to an older kiddo.

Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me: Shakes During Delivery

babysugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:00:49 PST

There are a lot of things about birth that a mama-to-be doesn't realize until she enters the delivery room. An itchy epidural, relieving the bowels on the table and tearing to name a few.

When my first son was born via c-section, I succumbed to the post-delivery shakes that my friends had told me about. After about an hour, the shakes subsided and I didn't think about them again.

This time around, with a scheduled c-section on the books, I braced myself for some postpartum shaking prior to entering the operating room. My body, however, seemed to have something else in mind. After receiving my spinal block, and laying down on the table, I began to feel cold. I asked them to raise the heat in the room, at which point my husband told me that the room was already very warm. Before long, the shakes set in and try as I might, I could not control them! Whether it was nerves or a side effect of the painkillers, I will never know. But, thanks to a wonderful anesthesiologist, my upper body was covered with an air warming blanket that provided some comfort and heat throughout the surgery. Before long, a baby was in my arms and the shakes were the last thing on my mind.

Did you have the shakes during your delivery?

Live C-Section Broadcast This Morning on The Today Show

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:00:34 PST

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Though some families consider their birth of a child a private affair that only a select few should witness, others are happy to share the photos and videos with everyone they know. One Boston family decided to share the experience with an entire nation this morning as their son's scheduled c-section birth was broadcast live on The Today Show. The moving segment – which brought many viewers to tears – provided many viewers with their first glimpse of an actual c-section birth.

Did any aspects of the c-section birth surprise you?

Seven C-Section Scar Healers

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:00:01 PDT

Doctors may stitch and staple postpartum mothers up on the operating table, but once they get home the physical results of a c-section are a battle scar women carry for the rest of their lives. After the pain and numbness surrounding the scar fade, many ladies seek lotions and salves to help dissolve the little red line into oblivion. While no one potion is guaranteed to rid you of your scar, many have loyal followings. Check them out!