Episode 26: Too posh to push? I’m furious!

In the podcast, I’m addressing the increasing rates of caesarean births and challenging the notion of being “too posh to push.” The fact is that that most caesareans result from medical necessity or fear, rather than choice. I want to highlight the benefits of natural birth, such as the development of the baby’s gut microbiome and lung function, and I also discuss how medicalisation and societal norms have contributed to rising caesarean rates. I also want to stress the importance of informed decision-making, the impact of induction, and the need for continuity of care, advocating for personalized support through doulas and private midwives.

In this episode of the podcast I talk about:

• The misconception of” too posh to push”
• The fact that most cesareans are due to medical necessity or fear, not choice.
• The benefits of natural birth
• What has led to the rise in cesarean rates
• The importance of informed decision-making and understanding the induction process, including its risks
• The importance of continuity of care and personalised support
• How our personal empowerment can improve birth experiences

Sound bites from this episode:

“People don’t generally choose to have a cesarean section because they don’t want to do labour… it’s down to fear, it’s down to lack of education and it’s down to lack of appropriate support.”

“A baby that is born via cesarean section will always, forever have a different gut microbiome than a baby that is born vaginally.”

“Inductions are much more successful if you’ve given birth vaginally before.”

“It’s harder to get babies feeding when you’ve had a cesarean section.”