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• July 11, 2009 4:17 p.m.

  anyone to judg a mothers wishes is the one who is selfiish. A mother knows her limits and a docter would not submit if it was wrong

  - sheena

• May 21, 2009 11:09 a.m.

  i had a emergency c section almost 4 years ago due to not progressing after being induced twice in two days due to gestational diabetes at 39 weeks now i am 29 weeks and me and my doctor agree a repeat c section is in order my diabetes is not as bad as it was with my son but we are anticipating a larger baby my son was 8 lbs 8 ounces a week early so the decision was made to avoid a repeat hard labor that may stall since diabetes can stall labor many people make their own decision to have a c section and i think it should done if the doctor agrees with the patients wishes and medically needed ones shouldnt be considered in peoples choices. this time we will be going a week early once again to avoid a baby over 9 lbs but at the rate my daughter is growing i think she will already be 9 lbs by 39 weeks.

  - dmrh

• March 18, 2009 10:41 p.m.

  Is no one going to point out that the doctor should first do no harm? If there is no justification for the C section then it absolutely should not be performed and therefore elective c sections should not even exist. It should not be an elective choice, it is truly major surgery with risks. If a woman finds herself having to undergo surgery to protect herself or the baby then it is warranted but anything other seems selfish and that is no way to start out a job that requires you to be selfless.

  - Debra

• March 15, 2009 7:39 p.m.

  I think some people are missing the whole point of the article which addresses REPEAT c-sections. I had to have an emergency c-section after 48 hours of labor and my daughter going into distress. I have chosen to have a repeat c-section because of the risks associated with a vbac. No one on here has any right to judge me.

  - rebecca

• February 21, 2009 1:46 p.m.

  I agree that it is up to the mother; however, it is hard to believe that any mother would take the risk of an elective c-section before 39 weeks, especially if she's been informed of the complications. Maybe some mothers do not understand the importance of letting the baby mature in the womb, the safest place possible in most cases. I think that the care provider really needs to communicate with the mother considering early delivery and make sure she knows the risks and complications involved. I wonder why they even allow elective c-sections before 39 weeks? Why would anyone want to take the chance of having to leave the hospital without their baby because it needs to stay longer to develop to survive on it's own? I don't know why, but it seems awful selfish.

  - Jody

• February 12, 2009 12:06 a.m.

  I am a first child from a c-section and since my birth my siblings were also delivered by c-section. In total there are 5 of us. Our mother did not chose to have us by c-section but that is the way it happened. We have grown into healthy adults and adolescents and were born that way as well. My children have also had to be delivered by c-section. I see nothing wrong with it. I would never have elected to have one because I am deathly afraid of going under the knife. I do believe though that it is/should be up to the mother. If she elects to have one so be it. No one should be judged for their choices regarding their own body and child.

  - Ami K

• February 8, 2009 5:17 a.m.

  The key word is REPEAT-it has already been done previously. VBAC is vaginal birth after cesarean. The risks vs. c-section and vaginal is controversial after previous c-section. You have to consider mom and baby!

  - lucy

• February 5, 2009 11:23 a.m.

  I think its wrong to judge someone for choosing to have a c-section. If that is what the mother feels comfortable with then so be. It doesn't mean that she won't have a bond with that child or that she loves her child less than if delivery was vaginal. I think if a mothers chooses a c-section then she must have a good reason. I am sick of people treating c-section mothers like they are less than par.

  - Scrappy

• January 31, 2009 8:30 p.m.

  I think that the bigger issue over major abdominal surgery is that the baby is at risk for respiratory distress before 39 weeks. Scheduling CSections to avoid having a baby on a holiday or whatever is already on the schedule wont be worth it to a mother if she has to go home without her baby because they are in the NICU.

  - Heather

• January 31, 2009 11:31 a.m.

  My daughter is 4.5 months pregnant. Four about two weeks, she has been experiencing excruciating back pain which is localized right under her left shoulder blade. It is completely unbearable when she sits. Standing or lying down seems to help aleviate the pain. Her doctor recommended Pepsid but this has not helped at all. She is unable to sit at her desk at work. I don't think the doctor understands how severe and localized the pain is. What should she do?

  - Tess

• January 27, 2009 11:05 p.m.

  I can't imagine any benefit from choosing surgery if it is not needed, the way nature intended allows your body to do what is necessary to fall in love with your baby. I think if a mom thinks she wants an elective surgery maybe she should have to watch a full video of what it would really be like first and talk to women who have had infections and staples and nerves cut through and went on antidepressants afterwards. Besides all that, there is a hormone released to start labor once the baby's lungs are healthy enough for he/she to arrive. Surgery should be the last resort. Why would any mother choose surgery?

  - scooby

• January 27, 2009 1:43 p.m.

  Why would anyone have an elective c-section--it's major abdominal surgery with all associated potential complications. Babies should be born vaginally unless there are significant medical complications posed by such a birth. Just because a doctor will perform an elective c-section does not mean a mother should follow that path, regardless of whether the touted 39 weeks have passed.

  - sg