Top Ten Signs Your Doctor Is Planning To Perform an Unnecessary Cesarean Section on You

1. Arrives to L&D immediately after office hours and says, “I just don’t think this baby is going to fit.”

2. Third Trimester, Routine Office Visit, “I think this is going to be a big baby. You should just have a C/S”– Did you know?  ACOG has very specific guidelines for when it is appropriate to offer a patient an elective C/S for MACROSOMIA (fancy word for large baby).  ‘Prophylactic (elective) cesarean delivery may be considered for suspected fetal macrosomia with estimated fetal weights greater than 5,000 gms (11 pounds) in women without diabetes and greater than 4,500 gms (9.9 pounds) in women with diabetes.

3. “We should induce at 39 weeks because your baby is getting too big” – Did you know that, according to ACOG:

‘Induction of labor at least doubles the risk of cesarean delivery without reducing shoulder dystocia (rare situation where baby’s shoulder can get stuck at delivery) or newborn morbidity(complications).  Suspected fetal macrosomia is not an indication for induction of labor, because induction does not improve maternal or fetal outcomes.’

4. Performs routine ultrasounds at end of pregnancy to see how big your baby is. Did you know that ultrasounds at the end of the pregnancy can be 1-2 pounds off?  Ask some VBAC patients who were talked into a C/S for this, then had a vaginal delivery of a bigger baby the next time.

5. “You have a positive herpes titer (or history of herpes); the baby will get it if you deliver vaginally.” Try some Valtrex for the last month of the pregnancy that is pretty much standard of care now.  It prevents outbreaks and allows for a normal vaginal delivery.

6. “Your baby is breech. You need to have a C/S” Ever heard of or performed an External Cephalic Version (process by which a breech baby is turned to the proper position)?  It really does work.

7. “You have pushed for 2 hours” (with an epidural that prevents you from feeling anything so you are probably not pushing effectively; this is evident on exam because the baby’s head is still perfectly round, but you do not need to know that) “It’s just not going to come out”

8. “I scheduled you for an induction at 39 weeks. It is just soooo… much more convenient for you!” (and so much higher risk of ending in a C/S, especially if you are not dilated when you start the induction).  At least 80% of my VBAC patients were induced the previous pregnancy.  For whose convenience was the induction?

9. First Visit (7 weeks), “Congratulations you are having twins.  I will go ahead and schedule your C/S at 38 weeks, but don’t worry if you go in to labor early I will cut you right away!” Translation, “I am scared out of my mind for you to deliver your babies vaginally because I am not trained on what to do when the second baby is coming, plus it pays more to cut you open.  Oh yeah, I don’t have that great a rapport with you because I only spend 2 minutes (fundal height, heart beat and ‘I’ll see you next time’) with you each visit, so I am afraid I will be sued for trying to do the right thing.”

10. First Pelvic Exam in Office (7 weeks), “Hmm, your pelvis is pretty narrow”.

Bonus Tip:

11. 38-week visit, “Your blood pressure is a little high today. You are probably developing preeclampsia or toxemia.  That can cause you to have a SEIZURE!  The treatment is to deliver the baby.  You need a Cesarean Section, as this is the quickest way to resolve it.  Let’s get you up to L&D NOW!” Translation – Preeclampsia or Pregnancy Induced High Blood Pressure is a pain in the butt.  If I induce you, it could take 24 hours or more and then I would have to manage your blood pressure, and put you on Magnesium.  This is way too inconvenient.  Do not worry you can try to have the baby vaginally next time.  Yeah right!

Well, I hope you future moms find use for these tidbits of info.  If anyone wants to add anything, please feel free.  Your experience may help other women in the future. Remember, there are only a few emergent reasons for a C/S such as fetal distress, unexplained heavy vaginal bleeding, etc.  It is okay to ask your doctor questions.  We are not supposed to bite.

Jonathan Weinstein, MD, FACOG

Obstetrician/Gynecologist

Husband to a Labor and Delivery Nurse with 27-years’ experience

Father to two beautiful children, Zoe and Ashton

“No one likes a bully” they are aggressive jerks!  Bullies are found everywhere!  Bullies are defined as people who use intimidation and sarcasm to “get their way” and “in their minds” they somehow believe they have the authority to demean anther person.  Bullies are self-governed by their narcissistic motivation to elevate themselves.  Bullies actually get satisfaction when they belittle another individual.  The bully will do anything and everything they can verbally to tear down another person. They do this by laughing at them, not listening, interrupting and even “telling them off”.  Bullies thrive on being right and letting everyone know it!

Everyday while working with women,  I listen to stories from clients  about how they believe they failed at birth.  I hear words like ” failure, wimp, didn’t try, “they made me get an epidural”, and “not a ‘real’ natural birth”.  They will tell their “birth story” and over and  the common thread of defeat is ” I feel like a failures” because they did not experience birth like their friends, co-worker, and family.  Women will talk of a so called “friend having a painless easy birth” and question why they could have them same, they must have failed.  The feelings of failure arise from conversations whereas women challenge each other on their birth options and outcomes.  Often, one can hear the conversations “well I had my baby at__________, why would you ever think of anything else? If you go to that facility  ____________they will _______, and _________, or ________.”

Sometimes one can hear ” that can’t be safe”……. or ”you’re crazy to consider that”

Just fill in the blanks, it can be fun.  No matter where you are the birth bullies try to make their personal opinion and outcome the one that is best for others.  It can be such a strong influence that one can feel reject and like a failure if they don’t even try what the bully suggests.  Bullies often use fear to make to coercive their opinion.  They will attempt scare you into believing that options are not options by using the biggest scare tactic of all, “they will take your baby”.

My philosophy is that all babies are born.  Think about it -they are born.  Very few are born in a “blissful breathing baby out with harmonious singing and happiness and no pain.”  This is not the norm, and it definitely doesn’t happen often.   Believe it or not, in our world today, over 90% of all  babies are born as “natural .”    The birth itself  is also one of the most powerful athletic events of all times!  This event surpass all team sports,  olympics,  gold medals and trophies.  This event uses an entire body to rhythmically and gently move a living being out of another. Yes, there is pain, exhaustion, physical, mental and emotional work and most importantly there is great reward.  Birth requires training, health, and strength, it is not for wimps, failures, and cowards. Even bullies can give birth!

Every athlete in our world endures pain, training, exhaustion and reward.  Athletes need encouragement, coaches, trainers and the cheering audience, not bullies.   GOD’s plan was for women to be the champions.  He chose women because they are strong, wise, fearless and able to complete the task.  Each women who desires and is chosen to given birth will win and receive the prize!  It is a miraculous event that can happen.  BIRTH IS FOR CHAMPIONS -NO BULLIES ALLOWED.

The bible describes the evilness of the tongue in Psalms 52, reading the the tongue is deceitful, devises destruction like a two edgedsword.   Reading these scriptures one can understand how words can be so painful that the cut to the heart of an individual. Our words to one another are very strong, and can either uplift or tear one down.  I am challenging myself and you to champion positive influencing words to empower women in having an INCREDIBLE BIRTH DAY!

New Birth Company invites all families to partner with us in the promotion of prenatal care across the globe! Our goal is to provide as many vitamins as we can to pregnant mothers and their children. We will be starting in two specific areas initially, the island of Trinidad in Caribbean Islands & Tanzania Africa. We will be working with Dr. John Powell in Trinidad & Pastor Daniel Ouma in Tanzania to promote prenatal care.
Our newly formed 501C-3 non-profit at New Birth Company is called Les Amis de Naissance. Les Amis de Naissance will procure the vitamins, through donations and prepare them to be freely given to mothers. Les Amis de Naissance, I will abbreviate as LAN, is collecting vitamins now for a team leaving for Tanzania December 9th.
Les Amis de Naissance is French for “friends of birth”. Our mission with Les Amis de Naissance (LAN) is to promote safe and natural childbirth. The friends of birth, LAN, will function in the following manner:
1. Promote safe and natural birth through advocacy. Serving as an incubator to arouse awareness of safety, standards and education of natural childbirth in our local community and throughout the world.
2. Using World Health Organization millennial goals to promote and aid in safe birth for women globally.
3. Fund raising for the promotion and awareness of birth globally and to procure needed supplies and medications for birth attendants in developing countries.
4. Provide funding to enhance education, standards and birth equality globally.
All of us can be friends of birth and promote safe birth and healthy babies globally. Our current project is to collect vitamins to give out to women who are pregnant. Ideally, the best vitamins are children’s chewable vitamins simply because mothers will often share their vitamins with their children. Prenatal vitamins are too strong for a child to ingest therefore we can safely offer children’s vitamins and supplement with folic acid.
If you would like to donate vitamins, you can bring them over the New Birth Company in Overland Park. Follow on the blog to see how they will benefit women and their babies!

Saving Money for Kansas moms is one objective at New Birth Company.  ACTUALLY saving YOU money, no matter where you live!

Over the last several months, we have actively been pursuing our elected officials to help them understand how we can save Kansans and Missourians money!  We are talking for you!  Yes choosing a birth center saves you A LOT of precious dollars.  Often, we, as consumers, just trust our insurance “to cover” the expenses of health care including the birth of our babies.  The pendulum has shifted and now we can not really trust that expenses are covered.  We are “surprised” by the bill in the mail requiring thousands of dollars including what you must pay.  Many insurance require you  to pay a percentage of that bill.  IF your bill is $12,500 (average normal birth cost in KC area hospitals) and you have to pay 20-30% you are paying out of pocket between $2500-$3750.  WOW, that is more than the costs of the birth center facility fee itself!

LOOK At your OPTIONS closely—Birth Centers SAVE YOU MONEY and are a safe excellent choice.  Below I am including some talking points for you to consider using when talking to your employer, or insurance broker about saving money and choosing birth centers!

Did you know that approximately 1 percent of births in the United States take place in non-hospital settings. Of such births, in 2008, only 28 percent occurred in birth centers and 65 percent were home births. Hospitals remain the setting of delivery for 99 percent of all births despite the following findings:

(A)      Multiple studies have demonstrated that for women who meet criteria to be considered at low risk for obstetrical complications, labor and delivery at a birth center can result in higher patient satisfaction and equivalent or better outcomes than in-hospital birth.

(B)      Studies have consistently found that for low-risk mothers, planned home birth had the same outcomes as hospital births for similar risk women, but with fewer costly and often preventable interventions.

(C)      In a nationwide comparison of birth center costs to hospital costs, it is  that if 100,000 births were attended in birth centers, access to care would be greatly improved, and annual savings would total more than $314,000,000. 

The growing shortage of maternity health care professionals and childbirth facilities is creating a serious obstacle to timely and adequate maternity health care for women, particularly in rural areas and the inner cities.

The two most common conditions paid for by Medicaid in 2007 were pregnancy and childbirth (28%) and newborns (26%), which together accounted for 53% of hospital discharges billed to Medicaid.  The two most costly conditions billed to Medicaid in 2008 were ‘mother’s pregnancy and delivery’ and  care for ‘newborn infants, which together accounted for 26% of all Medicaid expenditures .  Furthermore, did you know that Maternity care facility charges vary significantly by setting and type of birth –

(A)      In 2008, the average charge for a hospital cesarean birth with complications was $20,080, and without complications was $14,900;

(B)      In 2008, the average charge for a hospital vaginal birth with complications was $11,410, and without complications was $8,920; and

(C)      in 2010, the average charge for a birth center vaginal birth was $2,277.

Our recommendations and solutions are specific to reducing the 600M spent annually on Children, Families & Pregnant Women are:

• Encourage prenatal care to begin with Midwives
• Encourage Birth to occur in one of the licensed birth centers within the state of Kansas.
• Encourage Birth Attendants to reduce inductions and allow women to carry their babies to the actual due date.
• Encourage physicians to collaborate with Certified Nurse Midwives so Kansas can increase the  provider workforce in the inner city and rural health care shortage areas.
• Consider encouraging more birth centers to develop and operate within the state of Kansas
• Consider working with Private insurance brokers are decreasing malpractice premiums to providers who accept Medicaid clients.

I understand why ancient cultures would advise pregnant women to only view objects of beauty and think pleasant thoughts.  You know that feeling when you are pregnant and all the worries of the world are not on your shoulders but land in your womb inspiring a round of braxton hicks contractions?  Thinking about the debt, feeling the heat, making a living in this economy, and that’s on top of mommy’s heartburn, hemorrhoids and minimal requirement of 7 strategically placed pillows if I have a chance of sleeping.  (Let’s help her out daddies, friends and family !)

When it comes to really big problems, I think it is easy for us to either pass them off as “too big” or to engage in the non-productive squawking that drive up ratings on TV.  What can I, one pregnant woman  in a country of millions do to impact something as hard to get our arms around as the deficit and the debt?  Very simply, you can give birth.  You are a healthy woman capable of giving birth outside the hospital….because you aren’t sick !  Our country is faced with some really hard choices…and I hope there are enough resources to care for the sick and frail.  Kudos to our New Birth Company moms for choosing out of hospital birth and doing your part to reduce the cost of healthcare in America.  Thank you !

We are thrilled and honored to have Justine Flory join our New Birth Company family. She is a certified nurse midwife, a wife and a mom. We are anxious for you to meet her.

‘My dream is for every woman to own the power of birth and wellness.  I feel this can best be achieved through education, support, and an open dialogue between a woman and her healthcare team.  I believe the energy of a woman empowered by her birth and wellness experience is incredibly perceptible and greatly impacts how she interacts with her family and community.  My hope as I walk this path is that I will always be awed by the magic and mystery of childbirth and be forever gratified by the opportunity to support women on their journey to believing that they too are strong and powerful.’

BSN from Washburn University in 2006, MS in Nurse Midwifery KU 2011

Experience in NICU, peds, labor, and postpartum nursing AND personal experience giving birth to my son in a KS birth center which I might add was the first out of hospital birth for my family in 4 generations.  Want to re-learn Spanish . Love to spend time with my large extended family, be outdoors, cook, travel, and read.

We only have a few birth days!  Our bodies are born as girls and mature into women with the ability to give birth.  We only give birth a few times in our lives.  Therefore, we need to focus on birth as a unique, valued time in a woman’s live where we celebrate the miracle and blessing of birth. A BIRTH day is a day of life, celebration and family!

Choosing the best setting for your birth day is very important.  Due to incredible marketing, hospitals rank as the number one birth option for women and their families to use to give birth.  Out of hospital births are not as common but on a rapid rise, they are like on of our best kept secrets.  There are a myriad of reasons  one might  choose an out of hospital birth as opposed to a hospital birth.  Primarily men and women are now leaning towards more affordable birth options while reducing the risks to mothers and babies.

Sadly the number on risk to a woman in labor is surgical intervention.  Failed induction, adverse response to induction and fear are the number one reasons that surgical births are occurring.   Surgical births is also very expensive and increases the risks for women and their babies after delivery with infection, respiratory illness, blood clots, prolonged hospitalization, undue pain etc., etc. etc.

CHOOSING THE BEST SETTING FOR YOU IS VERY IMPORTANT.  ONE OF THE

BIGGEST DETERRENTS TO MAKING YOUR CHOICE MAY BE YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.

Lets talk a little about how you can choose your birth setting.

• Check out your options, visit local birth centers, take a tour, ask them how they handle safety.
• Talk to the midwives, ask about their philosophy of birth, how they handle emergencies, when are they present for you birth.
• Talk to the doctors, ask about their philosophy of birth, how they handle emergencies, when are they present for your birth.
• ASK EVERYONE ABOUT COSTS.  Remember the costs of the hospital are called facility fees, asked about other fees too!  Like the costs of the pediatrician, the medicines, the doctor or midwife, the room, anesthesia, there are a lot of “hidden costs” get it all in writing.

1. Did you know that the “average” cost for a natural vaginal birth in the hospital here in Kansas City is $12,500.00.
2. Did you know that the “average” cost for a natural vaginal birth at a birth center in the Kansas City area is $4500…and this cost INCLUDES the fee for your midwife, your baby, any medications used during birth or immediately after birth, all NB screening, aromatherapy, nutrition, water birth, staff, and much more.
3. Did you know that birth center staff must be certified like hospital staff in Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and Neonatal resuscitation?
4. Did you know that birth centers have available medications for you if you need an IV, treatment for infection such as GBS, treatment for hemorrhage and many other concerns of  delivery?
5. Did you know that our states both Kansas and Missouri license free standing birth centers (and I am talking about those who are NOT part of a hospital)?
6. Did you know that government based health care insurance plans credential birth centers.  In other words reimburse them for services they offer?
7. Did you know that birth centers do work with hospitals and OB/GYNs if you need more help getting your baby born or need to transfer your care?  They are prepared in emergencies and are ready if and when one may happen.

So, if you are considering choosing an out of hospital birth setting, and your insurance company is telling you to “pick a hospital”, let them know the 7 statements I wrote above.    You are the consumer of the insurance plan you carry—ask them to consider saving MORE money by adding  a birth center to their listing of birth options.  They will save money and you will have an incredible birth day!

Let me know your thoughts!  There is SO much to talk about and I have just touched the tip of a BIG ICEBERG here!

Ciao!

Welcome to the family, Justine Flory!! Justine lives in Lawrence, Ks., has a great and supportive husband and an adorable little boy. Of course he was born in warm and loving birthing center. Justine received her midwifery education from the University of Kansas. We are eager for you to meet her.

Nurse Midwife

Kelly Fritz, Certified Nurse Midwife starts working officially at New Birth Company today!!!

Keely believes in  “Keeping birth normal and empowering women in their birth experiences”.

She also says that women’s health care is best served in a wellness oriented setting, and appreciate the value of the educational opportunities that we have with each client encounter.  When we educate women about their health, we can impact their health, the health of their families, and ultimately the health of our communities.

She is an ARNP-Nurse Midwife and ARNP- Clinical Nurse Specialist in Women’s Health and Community Health with 25 years of experience in nursing, related to mothers and babies, and 8 years of experience as a Nurse-midwife specializing in all areas of Women’s Health (family planning, STI testing/treatment, women’s health, preconceptual, prenatal/intrapartum and postpartum care).  Her work experience has been in a variety of locations, including a regional medical center, community hospital, county health department, freestanding birth center, midtown clinic, and private office.  I speak Spanish, and enjoy working with and learning about women from different cultural groups.

Kelly loves to spend time with my family (hubby & daughters), travel, be outdoors, read and learn.

Welcome Kelly -we are glad you are here.  To schedule an appointment with Kelly, go ahead and give us a call at 913-735-4888.