Kate Hudson has gone and managed to offend every women in the world who’s ever undergone a Cesarean section procedure during child birth.
Because a surgical procedure that involves slicing through a woman’s abdominal wall and uterus to deliver a baby is, according to Kate, lazy…
Filling out a body-focussed survey, published by Cosmopolitan magazine in the US, Kate, who’s mum to Ryder, 13, and six-year-old Bingham, answered the question, ”What is the laziest thing you’ve ever done?” with “Have a C-section!”
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The internet has obviously, justifiably, erupted.
One online user took to Kate’s own Instagram comments to write, “As women most of us don’t choose a C-section… I know I didn’t, and I have had both and believe me having a c section was one of the hardest things I have ever done I ended up almost dying I was very very ill and it took a long time to recover, some of us are a little too sensitive….”
Although, other uses came to Kate’s defense, labelling the comment as something possibly said with sarcasm because, really, who could joke about a C-section being as simple as laying on your back and not truly experiencing child birth.
WATCH Kate open up about her realities of being a parent. Article continues after this video…
Regardless, Kate’s comment has hit a nerve. Here, Mother & Baby editor Erin Mayo has a thing ot two to say about how “easy” her emergency C-section was…
Erin’s son was born via emergency Caesarean four years ago.
My son, who is now 4, was born via Caesarean section, and I don’t feel any less of a mother – nor should I.
After 14 hours of labour, it became apparent that my son ‘wasn’t going to fit’. Eventually the midwife said I would need an emergency Caesarean.
I’ll admit, initially I was upset, but after a few tears, common sense kicked in and I knew that it didn’t matter how my son was delivered, so long as he was delivered healthy.
After 14 hours of labour, Erin had no choice but to have a C-section.
The latest report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on Australia’s Mothers and Babies (2013) reports that 33 per cent of women giving birth in 2013 did so via a Caesarean.
This contrasts starkly with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations that the Caesarean rate should be no higher than 10 to 15 per cent.
The idea that having a Caesarean isn’t really having birth is antiquated and ill-informed. As is any notion that it’s the easy way out.
Not only did I have a newborn to look after, but there was also the added complication of recovering from major abdominal surgery.
I was unable to drive for several weeks, lift heavy objects and not to mention becoming unwell after refusing to take any pain medication post-surgery for fear it would affect my baby (ladies, don’t follow me on this one… take the pain meds!).
It certainly wasn’t the easy way out. And whether you elect to have a C-section, or have an emergency one like I did, it shouldn’t make you feel like you’re any less of a mother.
We’re all mothers – it’s just that some of us have the scars to show it.
Erin Mayo is the editor of Mother & Baby magazine, and mum to Ethan, 4 and step-mum to Joshua, 14.
