From breastfeeding to second births, author Clare Goggin, who has had two caesareans herself, explains the realities to

LISA SALMON

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MYTH: Caesarean birth is ‘birth gone wrong’

REALITY: Awareness campaigns have recently tried to increase understanding about how women’s bodies work in pregnancy and birth, and on helping birth unfold as straightforwardly as possible, says Clare.

“However, there’s also increasing recognition that there are many paths to a positive birth, and calls for greater recognition of the importance of women’s voices in decision-making.

“When a woman feels confident caesarean birth is right for her, based on her individual circumstances and/or preferences, it is absolutely birth gone right.”

MICHAEL MORPURGO is the award-winning author of War Horse, Why The Whales Came and Kensuke’s Kingdom.

Inspired by another legendary children’s author, Raymond Briggs, Morpurgo has taken Briggs’ wordless and beautifully illustrated tale, The Snowman, and filled out the narrative with elements from the film and other adaptations to form a magical Christmas story.

James is a lonely boy and longs for a friend of his own, and one December morning he wakes up to find his world transformed by snow.

The original tale was simple and magical, and this new retelling is equally touching and has soft pencil drawings that match the gentleness of Briggs’ original work.

Very festive and enchanting.

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MYTH: Caesarean births are the ‘easy way out’

REALITY: Clare says the “sexist nature” of this myth becomes clearer when thinking about what caesarean birth entails – major abdominal surgery, the kind that would ordinarily mean resting for at least six weeks.

“When I speak to women who’ve given birth by caesarean, they consistently tell me this is the most frustrating and hurtful myth about caesarean birth.

“It implies birth should be difficult, and that there’s some moral benefit to women suffering as they bring new lives into the world,” says Clare.

“We don’t tend to call other forms of surgery ‘easy’. In reality, caesarean birth is different for everyone – some recover quickly and feel grateful to give birth this way, and others find recovery much harder and can struggle with ambivalent or negative emotions about their births.” Clare Goggin

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MYTH: Writing a caesarean birth plan is pointless

REALITY: Caesarean birth is a surgical procedure, so many women assume there’s little they can do to personalise their experience, explains Clare.

“Caesarean birth has been more often associated with cold, clinical surgical practices than with life-affirming rites of passage,” she says. “But in reality, there are many possibilities you might wish to discuss with your caregiver.”

These might include asking your caregivers to lower the surgical drape so you can watch your baby emerge, or asking your birth partner to video or photograph the baby being born. You might choose music to be played in theatre, request the lights are dimmed as the baby’s born, and/or ask to hold the baby as soon as possible.

“Many women I speak to say