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There’s no shame in having a C-section — even if you choose to have one

No two birth stories are alike. Some moms give birth at home while others go to the hospital. Different moms may opt for epidurals, water births, hypno-birthing or midwives. But the one thing every mom deserves is to have her choices respected. That’s why many moms are applauding comedian Amy Schumer for a recent Instagram post where she got unapologetically real about why she had an elective Caesarean birth (C-section).

In a post on Instagram Stories, Schumer shared a photo of a medical form that asked questions about the recent birth of her son, Gene, who was delivered on May 5. On the form, Schumer wrote that she gave birth to Gene via C-section. The form then asked her to explain why she had a C-section, and she wrote, simply, “My choice.”

Schumer has been vocal about her difficult pregnancy and her journey as a new mom. In June, she was praised by moms for sharing an unedited photo of her C-section scar. She also drew praise for bringing attention to hyperemesis gravidarum after she shared a video of herself throwing up during her pregnancy. Her declaration that her C-section was her choice has moms cheering once again because of her honesty and her refusal to entertain any doubt or shame about her choices. 

“I understand why they ask the question, but I’m so happy she felt brave enough to be honest,” one person writes in a discussion about Schumer’s photo on the Scary Mommy Facebook page.

Another adds, “I had 2 c-sections and it was also my choice. I don̵7;t think that you need a reason to choose the way you want to deliver your baby.”

About 31% of babies born in the U.S. are born via C-section, according to 2018 data obtained by the Centers For Disease Control (CDC). Yet many people still see C-section as a less “legitimate” way to give birth. Moms who give birth by C-section are often accused of taking the “easy” way out or of not doing what’s best for their babies. 

In the discussion on Scary Mommy’s Facebook page, one woman writes, “I will absolutely judge you for elective c-section with no medical reason. It’s selfish. That being said, it’s your body and your baby and your right to do whatever you want.”

Another commenter writes, “I’ve had both and I have no idea why anyone would CHOOSE a C-section. Babies don’t come out there for a reason. That should be for unavoidable intervention only.”

These types of comments are the reason Schumer’s photo of her medical form struck such a chord with moms. While there are certainly medical reasons why someone might need to have a C-section, it’s important to remember that C-sections aren’t a “last resort” in every mom’s mind, and that a woman’s choice to have a C-section doesn’t make her birth less acceptable or less valid.

Negative attitudes about C-sections may stem, in part, from a growing concern in the medical community that C-sections are being performed too often. In 2018, a report published in the medical journal the Lancet showed that global C-section rates have tripled — jumping from 6% of births to 19% of births — since 1990. Researchers called the increase “alarming,” and they theorized that the rise could be due to an increase in unnecessary C-sections. They also noted that C-sections are associated with risks to moms and babies, including the possibility of urological complications, bleeding, infection and respiratory problems.

But concern about the C-section rate doesn̵7;t mean that moms should start shaming each other, or telling women like Schumer that they don’t have the right to make choices about their own bodies. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, maternal requested Caesareans only account for about 2.5% of births in the U.S. And while they note that doctors should advise moms to have a vaginal delivery when possible, they also advise doctors to follow the mom’s request when the patient is healthy enough to undergo a C-section and is making an informed decision.

Mom-shaming is real, and people can be so quick to criticize moms for everything from feeding with bottles and formula to how they gave birth and what kind of diapers and car seats they use. With her bold Instagram post, Schumer is not advocating for more people to have C-sections or saying that everyone needs to give birth the way she did. She is simply making it clear that she stands by her choices, and she’s giving a voice to other C-section moms who refuse to see their babies’ births as something they need to explain or make excuses for.

It’s a refreshing perspective that many moms are more than happy to see. As one woman on the Scary Mommy Facebook page writes, “At the end of the day, a baby was born. Why does it matter how? Why do we continually argue over this stuff? We women should recognize by now that being judgmental about birthing choices is detrimental to us all. No one is going to have your baby for you. [It’s] your choice.”