Today marks the beginning of Cesarean Awareness Month.  Over the next 30 days, let’s all take a moment to raise awareness of the cesarean epidemic, increase education about normal birth, and advocate for women’s reproductive rights.

April is sure to be filled with cesarean and VBACtivism all over the world.  To start, the International Cesarean Awareness Network is hosting a radio show highlighting Mother’s Stories TODAY at 2 pm Eastern Time.  If you are a Cesarean mom, a VBAC mom, or a CBAC mom, please call into the show to share your story.  The ICAN blog will also be posting a new birth story every day of the month of April.

New for this year, you can now add a Cesarean Awareness Ribbon to your Twitter or Facebook profile picture using this handy Twibbon (like I have here)!  Please – add the Twibbon, tell your friends, and help spread the Cesarean Awareness message.

Also, grab the Cesarean Awareness Month button for your blog, website, or avatar over there in the right sidebar, or listed at the bottom of this post.

You can also tune into The Feminist Breeder & Friends Radio Show this Sunday night at 10 pm CENTRAL time while I kick off Cesarean Awareness Month with special guest, Danielle Elwood, who’ll be giving us the details of the Post-Cesarean Feelings Survey.

For other ways you can get involved, ICAN gives us “How to Be an Advocate for Women”

Search ICAN’s Hospital VBAC Policy Database to find out if your local hospital bans VBACs or not.

Does your local hospital have a VBAC ban in place?  Please contact ICAN with a short description of your situation and any specifics about the situation.

Write your elected officials. We provide template letters for your use and links for you to easily contact your specific legislators, as well as recommendations for who to write about Health issues.

Ready to start reversing VBAC bans?  Read 50 Ways to Protest a VBAC Denial and contact Barbara Stratton, ICAN’s VBAC Ban Chair.

Unhappy with how you were treated while in the hospital?  You might think you have no options but you do.  Read ICAN’s primer on how to file complaints about your maternity care.

Have you lost or been refused medical insurance because of a previous cesarean?  Please contact your state insurance commissioner to file a complaint and if you are willing to speak to the media, contact the ICAN Advocacy Director.

For advocacy assistance, contact Gretchen Humphries, ICAN Advocacy Director.

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