Emily Andrea hits back at critics of C-sections: ‘It’s the mother’s choice’

Emily Andrea has hit back at the online criticism of C-sections after presenter Rochelle Humes opened up about the negative comments she received after having a caesarean.

Writing exclusively in her weekly OK! Magazine column, the NHS doctor says that having a C-section is a "mother's choice" and not something they should be "judged" for or "stigmatised" against for opting for. The 32 year old also opens up on her very exciting new venture – her very first book! Read Emily's full column below…

Are you an OK! VIP ? If not, why not? It’s free and gives you backstage access to stories like this, exclusive home tours, special discounts and so much more! All you need to do is pop your email address below! P.s. if you’re already seeing this article in full, congrats – you’re already on our guest list!

WRITING A BOOK HAS BEEN A LIFELONG DREAM OF MINE

I’m so excited to reveal the cover of my very first book, Growing Up for Girls: Everything You Need Know, which will be out in January.

Being such a bookworm, it’s always been a lifelong dream of mine to release a book, and it’s something I never thought I’d actually achieve, so I feel very lucky.

The aim of the book is to try and break down stigmas around puberty by teaching girls all about the journey from child to adult.

When I was a teenage girl myself many moons ago, I was lucky that with both my parents being my doctors, they were able to answer questions and didn’t find it too awkward.

However, some children may not feel able to ask those more embarrassing questions, so the book is there to reassure them they aren’t alone.

I really tried to emphasise how we should accept everyone as we’re all different shapes and sizes, and to not feel embarrassed about things like body hair or acne.

I enjoyed writing it so much because it was a real chance to reflect on my own experiences growing up and how they’ve shaped me as an adult.

I didn’t ask any of the kids about topics for the book, but I will definitely say being an older sister to four brothers – and being a mum and stepmum – has helped me to write it.

I’ve drawn from the conversations I’ve had, for example the things that teenagers can worry about, as well as my personal experiences as a teenage girl and as a doctor.

We’ve also made it fun and relatable with illustrations so girls can see there’s no ”normal”, which is so important.

It’s a very exciting time and I can’t wait to start writing the boys’ version of the book!

C-SECTION BACKLASH

Rochelle Humes recently opened up about the backlash she received for having a caesarean.

She said, “I thought I was going to have a natural birth. It didn’t happen that way, but I was OK with that. What I wasn’t ready for was the negative connotations that come with having a C-section.

"I’ve been in situations before where people have said, ‘Oh, are you too posh to push?’ I felt really offended. Almost like I’d failed, like I couldn’t do it properly.”

I’m quite surprised to hear that people are saying that in this day and age, as one in four women now have a C-section and it’s not something that should be stigmatised against.

Thankfully, the negativity is not something I’ve experienced, but simple things like the language we use can make a difference – for example, some women find terminology like “natural” or “normal” delivery difficult as it suggests anything other than a vaginal delivery isn’t normal.

Some women choose to have a C-section, while for others, like me, there are medical reasons why a caesarean is the best option.

With Theo, he was breech, and a C-section was the safest option.

At the end of the day, whether it’s the mother’s choice or not, it’s something to be decided between her and her medical team, and not something anyone should be judged for.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!

EXCLUSIVE TO OK! VIP CLUB

It’s Theo’s fifth birthday this week and he’s been so excited for it.

For weeks now he’s been asking, “How many sleeps until my birthday?” And once his birthday is over he’ll be asking about Christmas.

I saw that Rylan Clark asked his followers not to judge him after he put up the first of his six Christmas trees last week, but I don’t blame him.

Never miss a celebrity exclusive again!

Become an OK! VIP and get all of our exclusive interviews, videos and stunning photo shoots sent straight to your inbox every week!

You'll receive an email with stories exclusive only for OK! VIP members, including celebrity house tours, baby reveals, wedding snaps and so much more!

What are you waiting for? Sign up here

As soon as Theo’s birthday is over it will be Christmastime in our house, too.

Although we don’t quite have the excitement of six trees as we only have two, we’re definitely going to go for it with the decorations.

Why not? I think we all deserve a good Christmas after everything we’ve been through with the pandemic.

For the latest on the Andre family sign up for OK!'s daily newsletter here.

Source: Read Full Article