Nashville Cesarean Rate By Hospital - Data Current as of November 2019. 
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• Vanderbilt University -  28.9% (up 0.5%)
• St. Thomas Midtown -  25.7% (down 0.5%)
• TriStar Centennial - 37.9% (up 4.2%)
• Williamson Medical Center - 25.1% (down 1.8%)
• TriStar Hendersonville - 32.6% (down 2.2%)
• TriStar Summit -  37.2% (down 4.6%)
• St. Thomas Rutherford - 22.0% (down 5.8%)

Please note: The information on this site is derived from hospitals’ voluntary submissions of The Leapfrog Hospital Survey. For more survey results, visit: http://www.leapfroggroup.org/compare-hospitals

Click here to see our 2018 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic.
Click here to see our 2017 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic.
Click here to see our 2016 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic. 
Click here to see our 2015 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic. 

This is my 5th year to compile these figures into an infographic. We still have 4 big hospitals with rates under 30%. St. Thomas Rutherford has a rate of 22%, which is the lowest I've ever seen in Nashville in the last decade. It's interesting to note that the St. Thomas Hospital group has consistently had numbers below 30%, while the TriStar group has some of the highest rates in Middle TN. In fact, Centennial has shown a large increase 2 years in a row (combined jump of 7.6%). They were once as low as 30% in 2017.

I do know that Centennial hired a new Chief Operating Officer at the beginning of 2019 who is also a Certified Nurse Midwife and she has been working extremely hard to make positive change. It's honestly been exciting to watch her jump into this role and I will be eager to see the impact she has over the next year. 

One of the biggest factors in preventing a C-Section is to have a doula. Research shows that using a doula for your labor & delivery can lower your risk of a Cesarean birth by as much as 39%. Taking a comprehensive childbirth education class can also lower your risk for a C-Section. Please contact us if you are interested in hiring a doula or need a childbirth preparation class. 

Feel free to share this infographic with credit given to this link. 
​http://www.nurturingyounaturally.com/blog/2019-nashville-c-section-rate-by-hospital

Nashville Cesarean Rate By Hospital - Data Current as of October 2018 and compared to July 2017. 
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• Vanderbilt University -  28.4% (down 0.1%)
• St. Thomas Midtown -  26.2% (down 2.0%)
• TriStar Centennial - 33.7% (up 3.4%)
• Williamson Medical Center - 26.9% (up 0.2%)
• TriStar Hendersonville - 34.8% (up 0.6%)
• TriStar Summit -  37.2% (up 9.4%)
• St. Thomas Rutherford - 27.8% (up 0.4%)

Please note: The information on this site is derived from hospitals’ voluntary submissions of The Leapfrog Hospital Survey. For more survey results, visit: http://www.leapfroggroup.org/compare-hospitals

Click here to see our 2017 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic.
Click here to see our 2016 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic. 
Click here to see our 2015 Nashville Cesarean Rate Infographic. 

This is my 4th year to compile these figures into an infographic. Last year we saw big progress in the numbers and I was encouraged. I'm still encouraged that we have 4 big hospitals with rates under 30%. Overall, these hospitals held their numbers steady over last year. However, I do have a huge concern for Summit Hospital, which jumped almost 10% in a single year. Combined with their 5% increase from 2016 to 2017, their C-section rates have risen 15% in the last 2 years. They also now have the highest Cesarean rate in the area. 

One of the biggest factors in preventing a C-Section is to have a doula. Research shows that using a doula for your labor & delivery can lower your risk of a Cesarean birth by as much as 39%. Taking a comprehensive childbirth education class can also lower your risk for a C-Section. Please contact us if you are interested in hiring a doula or need a childbirth preparation class. 

Feel free to share this infographic with credit given to this link. 
​http://www.nurturingyounaturally.com/blog/2018-nashville-c-section-rate-by-hospital

On a personal note, these numbers are really exciting to me! The main hospitals that my clients deliver at have gotten their Cesarean rates under 30%. A couple of these hospitals have had a reduction in rates 2 years in a row! My hope is that these numbers will continue to fall. 

I truly believe these lower rates are a direct result of parents advocating for evidence-based care. When patients demand better care, the system has no choice but to improve. Many moms have switched birth locations or even care providers to get the care they deserve. Others have had tough but necessary conversations with their providers or hospital staff to advocate for their needs. This is huge! I'm also thankful for the amazing community of birth professionals we have in Nashville. We work to educate ourselves, our clients, and healthcare providers.  

It's been fascinating to see how the Nashville Birth Culture has improved over the last decade.

​Keep up the strong work, everyone! 

UPDATED: April 2020

I was privileged to teach at Nashville's 3rd annual Empower Your Birth Conference. Here's a quick recap from the class I taught on Cesarean Recovery tips. 

Did you know that C-Sections are the most commonly performed surgical procedure in America? It's true. One in three women will experience a surgical delivery. This routine procedure is not without risks. Because it has become so commonplace, the recovery experience is often swept under the rug. If you had any other major abdominal surgery, you would be sent home with strict instructions on how to rest and recover.  With a C-Section, you are sent home with a tiny human to nourish and care for instead. These tips in 5 different areas can help you heal faster. 

NEW! You can now download the complete list of 22 tips with detailed information, video links, shopping list and more!  Best of all, it's FREE!

*affiliate links included

The most recent data still shows that one in three women in the United States will undergo a Cesarean delivery but a C-section carries its own risks and possible complications in future pregnancies. However, there are steps you can take to improve your chances of avoiding a surgical delivery. Let's look at 5 ways you can be proactive in avoiding a Cesarean. 

I'm guest blogging over at Empower Your Birth today. Click here to view the rest of the post. 

Good news! The Nashville area Empower Your Birth conference is back for 2016! This year's event will be held on Saturday, March 12th so mark your calendar! 

The conference schedule is already up and I'm so excited about the agenda. The morning is filled with classes to help you navigate  pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. The afternoon is full of interactive classes including henna, massage, birth art, meditation circles, and more. There are workshops just for dads too! 

EYB does a wonderful job of presenting a variety of information for mamas birthing in Middle Tennessee no matter what type of birth you are planning.  In fact, this year there is an entire track of courses dedicated to Cesarean Moms. 

This event is So. Much. Fun.  For starters, they give away a TON of door prizes. Like, thousands of dollars worth of baby gear! There's also a vendor hall where you can check out amazing items and meet local birth professionals. They will have food trucks available for lunch and you can stick around in the evening for a screening of More Business of Being Born. If you haven't seen this film yet, I'm telling ya, it's fantastic! 

I hope to see you on March 12th for this premiere event. You can learn more about the conference by visiting their website or Facebook page. 

Nashville Cesarean Rate By Hospital - Data Current as of September 2015. 
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Vanderbilt University - 30%
St. Thomas Midtown - 34%
TriStar Centennial - 36%
Williamson Medical Center - 24%
TriStar Hendersonville - 37%
TriStar Summit - 31%
St. Thomas Rutherford - 32%

SOURCE: ​www.leapfroggroup.org/patients/c-section

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