As I sit here 40+2 pregnant, I am anxious, to say the least, to meet my little guy. And earlier this morning I was on a pregnancy forum, and many women who were my same pregnant (give or take a day) were all talking about how they were going to get induced within the next few days. This made me think about how Charles and I are choosing to have our birthing experience and how vastly different it will be compared to many women.
First of all, we are having our baby at a
birthing center, (a center staffed by midwives certified in birthing) and unless something goes wrong, there will be no doctors or drugs. Those two facts alone make most American women freak out. But as my very good friend says, "Giving birth is a natural bodily function for women, and doesn't need a doctor. Do you go to the doctor when you have to take a poop?"
Our bodies, women, are designed by the creator to give birth to babies, we do not need doctor interference, and we especially do not need drug interference. There are SO many side effects that are never taken into consideration with Pictocin and the Epidural (two of the most common drugs given to women) and instead of these given to women as an exception, they are the norm. If you go into a hospital and say "I don't want any drugs", its difficult to get support, they will keep coming back asking and asking, until (a lot of the time) in a moment of weakness, you give in. Its so frustrating to me.
Another thing that gets my blood boiling is the medical interference of Cesarean's. I believe that C-sections are a wonderful invention, when needed. They have saved many babies and mamas lives. I am all for that. That being said, they are being used way to often. The U.S has a rate of
31.5% (as of 2004), an all time high. For a very long time the World Health Organization (WHO) had said that the optimum rate for C-sections was 5-10%, this has recently been changed.
Now here is where I choose to be very much a conspiracy theorist. I truly believe this is because doctors in America are lazy. There was this graph that I saw once (and I cannot find it now for the life of me) that showed that C-sections go through the roof after 5PM and Friday afternoon. This tells me that the doctors hate no being able to control birth, they want to go home for the day/weekend, and a c-section can be done in minutes as compared to a vaginal birth which can sometimes take 20-30+ hours. Now, let me restate that I know this is not all inclusive, and that not all doctors are out to cut me. But I think the rising rates in C-sections is just plain alarming. (And little side note: You can have a baby vaginally after a C-section, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.)
And another thing, if women were allowed to get up and move around during labor, instead of trapped on the bed, giving birth in the most convenience position for doctor, but awful for mama and baby, I completely believe that labors would be much easier for all involved. But because of "liability" or blah blah blah, you have to be strapped to a fetal monitoring device (which btw have no stastical benefit to mom or baby) which allows little movement. Let mama get up and move around, it will help her during labor.
Next soap box I choose to stand on is induction of labor. (But this is also a subject that is bothering me quite a bit right now for moral reasons. It is one topic that I will state my opinion, and then tell my struggle). There is no reason for a woman to be physically or medically induced just because she is 40 weeks pregnant. There is no danger for the baby until 42 weeks (minimum). I recently read an interesting article on this topic (
Estimated Due Dates) and we truly need to just be patient and let our body do what it needs to do.
Now here is my struggle. I hate inducing labor with drugs, and honestly I think I just don't trust them. I think that any birth inducing drug that has a side effect of "death" for mama or baby, should not be used. I also think that God will bring your baby into this world when He's good and ready to. Now that being said, I am SO tempted to try the
Castor Oil Method of induction tonight. And I fight, because although it is "natural" way to induce labor, how is it really any different than having a doctor medically induce me. Aren't I still saying to God, "You are taking to long, let me try?" Isn't that exactly what Sarah did when God promised her a baby, and she gave her maidservant to Abraham because she was to old to have a baby? (
Genesis 16) But I am just so dang ready to meet my little boy, and I rationalize it by saying, "its still natural, I'm just giving my body a little push in the right direction" Therefore, here I stand, at a stalemate. Feel free to give me your input on the topic.
Now my last little fit I will throw before leaving you today is this...watch how you speak to a pregnant woman.
When a woman tells you here birthing option, and its different than what you know, or your way, do not just immediately put her down. I have heard so often that I will be unable to do this, that I will be begging for the drugs. The best thing in my option, is that drugs are not an option. In order for me to get drugs, I must leave the birth center, get in my car, drive the mile to the hospital, check myself in, and then ask for them. By that time, I am sure the baby will just be here.
Also, quit telling women how big they are, that it looks like twins, they are all belly, or anything of the sort. Your best option is to not say anything about weight at all. I realize that you mean it as a compliment, but it is not taken that way. I have a weight complex no matter what, now that I am carrying nearly 60+ pounds and being constantly reminded about it, DOES NOT HELP. You would think that women that have been pregnant before would be more considerate about this, but no, they seem to be the worse. And honestly, men are much more considerate. They've learned there lesson, I assume.
Now I pray that this is the last blog I shall write as a pregnant lady, and soon, very soon, I will be holding my little boy. One more thing on this, I am not an expert, just a girl that is very passionate about this topic. If you should disagree with me, feel free to express your opinions in a respectful manner, and if I should have any facts incorrect, also feel free to correct me.
Blogs or Items of interest on the topic
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ (amazing movie on the topic of home births)
http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/
http://texasbirthcenter.com/ (my birth center. My midwife is Sandra TallBear)
Before he was born, my reasoning for wanting to breastfeed were all health related. You know the normal reasons (it helps with there immune system, lower chance of obseity, allergies, etc) and some personal more selfish reasons (to help me lose weight, lol). And these reasons are still a giant reason I breastfeed, but more reasons are one's I didn't think about before I had Ethan.
Another pro to breastfeeding that I would have never thought of before is worrying how much they eat. I know many formula fed mama's and they stress about how many ounces of formula their baby ate last. And I have no idea how many ounces Ethan eats. I know that he eats 15ish minutes, and every 2-3 hours. 
Lastly, he can eat whenever. Ethan can use nurse to sooth or eat. There is no worry about overeating. My body and Ethan knows what he needs and when Ethan nurses to sooth, he's not really sucking out milk. He more just suckles for comfort and nothing really comes out. 
