Childbirth!

For the first 4-5 months of my pregnancy, I pushed all thoughts on labor and delivery to the side.  It truly terrified me.  "I still have a long way to go before labor" became my mantra. I've seen childbirth portrayed a few different ways on television, which was honestly my only real experience with it.  I've seen my cousins have babies, but was never in the room to witness their actual births.  I know they were almost all induced, given epidurals, had a C-Section (I myself was a C-Section baby), and in one case, my baby cousin was taken out with forceps. The other model of child birth I saw was with super crunchy granola women who had apparently forgot what it meant to shave, and were giving birth outside, or in the bathtub.  I definitely did not like either of these options.  I decided to not think about child birth.  I specifically remember saying to one of my girlfriends that I don't want to know what is going to happen, it scares me too much, and to let the doctors do whatever they want to get me and the baby out of this situation healthy.

Then one day, it's almost as if I had an epiphany.  I can, for the most part, control my labor and delivery.  I can have an active role in this process.  I don't have to be bullied or scared into having the births I've seen on television, or the births my cousins have experienced.  I can educate myself, and in turn, make educated decisions about my health care during the process.  I'm not sick, I'm healthy, and my body is doing something completely normal that has been accomplished by millions of women.  

I started reading everything I could get my hands on about childbirth.  Because I do have epilepsy, I will have to give birth in a hospital (which I would have anyways, I'm sure), but I do still have options.  I have decided to attempt a natural childbirth.  I trust my body, and know that it knows what it's doing, and am going into this process hoping no medical interventions will be needed.  

I've taken a lot from my practice as a yoga instructor and applied it towards my pregnancy.  Breathing exercises, prenatal yoga poses, and the entire belief system can all be employed during this time.  I truly believe my studies in yoga have led me to this mindset.  I watched the Business of Being Born, and it really resonated with me, and have started reading a lot of Ina Mae Gaskins writings.  They all just make sense to me.  I think western medicine has a tendency to be a worrier, just like me.  Sometimes it's better if you sit back and let things run their course without interference.  I also have a healthy respect for complications that can and may arise during this time, and for that I'm very glad I will be giving birth surrounded by competent medical professionals, who will step in at a moments notice, if things go astray.  

In preparing for natural childbirth I have done myself the great favor of hiring a Doula.  I had a hard time finding one at first, and completely lucked out finding an amazing one last week.  Our first meeting with her is this Friday.  She will be teaching Mike and I the Bradley Method.  (I want to do a whole separate post on Doulas ,Midwives and the Bradley Method soon).  I am also hopefully switching to the Stony Brook Midwives.  My OBGYN practice is great, but when I brought up the fact I'd like to go natural, I was met with a lot of resistance, and actual laughter.  It was a real turn off. 

I'm feeling very positive about my decisions for this birth, and can't wait to get started with the Bradley Method classes!