we are officially in our third (out of 3) trimester of pregnancy, meaning that we have a mere 3 months left until bun and oven separate.
so now's the time to start panicking about how to get the bun out, right? not really. i'm feeling very calm about it. excited for the adventure, actually. and i have what is, really, both a luxury and a curse, having witnessed vaginal and surgical births as a PA and a student. on the plus side, i know a thing or two (but no more than that) and am definitely able to ask informed questions and be my own advocate, assisting the health team in making decisions about my birth. on the down side, i've seen awful things happen during the birth process and i know the risks at hand. that, and i know that long-term childbirth (and pregnancy) do mean, mean things to a woman's body (bladder prolapse, anyone? how about a little rectus muscle diastasis? painful adhesions? hmmm? anyone? no?).
but i'm still feeling very calm about hatching- vaginally or c-section. either way, i'm cool. we'll deal. i just want to get my kid out as quickly and healthily as possible.
there's a lot of emphasis on the birth plan and on choosing the right setting and caregiver and methods of intervention...home birth with midwife? hospital birth at natural birthing center with midwife? hospital birth with ob/gyn? in the taxi on the way to the hospital with the cabbie? there are a lot of options. and THEN, what kind of/if any pain control do you plan to use? what about hastening the birth process if things aren't moving along? what about in the event that the baby is mispositioned or in crisis? what to do in all circumstances one might face. and do you squeeze it out to classical music? are there candles involved? fetal monitors? warm baths? squatting on a birthing block or legs up in stirrups? who's there with you? just your spouse? your kids? a doula, acting as a support and advocate? your parents? his parents? the neighbor down the hall's parents? will there be photography involved? videography? ah, the list goes on.
women should do it whatever way they damn well please. we are totally built to do this, so we can 'do this' in lots of different ways. it's awesome to have options. and it's very personal- we shouldn't have to justify our choices to anyone. it's not bonkers to do a home birth, it's also not a crying shame to have a hospital birth. both are valid options. just do your research before hand and choose the one that makes the most sense to you. make sure you know how things will go down if it's the sweetest most simple birth on the planet or if, instead, it turns out to be a total goat rodeo. does your plan cover both conditions?
my perspective? it's not my birth. i've had my birth. it went great. i'm healthy and well and my mom (my own personal hatcher) is healthy and well following said birth. this birth is my baby's birth. and what do i owe him/her? safety and flexibility. so for me, that means hospital birth where all emergency resources are just down the hall and the baby is monitored up the wazoo (mine) to catch any issues that might need to be addressed. other than that, i'm cool with any methods to make the process as efficient and comfortable as possible. am i willing to crouch on all fours to get the baby out? stand on my head? be cut open? of course to all. safety and flexibility.
and about the pain? there will be pain. anyone who doesn't think there will be should probably have re-taken sex ed in middle school, maybe gotten an after school tutor. i mean, big head, small vajuna opening. doesn't take much math. for me, i see no clinically justified reason for the "right of passage" of enduring the whole whopping amount of pain that comes with birthing. i am willing to treat my pain for things like headaches and wisdom teeth extractions, so why wouldn't i for birthing pain? but again, that's just me. i'll roll over now if they want to put the epidural in tonight while i lie here on my couch. but to each her own.
i watched the ricki lake produced documentary "the business of being born" last night and found it interesting. i have already babbled too much in this post, but i will share my thoughts on the film as soon as i can.
oh, and i really am going to vegas tomorrow! with my whole family for my seester's graduation trip. i couldn't be more excited. to have time with my people. to get away from work. to eat awesome food. to be in warm sunshine. to see some great shows. fun times. i will post pics as we go.
smooches!
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