As I mentioned in last night’s post, I have been reading a book about natural labor called Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. I searched for books about natural childbirth on my Kindle, and not only was it the first hit, it had the highest ratings.

Oh yeah, did I mention we got a Kindle? MY MOST FAVORITEST THING EVER IN THE WHOLE WORLD. MOST FAVORITEST. I adore it. It makes me WANT to read. I have all of these other books I pick up and start reading and then get bored with, but that has yet to happen on my Kindle. It’s my new lover. Vance has accepted this.

I digress.

So, I have been morbidly curious about natural birth since before I actually became pregnant this time around. Originally, I wanted not only a pain-free birth, but one in a birthing center as opposed to a hospital. That is something I could not get Vance into for anything. He is convinced that WOMEN DIE WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE BABIES IN THE HOSPITAL OMG. It’s bred of ignorance; the truth is, statistically, you are just as likely to suffer fatal complications in a hospital as you are in a birthing center or at home. It’s just, at a birthing center, you’re much less likely to end up with a c-section or one of those horrible epidural headaches. Of course, that means you’re just plain less likely to get an epidural.

I gave up on the idea of natural birth temporarily when I became pregnant and met my new OB. She’s a pretty awesome Doctor. One thing that majorly sets her apart from other Doctors is she actually seems to care and spends time in the room talking to me for a length of time about how I am feeling both physically and emotionally. She had just been through her own pregnancy and birth, so I knew she probably had an idea of what I was going through, which my last OB totally lacked. I mean, she’s still a Doctor and likes to prescribe pills and cut people open, but she seems more likely to listen to what I have to say. That’s a plus. I decided I wanted to stick with her for the whole journey. As far as the pain-free aspect goes, I have the epidural experience and know what that’s like, and it’s just easier to push the idea of having to experience discomfort and having to work hard out of my brain. I just wasn’t sure I was going to be content with this.

My last birth experience took place in a hospital with constant fetal monitoring, several nurses (who all were awesome), an epidural, and birth assistance. With my first pregnancy, I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. I had always been told that labor is the worst pain in the entire world, and epidurals were  sent by the gods, and there is no way any sane woman is strong enough to survive labor without these things. I don’t believe it has to be this way.

I like the idea of not having to hurt or work, I mean, who doesn’t? But I don’t like the feeling of not being in control during my labor. I just laid there; I couldn’t get up to pee, I couldn’t feel my legs, I needed help turning over in my bed, I was attached to an IV. After what I have been through raising a child and running a household, I want to be in control of something that is 100% a process of my own body. That’s one of the reasons natural, pain-free childbirth is so appealing.

Women did it for centuries and survived. And then they figured out they could knock them out with chloroform, so when they awoke women would be all “I just had a baby? What the hell?” And then there was a trend for a while where Doctors didn’t allow any pain meds, you just had to go through all the pain still strapped to a bed. Then they found out about epidurals, and that became the standard, and now, it appears that the new standard in the age of information is CHOICES. Women these days can choose how they want to experience their uncomplicated birth, and it’s beautiful.

So, yes, I am beginning to read and do research and I am seriously considering a natural birth. If I go through with this, I will hire a doula, because I don’t this is something Vance can help with on his own. I believe he would make a good support person if he also had someone there to support him as well, which a good doula could handle.

I’ll let you know how this goes. Of course, if you have any input, please feel free to share. I would love to hear your stories or opinions.