Post from 7/25/06

Whoops, forgot to add the blog yesterday.

Well, I'm not positive, but I think I'm pregnant. My boobs are huge (comparatively speaking, of course. I'm not a big person to begin with), I'm exhausted, and well, let's just say we've been very active lately, so the chances are pretty strong. I don't want to ge all excited and hyped up if I'm not, but I guess it's too late.

My cousin's baby was born late last week. He is HUGE! And he looks just like his daddy. However, they posted a bunch of photos to shutterfly, and there's one photo which is a bit questionable. I understand the fact that in the delivery room, you're in a pretty compromising position, but I'm wondering if she knew what she was posting when she threw them up. I told J if a photo like that of me is ever put on the internet, it would be grounds for divorce.

I bought another book Monday night, "The Thinking Woman's guide to a Better Birth." I am one of those people that likes to be as educated as possible about things i'm getting into, and this book is pretty in depth about different approaches to birth, such as elective c-sections, labor induction, mid-wives, epidurals, etc. And it has quite an exhaustive appendix of sources cited, studies used, and supporting professionals. I already had the initial reaction that hey, women have been giving birth since time immemorial, so just let it happen the way it's supposed to happen. This book is helping to solidify that philosophy for me. Basically (right now, anyway) I feel like I don't want medical intervention (i.e. surgery) unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to have a cesarean, I don't want to be flat on my back, I don't want chemical induction, etc. Now, if it comes down to it, and my hips just aren't big enough, or the baby is backwards, breech, in distress; fine, cut her out. But I have a hard time with having medical treatments "Just because," and that includes cutting a baby out. Hell, I don't even want to have my metal illings replaced with ceramic ones. This metal one is working just fine, thank you. If it starts to fall out or disintegrate, we'll talk then.

The book talks a lot about the use of oxytocin (Pitocin) to increase contraction strength, which increases pain but in theory decreases time in labor. I'm sure they don't tell you about the pain increase, though. They're just interested in speeding up the birth as fast as possible. Then women turn to epidurals to relieve the pain, which increases the need for Pitocin because your body just isn't reacting as well anymore to the contractions, plus you can't push as strongly..Basically obstetrics creates this vicious cycle of medical intervention for birth. I'm sorry, but women have been doing this FOR EVER! Plus, it used to be routine to give birth at home. I can't say as I'm going that route, because I'd like to be near the help if I need it. Nothing wrong with that. But it turns out there is actually no solid proof that maternal and infant mortality rates dropped when it became the norm to give birth in hospitals. They actually stayed the same, and in some cases, increased.

It's a neat book. My goal is to go about it as naturally as possible.

But things change. Plus, I could be just fat right now. I have been eating a lot lately....