Birthing Plan Dilemna

When I first got pregnant, I was insanely excited about having an adorable baby... but that excitement would quickly disappear anytime I watched a birthing video, or talked to someone about their friend's sister's aunt who delivered their baby in a cab/bathroom/the jungle.

And maybe it's just me, but it seems like there are two different types of people when it comes to birthing: 

1. the "normal" goes to an OB/GYN woman, who encourages any and all types of drugs and medical interventions (like women on "a Baby Story" who scream and yell about getting more and more drugs) 

2. All-natural granola powerhouses who deliver their baby in a bathtub by choice, refusing any and all medical interventions. 

Now, let me make a confession - I'm a little bit of both. Maybe it's because I grew up in oregon, but I'm all for trying to avoid side-effects from medications. But I also hate pain. And when someone says "mind if I squish this watermelon through a hole the size of a golf ball?"... I think that I'd rather be drugged unconscious first. 

I'm lucky enough that I found the perfect balance (for me, anyway). I have a group of midwives who are all amazing and hilarious, and always make me feel better about any worries that I have. They encourage me to take necessary medical interventions, but to avoid extreme ones. 

Here are some things I love: 

-They have a 4% cesarean section rate, which is extremely low compared to the national average of 1 in 3 cesarean births

- they don't make me feel guilty about choosing to have an epidural

- they all know Jeff and I by name without having to look at my chart

- they encouraged me to take medication for my migraines

Overall, they're just the perfect balance of holistic treatments and modern medicine.

Now, I know everyone has different opinions about the birth process, and I don't mean to judge others or suggest anyone do what I'm doing - do whatever makes you feel comfortable. But in a world where there is so much fear and anxiety around labor, I'm grateful to have found what works for me.




(sidenote - I've had a lot of people ask me if "midwife" means that I will be having a home birth. The answer is no - although I really admire women who have home-births. My midwives actually will only deliver at hospitals, which makes me feel so much more comfortable just in case anything were to happen.)