Confessions of a Blogaholic

A brief thought before I head out on my trip...

My midwife encouraged us to do birthing classes--especially if we want to do an unmedicated birth. My OB encouraged us to do birthing classes. All the pregnancy books encourage us to do birthing classes. But, I don't think we're going to do any birthing classes.

Here's my philosophy on the whole thing...In the end of it all, a baby is going to come out of me one way or another. Either my "butt is going to fall off, and the baby comes out, and you have to dig around to get the baby" (a la Knocked Up), or they are going to slice me open and rip the baby from my womb. One way or another, she's coming out. She can't, unfortunately, stay warm and protected in my uterus for the next 20 years, lol.

So, does it matter if I take birthing classes? Does it matter if I have practiced breathing techniques, if I know how to visualize to alleviate some of the pain, if I know how they use the vacuum thingy or the forceps? Does it matter if I plan and plan to have a vaginal birth? No, not really. None of it really matters.

I'll have to reiterate my argument that women are designed to give birth. I think we have to rely on our natural instincts to do something that is as inherent to us as breathing air. We are supposed to do it; we are mechanically inclined toward incubation and delivery. No birthing class can prepare us (me) for what lies ahead, but reverting to instinct is all we (I) should really need. Birthing classes and epidurals are really new concepts (within the last few decades). I almost feel like having these things (FOR ME, and IN MY PERSONAL OPINION) is like a smack in the face to our very nature as women. This is what we are/were born to do. This is what makes us women, and this is truly what makes us stronger than men (after all...what pain could a man ever have that could even come close in comparison to the pain of childbirth?).

All that being said...if I need it, I'm still getting the epidural :)