childbirth 101

Newsflash! 
If you get pregnant you are going to have to get that baby out one way or another.  I am so sick of people telling their birthing stories.  In fact I detest it so much that I refuse to visit most baby or pregnancy websites in hopes to avoid the same old same old about how their child was brought into the world.

I find it very interesting that those who focus so much on the birth of their child didn't spend as much time thinking about the last nine months of carrying that child.  Yup, still saw them drinking their morning coffee or that diet soda.  Still saw them gorging themselves on sugar and sweets because that is what they "craved" at the moment.  Wouldn't you think 9 months of growing your baby inside you would be so much more important than the last day when your baby is trying to come out.  That is something I did right.  I ate a very well balanced diet the majority of my pregnancy.  I think I had 3 cans of soda the whole time I was pregnant, which, honestly, wasn't that big of a deal for me because I don't really drink soda. 

I am not impressed by women who have home births.  If they want to do that then it is totally fine with me.  I would never do it because if something were to go wrong I want to make sure that I did everything I possibly could to make sure my baby is ok.  Being a hospital is the best way to ensure the safety of my child. 

I am impressed by women who breast feed.  It sucks, it's hard.  Everything you do revolves around when the next feeding is or when you have to pump next to keep yourself out of the pain of being too full.  Those mothers who make it longer than 6 months I admire you.

Looking back I was the selfish mother who was so sick of pumping/nursing that I decided to quit at 5 months.  I could have gone longer but i was feeling smothered by the demand of having to drag a pump to work with me.  I felt like a milk cow.  At the time I just thought I made it until she was on cereal and I did ok.  But looking back I realize I was extremely selfish about it.  The very best thing you can do for your baby is to breast feed.  No immunizations, no formulas, no natural child birth, nothing is as good for your child as breast milk.

Bottom line is that we have a high survival rate for births because once your baby is being born.  You are monitored (be it by doctor or midwife) so that your baby has the best chance to be born alive and well.  Who cares if it's natural or epidural?  Who cares if it's vaginal or c-section?  We all just want a healthy baby.  That should be the most important thing for all of us.