Homestretch is in Sight

It is hard to believe that these months have passed by so fast.... From that shocking first moment, holding the pregnancy test in my hand  and yelling "Shit, shit, OH MY GOD SHIT" (lol) to now when I am seeing my OB every week, talking to my Doula, and feeling this little girl gear up for her big debut.

Last night I had a great conversation with my friend Tara, who is a certified Doula in the WNY area. She is a HUGE birth advocate and called to tell me about her latest birth that she attended- a VBAC that almost didn't happen. It was a great story with a lot of important information such as the usefulness of certain interventions like epidurals and Pitocin. What struck me about our conversation though is that Tara pointed out how different my views on birth are now compared to when I first found out I was expecting again.

I used to think that my OB was always looking out for my best interests and the health of the baby. I used to think that c-sections were the only way for me since I had 2 previously. I used to think that c-sections were easier for everyone and that there was NO WAY in heck I was going to birth naturally. (I used to tell people that unless I was getting a free car at the end of my hospital stay, why put myself through all that pain?) I used to think that women who birthed naturally were gluttons for pain, hippies, or trying to prove something. And I used to think that I didn't have the option to say No to an intervention that I didn't want to happen without good reason.

What a difference a movie, some books, a network of devoted women, a web board that offers information, and some cojones can do in a mere 4 months!