I'm gonna be a father.
The reason for the general crypticness was it was really early then. It's still really early, actually. The Queen is only 8 weeks pregnant, so we can't even hear The Heir's heartbeat or anything yet. But we (well, she) had her first appointment today, and it seems like so far so good. Lots of "homework" to do, though. Forms and such.
We're leaning towards natural birth, or at the very least having a midwife attend Jessie at a hospital. I'm nearly infamous of my distaste for hospitals, and we watched a movie yesterday called "The Business of Being Born." Watch it if you are thinking about, going to have, or have had, children. Seriously. I already had my suspicions about "modern birthing techniques" especially the rationale of "why be in pain if you don't have to?" but there are some very scary things brought up about how, and why, certain things are done. The pitocin/epidural vicious circle issue for one, and the alarming amount of planned cesarean sections at this point in time.
Jessie's worried about the pain of labor of course, and I can't blame her. But I also think she's selling herself short. Our midwife (who is a guy...do you ever hear feminists complain about that?) seems to be wonderful and suggested a technique called Hypnobabies, which he thinks would work for her wonderfully. So I'm excited about that. But even without that sort of technique, I think she could "handle" the pain. Think about it. This race has been around for a pretty long time. Women have been doing pretty darn good. And what about all those countries without access to our so called modern birthing techniques? Some of the statistics brought up in the movie were eye opening. So yeah, given my distrust and distaste of hospitals in general, I'm supporting her in her original desire for natural childbirth, and acting sort of as a crutch for when she falters. Plus, our midwife told us they do have the ability to prescribe and administer a certain painkiller, so that also helped assuage her a bit as well.
Well, anyway, I'll keep you posted as we hear stuff and everything. Maybe Jessie will revitalize her blog as a pregnancy journal of sorts, that might be an idea for her, I don't know. Oh, and I am accepting handouts. I'm not shy about that. At all.
Our midwife put our due date (which of course has that two week pre/post window) at October 21st. I'll be finding a countdown clock in the near future and putting it up.
Congratulations! He shoots, he scooooores! And with the fall delivery, it might not be as hot when she's ya know, 8-9 months pregnant!
ReplyDeleteIn Maryland, in August, it's hot and humid. She's not gonna have fun then. Septembers a crap shoot. Sometimes we lose that humidity and heat, sometimes we don't.
ReplyDeleteSwish!
ReplyDeleteCongrats.
October is a fabulous month. Though may I suggest the 12th? ;-) I am sure by that point Jessie won't object to being done a little early.
ReplyDeleteI give her, and any woman, with the guts to go natural many props. *I* am a wimp. I would just ask for the drugs please ASAP. One of my best friends barely felt a twinge with her first thanks to the epidural. Her second came too fast for them to give her anything. She barely made it to her room & in a bed for that matter. I asked her, "So having done it both ways now, what would you rec..." I didn't even get the question completely out before she said "Drugs. Always get the drugs." LOL! Honestly though, it's a decision every woman must make for herself. It is *her* body that will produce the new life and I don't think anyone should ever question a woman's choices in that. Good for Jessie for owning what she wants, and good for you for supporting her in that decision.
Spoken like a true man who won't ever experience that type of pain :)
ReplyDeleteBut congrats again and I do admire Jessie for wanting to go natural. Me, I always knew I was going for the drugs and going into labor just solidified that decision. I truly am amazed at anyone that can go the distance.
Katy, seriously, I know it's a bit late and all, but do a little bit of research. Most "modern birthing techniques" in some way actually end up taking away from what should be happening. It's scary in some cases. And it's not like natural childbirth is devoid of painkillers, just not the epidurals, and without the constant "intervention techniques" used by hospitals, which in most cases seemed designed to get the mother to give birth faster so they can move another woman in and get more money. Pack 'em in. Yeah, that's a great idea, take a process that's supposed to happen a certain way and screw it all the to hell.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention look at the rise of things like autism, ADD/ADHD, and several other things.
And there was this stat about infant and/or mother deaths in hospitals compared to other countries that don't even have "modern" facilities. Just eye opening mind blowing type stuff.
Women, in most cases, aren't even shown their options. They put more effort in researching the strollers they buy and the car seats than how they are actually going to deliver the baby. It's frightening.
"Spoken like a true man who won't ever experience that type of pain :)"
ReplyDeleteI passed a kidney stone and it came so quickly that there was no time for pain killers.
Unless a woman has given birth completely naturally without modern medicine techniques, she has not experienced the pain that I have.
That is great. I used Hypnobabies for my last birth and it worked great! You can read some great birth stories of moms who used it at www.pregnancybirthandbabies.com Pass the link onto your wife! :)
ReplyDeleteSo I am new here, linked over from Nichole, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. First of all Congrats! I had my second child in October. He was due the 13th but decided to come 10 days early. So I wish her luck in the summer months. Here in CT it was brutal for me. Now secondly in regards to the no drugs. I had my first child with an epidural (while my poor hubby was passing a kidney stone drug free) and really got to enjoy the whole labor and delivery experience. I was even on the phone with Dawn minutes later to tell her. Well with my son everything happened so quick that I could not get an epidural and boy did I hate it ever so much. Not only did it hurt so much but I tore really bad which required some major work after delivering. I was in so much pain all I could remember was being cold, not feeling good, and too scared to hold my son. Now I did not choose the natural birth but if ever given the choice I would so not go that direction. That is only my opinion though.
ReplyDelete