Perspective

I read a lot of blogs, as I'm sure a lot of you do too. Some of my favorite topics to discuss- or, let's be truthful, debate- are pregnancy and birth. There is a lot of joy in these topics, a lot of laughter and a lot of "Are you serious?!", the-human-body-is-insane moments (like a few weeks ago, when my friend Morgan told me she had read that you can get varicose veins in your Queen Victoria! I mean, really?!). A lot of the time, though, there are disagreements and generalizations and a lot of putting-down about the many ways a woman can choose to birth. It's kind of a pet peeve of mine, as you might remember from this post.

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Right now, I'm in the process of getting my DONA certification to be a birth doula. This involves a lot of reading and preparation, and I am soaking it up like a sponge. Part of the reason I decided to become a doula is because I love being present at a birth and supporting the mother as she's going through her labor journey. I've been to two (not including my son's) births so far and they were awe-inspiring experiences. Another big reason is because I've been in search of that "Eureka!" moment, where I come to the realization of where I'm meant to be, career-wise. I've tossed the idea of being a midwife back and forth in my mind quite a bit (I don't think it could ever get old), but I'm learning that who you work with (or the community of people you work with) is a very important consideration. The truth is, I don't believe that natural, unmedicated birth is the only "right" way to birth. I don't believe that if you had an epidural or a C-section that you've somehow failed. I do believe that a woman should not be rushed or bullied into or away from the birth she feels is right for her, and I do believe a woman should feel safe and as prepared as she can going into her labor- whether this is at home, at a birth center, or in a hospital. Does that first "I don't" mean I'm not meant to be a midwife? I don't know. All I know is I'm taking this one step at a time and doing a lot of self-evaluation along the way.

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Here's a quote I've been loving this week, from The Littlest:

"more and more i feel like where and how we birth is just another way to divide mothers against mothers. i have many friends who have had c-sections and feel guilty that they never labored, many friends who had their babies in in their living rooms. is one superior to the other? not a chance. both stay up nights on end comforting a sick child, wipe away tears, give every bit of their resources and energy to make their little ones feel like the most important thing in the world."

Have a great weekend!