The Second Check Up/ First Visit With the Midwife Group

Yesterday was our first visit with the Midwife group. I wish I had tons of new for y'all but it was extremely routine. I guess in the end it's a good thing that there's no news this early. Since we lack any excitement I wanted to take this post to address  a few questions/concerns that I've been hearing since letting people know that we plan on doing a natural birth with a midwife.

a) Yes going with a midwife is safe. Trust me if I didn't think it was we wouldn't have even considered it. If you don't trust me simply Google the birthing stats for most other developed countries and you will see that the percentage of women who use midwives (and live!) is extremely high.

b) No we're not doing a home birth. While I think that home birth is an amazing thing and definitely some thing I will consider if I ever get pregnant again Jacob and I have decided that this one will be born in the birthing center. Part of this is due to money reasons and the other part is that we currently live in an apartment that we plan on moving out of in February. We of course like it (on its good days) but we don't quite consider it to be very much of a home. So if you were still worried about my safety please take solace in the fact that we will be close to doctors and all the machinery if we happen to need it.

c) No we're not doing a water birth. I have nothing against water birth and as far as I know neither does Jacob, we just decided that it isn't really what we want to do.

d) And finally, yes I'm aware that giving birth can be very painful. Trust me if I some how didn't think it was I've heard enough horror stories from well meaning women to know how terrible the pain can get. However, I also know that giving birth is beautiful and if done properly can be even more beautiful. I don't want to come across as preachy so I will end here but please believe me I am not going naively in to this birth.

There are tons of books, films, and articles one can read about midwifery and natural birth. I am slowly educating myself by working my way through a few of them. As of right now I highly recommend.

Ina Mays Guide To Childbirth by Ina May Gaskins
  This book has become my bible. The birthing stories in the beginning have helped me find much comfort and the whole book in general leaves me with an empowered feeling when I put it down. It can be a bit hippy dippy at some points but it's amazing.

The Business of Being Born
   I will warn you right now that this movie clearly has an agenda and is extremely pro- natural birth and to some extent home birth. It does however show some compelling interviews with both OBGYNs and Midwives. Also it spits out some statistics I found very interesting. WARNING: If you don't want to watch women giving birth (including Rikki Lake) don't watch this movie. I was very proud of Jacob for watching it with me and am still in shock that it's how he spent a Thursday night.