What's Wrong with Nonconformity?

We're almost 5 weeks away from giving birth, and while I've already achieved two drug-free, all natural births, this pregnancy left me striving for something greater. Not that I had horrible birth experiences, but something just felt MISSING (never mind the fact that I've always wanted a water birth and none of the local hospitals offer such a thing). More specifically, the entire hospital birth process felt INVASIVE, even considering the lack of drugs and interventions. I (along with millions of pregnant women each year) was denied so many birth freedoms and all because of what? Because hospital birth is designed to be easy for the DOCTOR, not the mother and baby.

For the past few months, we have been preparing ourselves for a homebirth. I will save the details until AFTER the actual birth, but I'd like to share the source(s) of my inspiration in reaching this decision:

The Business of Being Born (can be watched on Netflix)

More recently, another documentary has come to light:

Pregnant In America (can be watched here)

I have also read several books, but these videos are readily available to Blog readers. Perhaps someone else will find inspiration and strength in one or both of these documentaries. Women in the United States have been tricked into thinking that a hospital is the best place to give birth. And some of those women who are told they NEED a C-Section? Your baby is too big, you need a C-Section! Your baby is breech, you need a C-Section! Not always the case. In the case of a large baby, labor may take a bit longer, but the vagina still does its job! It isn't rendered useless just because the baby's weight is outside some limit set by your obstetrician. Every woman's body is DIFFERENT. A breech baby CAN be delivered vaginally! Just do a search on YouTube for breech births! Homebirths! Unassisted homebirths!

But there are DRUGS! PAIN FREE BIRTH! NUMB YOURSELF! Women have been taught to be weak and that childbirth is OMG the most painful thing ever! WHY would you want to numb yourself to one of the most memorable experiences of your entire life and, in the process, pass those same drugs to your baby? Is it just to make your life more convenient? Tsk-Tsk-Tsk.

Women need to TRUST their bodies. Have FAITH. A woman's body is engineered to give birth (that's pretty much the main reason we exist - to procreate - how on earth did we give birth BEFORE OBGYNs and hospitals? Gee I wonder!) and works PERFECTLY if left alone.

It has taken months of research, but we are confident this is the best decision for us and our soon-to-be-born child. Medical involvement in the birth process now seems UNNATURAL. Either Shane or I will be the first person to hold our child - not some obstetrician that will never see my child again. I will get to breastfeed our child immediately, not 30 minutes after birth, after the nurses have given him a bath and done all their medically invasive procedures and essentially robbed Shane and I and the baby of those most-important first moments of a newborn's life.

I can't wait to give birth to our son... AT HOME!

2009 Presidential Inauguration SNOW!

Snow doesn't happen around these parts very often, so it was especially wonderful when the snow shut EVERYTHING down and we were able to stay home! Not only did we get to PLAY, but we were able to watch one of the most historic Presidential Inaugurations of our time. The snow was absolutely beautiful! We got quite a bit more than I was expecting, but I'm not complaining, that's for sure. I like snow when it only makes an appearance every few years and is only around for a few days. Of course, the no work/no school perk isn't bad either! ;-) (The following photos are purely scenic and may be overload, but it was just so pretty!)



The wind was so strong that a layer of snow accumulated on the wood stack we have on our covered back patio.


The girls, peeking out the back door as I took photos of the snow.


Three Dr. Pepper cans frozen together... not sure how they managed such a perfect form, but it's a cool picture nonetheless!


A layer of ice covered the 'fish pond' (or 'piss pond,' as Lorelai says it)











We took a break for the inauguration ceremony. ADIOS DUBYA!!!!!


HELLO OBAMA!!!!!


Shane took a trip to the store and this was the result. So cool!






THAT'S A LOT OF SNOW, Y'ALL!

Inauguration Day Snow, Excursion #1

Felicity couldn't keep her balance in the snow...


Every time she tried to get up, she wound up face-first in the snow, because she's such a shorty and there was so much snow!


Face covered in snow. :)


Lorelai loved the snow!


Getting some video, obviously not dressed to play!

Inauguration Day Snow, Excursion #2

I know this many photos is probably overkill, but it's been almost a whole month since I posted anything last, so this ought to make up for it. Plus, it was quite a memorable event - we had to get as many pictures as possible!

After the first snow excursion, we came inside, threw their clothes in the dryer, watched the inauguration, and put the girls down for a nap. When they woke up, we all went out to check out the neighborhood: