Monday, April 12, 2010

I need a tracking number for my baby, please.

Well, I'm officially 4 days past my due date. Many women cringe at that thought while I'm still enjoying the time I get to spend with my husband before our lives drastically change (for the better) for the remainder of our days.

It's interesting how many people expect you to deliver earlier than your due date. It's like "oh wow, you're still pregnant?" um... "yes, yes I am and I'm 100% okay with that." It's not like he'll stay inside of me for another 9 months -- he has to come out.

To me, our baby is now completely developed, healthy and preparing for his arrival. Only 10% of babies are born on their due date and over 30% of them are born after their due date. My yoga instructor (who has been a doula and prenatal instructor for several years) said it's sometimes perfectly normal for the baby to be 3 weeks late.

Now, that's not to say my OB/GYN will wait that long. He thinks I'll deliver before he has to induce me but he also said he's not in a rush to get him out because I'm healthy, he's healthy and there have not been any complications.

Unfortunately, I've also had many people seem petrified that I'm going to try to endure a natural labor process (if I don't have to be medically induced). How do we think women have done this for thousands of years without drugs? It's sad to me how few pregnant women do their research on what potential complications and side effects that can arise for both them and their baby when automatically opting into drugs. Did you know that an epidural increases your chances of having a C-section by 50%? Did you know that drugs used to induce women like Pitocin (Oxytocin) can have some drastic, irreversible effects? (http://www.drugs.com/sfx/pitocin-side-effects.html).

Again, if it comes down to it I'll have to be medically induced and have to face those potential side effects. But I'm praying that isn't the case. Am I 100% sure I'll be able to go through labor without ANY drugs? No.

But when I get emails or texts with advice on how to "speed up going into labor" it's a little annoying. Only God and our baby knows when it's time. (Literally, the baby sends your body hormonal signals when he's ready to come out).

It's amazing... we've been reproducing for thousands of years and just within the last 80 years women have been bound to lay on their backs, forced to take drugs and deliver babies when it's convenient for the doctor, their family and even the couple themselves.

I'm thankful I've done my research. Thankful my baby is healthy. And thankful for the options nowadays should anything go wrong.

I would just like a tracking number for my baby so I have an inkling of when he'll arrive... that's all.