I don’t like watching “A Baby Story” on TLC. It seems that every single woman featured on the show gets an epidural or a C-section at the hospital. I’m always disappointed in it, because there are rarely natural births, and NEVER home births.
But I wasn't feeling well so I was laying down and there was like, NOTHING else on t.v. So I found myself watching “A Baby Story” anyway, and was of course disappointed by watching women beg for an epidural at the first sign of pain. One young woman even said “I panicked the second I felt pressure, and I don’t want to feel ANYTHING.” I’m not discounting the fact that labor could possibly be an excruciating experience. I’m in a very comfortable position of ignorance. I am a perfect candidate for home birth because I have absolutely no idea what I’m in for as far as how painful it will be. Stomach cramp?! Stomach cramp times 1000?!?! Being stabbed repeatedly by a butcher knife?!?! In my blissful ignorance, I watch women beg for pain medication in wonder, thinking “How bad does that hurt? That must hurt really, really bad.” Even the women that come in determined not to get an epidural succumb eventually and get a needle stabbed into their spine so they can go numb. So I’m watching all this go on, my mind racing, and a MIRACLE happened.
I felt my baby "flutter" around in there!
Unbelievable.
Then, miracle number 2 happened (I know what your thinking, TWO miracles, yeah right).
The next episode coming up was a home birth!
I was so excited I decided to stay in bed despite the arguement in my head that I should get out there and start walking. The woman was explaining how everybody looks at her like she has three heads when she tells them she’s planning on a home birth, and then said that she just stopped telling people. People think you’re a misguided freak of some sort, or they just think you’re irresponsible and totally disregarding the safety of your baby. Thankfully, the people who truly know me know that this is something I want to do, and they’ve embraced it and supported the idea.
I was so overjoyed to watch this woman’s birth story. Her birthing experience was so close to what I want mine to be. And for the first time ever watching this stupid show, I actually cried watching a woman in labor. It was beautiful. Her effort and struggle were just beautiful. It was primitive and instinctual and seemed so right.
I think God gave me a burst of inspiration today by letting me feel a flutter, letting me know my baby is there, and that s/he is counting on me. It was just what I needed to remind me that I CAN DO THIS, and I can do it just the way I'm planning, despite all the women on "A Baby Story"!
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