stork delivers baby to washington dc mother
"I feel like the baby was delivered by a stork" were the first words out of my sister's mouth last week after giving birth to her second baby in a wee 7 hours that were almost entirely bathed in an epidural cocktail. "Plus, I have no recovery pain this time. I feel better than I did yesterday when I was 40 weeks pregnant in 100 degree heat." Her first birth was long, painful, natural, horrible, wonderful and supported by a team of midwives at a birthing center in Australia. This time she was going for the "American way." And she loved it.
Watching her strut around the hospital literally hours after the delivery did make me question my au natural aspirations--after a medicated birth the first time around, I'm attempting a drug-free/midwife-supported one this time.
Neither of us were unhappy with our first labors. My sister doesn't regret her natural birth at all; this time was "way less of an experience and less memorable." I loved the epidural. But we were/are curious to try the "other way." Both the gleeful narcotic birth and the epic, endorphin-riddled natural birth "experience" are advertised to us for nine months. It's hard not to wonder. But then again, my sister and I shared an even bigger goal: how can we do this second birth in the easiest most convenient way!? The answer to this question, depends on who you ask!
in birth
