Of Birthing Thoughts

I almost feel like I cheated.  I keep hearing the question, "Are you glad you had this baby at home?"  And the undeniable answer is, "Yes!"  But, honestly, it's a no-brainer because nothing about the actual birth would have been different had I been in the hospital over being at home.

With as quick as the process occurred, we would not have headed to the hospital any sooner than we called the midwives.  If anything, I might have waited longer (though with the intense pain, maybe not).  We would have had to get the kids in the car and drop them off somewhere and by the time we'd arrived at the hospital I would have been ready to push - no time for drugs, no need for Pitocin.  If anything, the pain would have been worse due to all the transporting required (the contractions were increasing with intensity and timing each time I moved).

For this reason, it is quite clear - with the timing of this birth, staying at home was simply more convenient - I'm glad we'd already planned on it!  God's timing is perfect!

I am glad we did not have to worry about the kids, because they slept through the whole thing.  I'm glad I did not have the time to beg for a way out.  I'm glad my lack of planning, as far as birth positions or techniques, was not even a factor, because I was right, things unfolded how they needed to without a "birth plan" or vision of the perfect labor.  As far as I'm concerned, it was perfect.

So, yes, I feel like I cheated.  I don't feel like I did any more than any woman who has endured such a short birth.  If anything, being at home was the "easy" way out in this situation - getting to the hospital would have made everything so much more complicated (and painful).

Either way, the point is this: I would do it again, happily (and probably will), but I still don't feel qualified to advocate one method over another - I just didn't have the time to make an educated decision.  I will simply always have to say, "It was the right way for us - hands down."

Photos of the Day: Emmett has definitely been won over to the role of big brother.  He has been begging to touch or hold Joey every moment he is home (which has not been much yet).  When I attempted to pull baby brother back to me, Emmett cried, "No, mine!"  Tugging on the blanket, he did not want to let the baby go.  Yeah, I think he'll fill the role quite nicely.