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Adventures in Pregnancy and Birth
1. This topic does NOT mean I’m pregnant. I’m not. (It seems that if you are of child-bearing age and you start to talk about this topic, people assume that means you’re speaking in code suggesting that you’re having a baby, hence my disclaimer. No new babies right now!)
2. If you are a guy, or if you are currently not in a position to be having kids, this topic is STILL for you. Everybody needs to hear about this!
Pregnancy and birth has become a topic near and dear to my heart. I have had 3 children and 3 very different birth experiences with them. Those experiences have led me to do a lot of research into the topic of birth in our country, which I would suggest is in somewhat of a crisis. And the people who are suffering from this crisis are the babies and most especially the mothers…the ones not being given the whole big picture as to what birth can be and what it shouldn’t have to be.
One more disclaimer before we go on: I do not claim to be any type of doctor or “expert” in the traditional sense – I’m just a educated mother who has had a lot of experiences and who has done a lot of research, and who wants to share my findings with others so that perhaps some women will be spared some of the less then wonderful things I endured. Oh and one more thing – obviously every pregnancy is different so use a bit of common sense with the info I’m going to share. I know that most people have the ability to use common sense; sadly, many are not given the opportunity to do so.
As I mentioned above, pregnancy and birth is in crisis in our country. I have attached a preview from a fantastic documentary called The Business of Being Born which looks at the history of birth in the United States and what it has become today. It was directed by Abby Epstein and produced by Ricki Lake. Now before you say, “Oh, Ricki Lake? She had that weird talk show in the 90’s.” If this is you, get over any anti-Ricki Lake sentiments you may have. She produced this video (and her birth appears in it) and she and Abby did a fantastic job compiling some very good information about birth. I highly recommend this movie to anybody who is going to be giving birth any time soon. It is a great stepping stone into researching this topic. It’s powerful, and if this is a new topic for you, probably unexpected information.
In this series of posts, I will share my 3 very different birth stories. I will also share some very important and often never heard information that I learned along the way about birth in America. Some of it may shock you. Some of it may concern you. Some of it may make you upset. My HOPE is that it will make you think and encourage you to make wise decisions. If you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant, I hope that this will be a stepping stone for you to truly research what birth has become in our country and what options you have. Many women feel helpless and overwhelmed about pregnancy and birth, and that is the last thing they should feel at this most precious time in their lives. Being well educated on a topic is one of the best defenses they can have, and finding care givers who will be supportive and comforting towards their specific needs and desires.
Please check out the clip and then please check back here very soon for the next segment in this series. This is a topic that I love to discuss. If you ever have any questions about anything pertaining to birth, please feel free to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll help you find it. You can either post a question or email me at Elizabeth@AdventuresAtHome.com. Have a great weekend!