Okay, so I must vent.
Two things: I'm going to try to deliver naturally. I plan on breastfeeding.
Let's start from the top: I want to "go natural" when I give birth. I have a low-risk pregnancy, so right from the start I have the green light to do so. What is interesting to me, however, is when people ask me if I'm going to get an epidural, they take personal offense when I say no. And always, ALWAYS, with the no-badge comments. I don't care how other people had their babies, and haven't formed an opinion their delivery experience. Here's what I do know: medical procedures scare me. A lot. Getting a mole removed makes me break out in sweats. Sitting very still so the anesthesiologist doesn't paralyze me? No, thanks. Oh, yes, I know it's very rare. VERY rare. And epidurals are safe, VERY safe. But I can guarantee that if I got one, my back would be covered in sweat. The knowledge that only a very few women lose sensation permanently is not a comforting one. I don't like to relax and rely on statistical improbability.
AND I think I can do it, flat-out. And I further think that that's the attitude you need to have to do it. But they're right, there's no badge committee at the hospital, giving out shiny badges for the women that went natural. They have me there. But Mike promised me a Blizzard, which is pretty much the same thing.
I was prepared for the anti-natural comments, as there are many many many women who seem not only to be against going natural in general, but apparently against me going natural specifically. Okay, I accept that. And I don't care, because I get to pick. What I wasn't prepared for is the anti-breastfeeding movement. SERIOUSLY? FOR REALS? That I cannot wrap my head around. I have been told, again, that I will be receiving absolutely NO BADGES for breastfeeding. Really? None? Let's see what I will get, assuming I'm lucky enough to breastfeed: a smarter and healthier child, that I have fed for free. Crap. No badges anywhere on that list. That said, I could probably talk Mike into another Blizzard. That might make it all worth it.
