baby thoughts

My wife really wants to have birth naturally, without any modern chemicals or drugs to help ease the pain or speed up the labor. We always planned to go the hospital, but as we read more and more, we are discovering that today's medicine is drugs, drugs, and more drugs. Often times, the hospital wants to treat the mother in slow labor with pitocin to speed things up, then you need an epidural due to the more intense contractions the pitocin causes, then a routine episiotomy. With the epidural, you are on your back, laying down, in stark contrast to giving birth in a more natural position. Once you start one drug, the other drugs follow, and they do have side effects for the baby.

It has gotten my wife so concerned she has wondered whether a birthing center might be more comfortable and accommodating for natural birth. They have showers and bath tubs to spend quality time in during labor. We would have to switch to a mid-wife instead of the traditional medical doctor and make sure the birthing center is close or attached to a hospital in case of emergency.

But before we jump our guns, we have a check-up with Allison's OBGYN, this afternoon. We never had any doubts about her before today, but she is a medical doctor attached to a hospital that likes to give out drugs. We never really had too many questions for the Dr. either, but today is grill away day. We have lists and lists of questions regarding hospital procedure, the Dr.'s ratio of epidural's, cesareans, her feelings about giving birth standing up, etc. etc.

I can't wait. It's going to be so much fun.