Anticipating Labor

Bump watch update...belly is definitely getting ready to drop and the kid keeps kicking away. Doc says all is well, head down and in position. Due date is July 10th, though I am envisioning a July 2nd birthday, just enough time for me to recover enough to have a stiff drink on my 40th.

I have been reading an interesting book called Birth by Tina Cassidy. It is a chronicle of birth and birthing practices over the centuries and across cultures. It is fascinating and appalling all at once. I really had never considered the scale of impact the Church and misogyny has had on women's experience in the laobr and birth process. The practices and tools which have been used are horrific -- from strapping women down by their ankles, necks and hands, to using crazy-looking forceps which often resulted in both fetal and maternal death, to drugging women into unconsciousness while being forced to labor alone.

Why read such books as I approach the arrival our child? I am not sure; but suffice to say, it gives me confidence that I am living in this century where I get to be in a lovely room overlooking the lake, with the trains rolling by, Shannon and my sister at my side, with choices about how much or how little pain relief I want...for all the bad rap that North Idaho gets, our experience in the birth process with Henry was quite wonderful and I anticipate the same with our upcoming kiddo. Fingers crossed.