The machine that goes PING

I saw it. I went to netflix.com and streamed The Business of Being Born directly onto my computer. If you do a free two week trial you can watch it immediately without having to wait for it to be mailed even if you don't currently have Netflix.

Thoughts rushed through my head as I watched. The births brought tears to my eyes as squatting mothers, sometimes in water, reached down and lifted up their own newborn babies. By contrast, I saw photos of "modern" 1920's births where it appeared the mothers were being tortured more than helped. I don't feel like talking about how-dare-the-hospitals anymore. That horse has already been beaten to death; I want to talk about my thoughts.

I only recently became familiar with the idea of a birth center or home birth. (Jordan and I can't handle another child yet, but next time I want to begin my pregnancy already prepared.) My knee-jerk reaction to a non-hospital birth was what if something goes wrong? Yes, of course there are hospitals available for transfer, but what if the baby has the cord wrapped around his neck, or it's prolapsed, or there's some other last-minute complication? Midwives do not use "machines that go ping" (the baby is not being monitored every second like in the hospital). On the other hand, what if the chances of problems are minute, and I personally feel it's best for my baby to have a gentle, loving birth free from the pressures of a hospital? Do I not have faith that God would take care of the baby?

There are risks, yes. There are risks in everything. But at some point I have to say God, I am going to do what I feel is best for my child, because I trust YOU over my OBGYN.