Baby Prep and the Move Toward Being a Hippie

Well, I'm 27 weeks pregnant today, and almost to the 3rd trimester! I've been reading and researching a lot since Micah was a scheduled C-section due to being breech, and I would like to attempt a VBAC (vaginal birth after ceasarean) with boy #2 (who, incidentally, does NOT have a name yet, we are having a really hard time with that). In my studies, I watched "The Business of Being Born" - a documentary by Ricki Lake (yes, the talk show host - she's quite the advocate for birth and women as a result of her own experiences). It opened my eyes to some interesting information about the American health care system, hospital birth and obstetrics, and midwives. I then read Ricki and Abby's book, "Your Best Birth," and I am just starting "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth," a book by America's most famous midwife. These, along with a lot of internet reading (taken with a grain of salt, of course) are causing me to lean toward a birth with a midwife and possibly even natural birth (without pain meds!).

I have to admit, I'm feeling like a bit of a hippie all of a sudden. I've never been one of these granola types before. Although, as I think about it, I have been a recycling nazi for some time; I've been composting our veggie waste and yard trimmings for as long as we've had our own home; I've been trying to buy organic, free trade, etc, whenever it makes sense and is relatively convenient for me; I've purged my home of chemical cleaning products and started taking natural vitamins; I've been trying to eat a lot more whole foods and green things; and my sisters will attest, I only shower as often as a lot of hippies (lol)... I guess my move toward being a hippie has been in process for some time. I still drive a gas powered car, but I have dreams of a hybrid minivan; I still use a lot of electricity, but I dream of a home with solar panels or geothermal heating and cooling...and now, as I am on a journey with Something Edmund and his impending birth, I find myself thinking about leaving a great OB practice and a hospital and delivering "for real" for the first time with a midwife! I know there are those of you who are going to feel, and maybe express, deep concern for this type of decision. I encourage you to communicate with me about it, and do some research of your own. I definitely recommend watching "The Business of Being Born" to start.

26 weeks

More soon, as I continue to process this information and take more steps on my journey toward birth #2. :)