HTT - Labor Edition

I'm afraid my former sassyness has been replaced by a rare mellowness so I won't be too intense with today's Hot Topic.

As you know, I'm recovering from a C-section. And while I think my recovery has been fast and relatively painless compared to some (due in part to circumstances and my strange threshold for pain), it was MUCH worse than a traditional delivery - longer hospital stay, prolonged recovery, huge wound, pain.

Then again, I get epidurals with my labors so my deliveries are a cakewalk by comparison. Yes, I'm not a natural birth proponent, nor am I a hater. During this labor, I found myself enjoying contractions and contemplated doing it au natural but was forced to get an epidural because my odds of a C-section were high. And then I ended up receiving general anesthesia so it was all a waste of spine poking.

But when birthing Miss Dub, I planned on getting an epidural and ended up getting one early because the anesthesiologist wanted to head home, and I was already dilated to a 4. And while I certainly could have endured the mild contractions for a few more hours, I was pretty happy to go all numb. Not only did the medication and catheter allow me to get my first long stretch of sleep without traipsing to the loo, but it relaxed me and gave me the energy to push for three hours.

When it was all over, I was up for a shower, eating and gazing adoringly at Miss Dub. I felt totally rejuvenated, as opposed to natural child birthers who are generally exhausted. (At least based on the all the childbirth videos I've seen, which are not doing a great job at selling people on natural childbirth with all that hooting and hollering.)

But I respect the desire to labor sans epidural. I just hate that many natural childbirth advocates are so anti-epidural. I mean, have a little love, people! There is no superior way to bring a child into earth. It's a personal decision.

And, please, I know it's been said a hundred times, but do these same people get dental work without Novicaine or endure a splitting migraine without some Aleve? Yeah, so lets put all our black kettles away, if you know what I'm saying.

So, what are your thoughts on labor?

And how crazy are people who request C-sections?


* For some retro heat on L&D, go here.

HTT - L&D Edition

In my lifetime, I’ve only seen one baby be born ... and it wasn’t Miss Dub.

I mean, I was most certainly in the same room when she made her big debut, but I was on the other side of the action, if you know what I’m sayin’.

The baby I saw enter this world was the firstborn of my dear friendsista, Gfunk, who is now the proud mother of FIVE – and an amazing receptacle of pop culture knowledge and urban street smarts.

I must brag that I was the sole “sister” in the delivery room that day, along with Glamma Fabulous, though her sisters have made up for that day by being at the subsequent births of her children.

In fact, it’s pretty much a party in Gfunk’s hospital room when it comes time for delivery. The more, the merrier, in her opinion. And I’m glad she feels that way because seeing Son X make his way into the world was such a sweet, memorable experience for me, even if he is now seven and would probably kick me in the shins if I ever tried to hug him.

On the other hand, only Mr. Dub and every medical resident in the greater Chicago area were on hand for Miss Dub’s delivery. Since my mom was all the way out in Arizona, I decided to have her come out after I was back from the hospital rather than try to fly her in last minute. I wouldn’t have minded her being there, but I wasn’t devastated by her absence either. And while I would have reciprocated for Gfunk or Mrs. Jay, I pretty much don’t plan on inviting my friends and/or mailmen into the room in the future, mostly because those rooms are really small and labor is pretty boring.

Other people I know are even more adamant about NOT having anyone there. No mothers. No outsiders. Maybe not even their husbands.

And while I will fight to the death to preserve a laboring woman’s right to anydarnthingshewants, I wonder if their motivation is to have a more intimate experience or worries about someone seeing their hoo-hoo. And if it’s the latter, I say, “Hey! As long as the doc has taken a peek, who cares?”

And what about your other children? Is it cool or not to let them be there for the baby’s first moments of life? I hadn’t thought about this much until a friend brought up the Hot Topic. I’m thinking it’s a bad idea only because small children can be really annoying, especially after you’ve been pushing for two hours. But, then again, it is a miracle worth witnessing at some point in your life.

Soooo ... what’s your delivery room like? A public party or a private engagement only?

And if you haven’t been on the other side of the stirrups, how do you feel about being in the room for someone else’s labor and delivery?

Go.