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I'm afraid my former sassyness has been replaced by a rare mellowness so I won't be too intense with today's Hot Topic.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