MOM 101: Introduction to Mommyhood

It’s been a month and a half since Scarlett was born and I can’t help but wonder: “Where does the time go?!” I feel like Steven gets home from work in the evenings and thinks, “What did she DO all day??” because it would appear that nothing got done, but I SWEAR I did things!! I fed the baby, and changed the baby, and rocked the baby, and played with the baby, and etc… Yes, the house is a mess and dinner is not even started—but I DID something!! And it may seem that those things should not take 8 hours, but they do, and I do not regret putting off those other things for these.

I have decided that being a mother is THE HARDEST, most time-consuming, labor-intensive, and emotionally-draining job in existence. I mention this not to complain but to add that it is also by far the most rewarding job in existence. It is worth every minute of hardship when your baby smiles at you with such deep and pure love in her eyes, or lights up when she sees you come into the room, or quiets at the sound of your gentle voice.

And speaking of labor-intensive… I chose to do a natural birth without any pain medication. It was such an amazing experience! I had always felt like I was led to it through the Spirit and I’ll admit when I was first coming to the decision I was scared out of my mind! I mean you grow up hearing things like “Childbirth is the WORST pain you will ever feel” and the like and as you go through your pregnancy you hear “Get the epidural AS SOON AS THE DOCTOR WILL LET YOU!” or if they know you’re going natural “Wow! You’re brave… I could NEVER do that…” In all truth, OF COURSE they could! That’s what a woman’s body was MADE to do. You’re at a hospital, with all kinds of medical staff watching over you—you’re not going to die. And if you’re talking about the “pain” involved—ask anyone who knows me how high of a pain tolerance I have and they’ll tell you it’s close to non-existent. And I want to tell the world:

Natural childbirth is not painful.

Granted, I wouldn’t describe it as comfortable, but if you are emotionally prepared and you concentrate on staying relaxed, I am telling you it really is not the traumatic experience everybody makes it out to be. I used a self-hypnosis technique known as HypnoBabies, and despite the fact that I wasn’t very faithful in my practice toward the end, I was able to incorporate and use those tools throughout my labor until I was pushing my beautiful baby girl out. And I am convinced that my labor was all the faster for my ability to keep myself calm and relaxed (I checked into the hospital at 6:30 at 5cm and my baby was in my arms by 9:45.).

Not to mention the inner-strength I feel for having accomplished such an amazing thing completely on my own! I mean, of course my midwife and some nurses were there—and of course so was Steven, but the only one HAVING the baby was me. And the only one PUSHING OUT the baby was me. And the only thing ASSISTING me with the “pain” birthing sensations was ME!!

I am not a hippie/ uber-naturalist. I don’t necessarily buy organic produce because I think it is somehow better than the much less-expensive regular produce. I occasionally use cloth diapers, but only for the money savings. I do not discount the modern medical advances we have today, and I am going to immunize my baby girl in a few weeks at her 2 month appointment. Some things are better with interventions. But others—giving birth being one of them—are so much more rewarding when left alone.

So, to all those women out there considering a natural birthplan, I 100% recommend it. You will feel empowered by your own strength for having done it, and you will be giving your baby such a wonderful gift of a drug-free birth.



"At that very moment time stopped, as it is one to do when present past and future collide. When ones existence ceases to be measured in days hours and minutes but instead in the immeasurable quantity of life events." –Pushing Daisies