Birth?

I have been a little bit in denial about the fact that Smaldita has to get out somehow. I don't have strong feelings on c-sections, natural childbirth or painkillers. It will all happen and whatever plans I make will probably be shot when it happens, so I haven't been giving it much thought unless asked. Fast labors run in my family, too, so I've just been figuring that whatever happens will be quick. And one of our friends told us she'd loan us her childbirth DVD instead of taking a class since Steve has relatively few Saturdays off. Plus, given possible placenta previa I may have have to have a c-section anyway so I'm not worrying at least until we know whether or not that has resolved. So I guess it's not that I haven't thought about it, I just have a mishmash of concerns and I'm hoping I don't go into labor until after my thesis is written, but not while I'm presenting it. This is Maslow's hierarchy of needs as translated to Kate's hierarchy of labor concerns. Or something.

Then, yesterday the doc gave me the pamphlet on childbirth classes. I realized then that this is something real that I will need to confront, probably at some point in the next 17 weeks. I casually asked if she recommended any. She said prepared childbirth unless you're interested in any of the natural childbirth options. But then she followed up by saying that if the placenta bit doesn't clear up, I'll be having a c-section. Okay, then.

I went home and showed Steve the pamphlet and told him about how I don't really think I'll need painkillers, I'm tough, etc., and he again mocked my perception that I have a high pain tolerance. My trump card in this is usually to remind him of the broken leg he advised me to "walk off", but since he now doesn't believe that's when I broke my leg he stops listening and says "just get the epidural". So I sat down to read the labor and delivery section of my lovely Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and it made it not really sound so bad. I was feeling informed and resolved to go back to not worrying.

Then I read this: http://finslippy.typepad.com/finslippy/2005/11/i_was_reluctant.html
I was laughing hysterically but sobbing at the same time. How's that for pregger-emotions?