Have You Heard of It?

I'm referring to the movie "The Business of Being Born" a documentary produced by Ricki Lake. It's AWESOME! I think my Great Aunt Milli would advocate for it, which is very high praise of it because A. Milli is probably the most highly educated woman I know on the subjects of birth and early childhood education. She's amazing!

Anyway, check out the movie if you can and if birth is of interest to you. Also, there's this really great blog I found in connection with TBOBB. It's called "A Mama's Blog." The author has a wonderful way of describing things. The post/review of the movie was written in February 2008. Her most recent post would, I hope, be of great interest to those who support Obama... you might second guess yourself, so maybe you won't want to read the October 12th post on the blog I've just mentioned!

I've watched TBOBB and it is really truly AWESOME! I didn't expect to cry because I've done the natural hospital birth (against the odds) as well as successful home birth, but I totally cried! It's just such a miracle... birth! And even more, in my opinion, unmedicated birth because of the complete with-it-ness of the Mama involved!! They didn't use these words, but one message I took from the movie is that natural childbirth is transcendental. It reveals you to yourself and, in all the best and worst thoughts and feelings you may have during the whole process, you realize that no matter how little (or much) you think you can do, you can do more if you just keep going! I've certainly felt that, for myself, with my daughters' births! It's like that Country Song by Rodney Atkins:

"If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there"

That, RIGHT THERE, is what it's like at the worst points in natural childbirth. You don't think, you just keep on going!! I know there were MANY times during my births (especially Ria's) that I was super scared. But I was determined not to show it because I didn't want Jess to doubt me and the process and then not support future home births! Weird? I seriously thought that!

Anyway, all of this 'empowerment' stuff is really coming at a PERFECT time for me because I've had so many more fears as I approach this birth. Karen, my midwife, has told me that it's really normal for women with a couple good births to have this sort of experience because it's almost like, "It's gone really quite well already with my previous births, how lucky can I get?" And that's exactly what my underlying concern was! It's amazing how perfect, for me, Karen is as a midwife!

Then, on top of those fears, the extended duration of this prodromal labor has been wearing me down. Much of the time I feel like my nerves are raw and I'm just trying to coast through the day. I'm sure that's also partially due to fatigue, but more due to the regular (and often constant) pain of light to middling contractions. I'm grateful for moments and times when I don't have contraction related pain. It's such a relief!!

The Baby and This Pregnancy
We had a midwife visit on Monday afternoon. I didn't have her do an internal check my progress because I was afraid of being frustrated by it. Everything is normal. Baby seems to have dropped more because the belly measurement didn't change from last week. Normal... check. Movement is still strong and regular. I'm still tired and crampy.

Starting REALLY early this past Tuesday morning I thought I might be actually starting labor. I even stopped working ChaCha to get to bed because I was just sure that I would need the rest. It was difficult to fall asleep, but I was able to do so by convincing myself that the contractions would wake me up later. Imagine my disappointment when they DIDN'T!

I have had lots of "action" today, but nothing constant or intensifying. Bummer.

If this baby hasn't decided to grace us with her/his presence by Tuesday, I'll have to go in for an ultrasound to buy me another 5 days of non-interference. If you feel so inclined, I would appreciate prayers that the baby arrives on his or her own before an ultrasound would be necessary on Tuesday, October 21. Dog-gone-it, I've made it this far without one! It's not an extra expense, other than gas, at least, but I'd still rather avoid it completely.

The thing is, with both Ria and Kat I had relatively non-invasive and natural interventions to cause labor to start and it wasn't good for me mentally because the WHOLE time I knew I was in labor. I don't want to do it that way this time! I want to keep wondering and hoping and then KNOW at some random point in time. Ya know? Anyway.... Karen's all for that and doesn't even plan to try anything at 42 weeks, which is awesome. (Of course, I'll have been for the ultrasound the day before, but that's not part of any induction process unless some problem is discovered there.)

Who Do You Choose? Take a Stand!

I choose McCain and Palin. Not because they are perfect or because I agree with ALL of their ideas and stances, but because they are the best of the choices available. I choose them because I believe they will truly work for our country, rather than expect that they were raised up to save it.

As I learn more and more about the two main contenders, I have felt the wool to be removed from my eyes. You see, I was totally bedazzled by Obama. He speaks well! His ideas are attractive, at least the main ones, like HOPE, that he speaks very eloquently about in the big meetings. Jess and I were both planning to vote for him.

I truly feel like I was awakened from a dream. In reality, the truth is that I was able to discern the truth rather than continue to move in the mire of a bamboozled and befuddled brain, convinced by what was said, rather than understanding what has already been done.

If past behavior is any predictor of future behavior, and in human behavior it REALLY is, then I can not trust Obama. While there are ways that someone of the opposing perspective could say the same of McCain, I think that McCain's actions speak MUCH more loudly of integrity than Obama's ever will. I agree that Obama is a wonderful speaker. I agree that his speaches are uplifting and inspiring. But I have to say that I truly believe he is much more talk than he is any actual substance. And, when it comes right down to it, we need a leader of substance who will not balk and simper and make slip ups in statements about his own religion.

Which brings me to my first of many issues and the first of the three I'm going to share with you. Did you hear about that one? It was aired, but the nothing was said of it after the slip. True, Obama and the interviewer were speaking about Muslim as a part of his upbringing and how the other party had made or not made statements about it, but when it comes right down to it, if you're truly and completely dedicated to your system of beliefs, would you ever accidentally say, "My Muslim faith," if you are not Muslim? And then, have to be corrected by an interviewer who said, "You mean your Christian faith."

I have absolutely nothing against Muslims. And as a dear friend of mine pointed out, Muslims and Christians have a lot more in common than most people realize or are willing to acknowledge. I love that because, in my opinion, that happens to be the truth across most divides. My problem is not that Obama might be a Muslim, but rather... that he's unwilling to openly be what he seems to be! If you're a Muslim, BE a Muslim and don't pretend to be something else because that's what will get you where you want to be. That's my problem!

Then there's the whole abortion issue. I won't even begin to try to explain my personal beliefs and perspective on that issue. I'm never quite able to make my perspective understood, so I won't even try. Suffice it to say I'm completely IN SUPPORT of any and every baby born having a right to life! I think most people, especially those who have had any children, feel that way as well. Not Obama.

And have you seen the information that shows some dirty hands with regard to the financial ridiculousness happening right now? Who has the dirty hands? Obama.

My presentation of information here is very brief and really incomplete. There are tons of much more eloquently stated explications about this man who has such a great face, but not nearly enough substance. Check them out. One place to look is A Mama's Blog. And there's always Google!