LABOR & DELIVERY

Right now Brad and I feel relatively prepared – you know, as much as one can be for an atomic explosion. So now we are just spending this week organizing around the house and purposely trying to relax. It’s weird that this major event does not have an exact deadline, she could come tomorrow or in two weeks – who knows? I’m sure it’s the first of the many ironic jokes of parenthood.

So what’s the next big step on this magical mystery tour called pregnancy? Labor and delivery. In preparation I took classes at our local hospital and read all the usual literature and books. Which merely provided an outline for delivery – nothing totally true to life. It was a general idea of what to expect with the caveat of “but anything can happen!” thrown in. Which is darn right baffling. I could have taken a written exam on what to expect in a delivery room which hardly prepares you for any hands on experience. It’s not like high school calculus – I’m actually going to have to use this information! So after weeks of nervous “what ifs,” you know what I found most comforting albeit terrifyingly informative? The Birth Story features that Design Mom did on her blog over the last eight months. I read every single post. Some twice. Some I retold to Brad. I learned that in between sadness and happiness lies every single birth story. And knowing that I could truly never be prepared for delivery - because you name it, it’s happened to someone, somewhere - has been oddly calming. As one woman said to me last week, “I can’t wait to hear your delivery story.” And now I can finally respond - me too.

Speaking of birth stories did you hear about the woman that delivered her baby while driving herself to the hospital? Sheesh – I’m not that sort of Viking, but the quick and dirty approach does sound appealing.

38 WEEKS