Corey and I met with our doula Nicole today and it was a great experience. I went into the meeting knowing a little bit more than he may have about doulas and we both left completely comfortable, knowing this was definitely something we both wanted to invest in and have for the birth of our daughter.
As we were talking and getting to know each other, she referred to me as "the reluctant hippie," and it all made perfect sense. She was right. I don't feel very hippie...in fact, I'm not really sure what hippie feels like, but I know that a lot of the choices Corey and I are making for our birth and our baby are not "mainstream" and that alone, I guess, puts us in the hippie category for some people. Whatever! Call me what you want, but I thought it was a great blog name and a great place for us to share what we are doing and learning about in terms of natural childbirth and raising a baby. Plus, you can now learn all about this stuff without asking us and pretending like you care, only to talk about how "crazy" we are later! It's a win-win! :)
So, if learning about all of my birthing options and making an informed and educated decision to take the natural route makes me a hippie, then bring it on. If not allowing visitors to our house for at least a week after the baby is born makes me a hippie, then bring it on. (Note: there will be a future blog post on this topic.) And, if eating my own placenta (in pill form) like every other mammal on this planet makes me less of a "civilized" human being and DEFINITELY a hippie, then BRING IT ON! (I know you're looking forward to a post on that!)
Before I end this first post, I want to make one thing explicitly clear...I am not against, nor would I ever put down the way another woman chooses to birth, recover, and raise her child. What I am against is uninformed decisions...doing things just because that's the way they've been done for the last 60 years. Educate yourself.
That being said, if you choose a hospital birth, an epidural, an elective c-section...you go girl. It's your journey. This is mine.
What a perfect first post! I totally know where you are coming from since I was once a "reluctant hippie" also :) I think it's funny that choosing to do things differently than the mainstream based on education and informed decision making automatically makes one a hippie, but I now wear the label proudly after attaining my official hippie status about 16 years ago after my first natural birth, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping and eventually homeschooling. For those who worry, my boys are now 10, 13 and 15 and some of the most well-adjusted and independent young men I've had the pleasure to know and raise!
ReplyDeleteThere is no "right way", just YOUR WAY!