The Natural Way

Either it's because:

1) I grew up in hippy country (thank you VT)
or
2) I am far too intimately familiar with maternal and child health data
or
3) I'm scared of making a wrong decision
or
4) all of the above

that I am almost dreading next Monday, May 9 at 6 p.m. That's when I'm scheduled to have my baby medically coaxed out of me. Labor induction. I'll be given one medicine to "ripen" the cervix (great terminology, huh?) and then another medicine to make contractions start. This idea is to mimic the process that's supposed to happen on its own...only it hasn't, so after 42 weeks the womb starts to be considered an inhospitable environment. Or, I should write, has a greater chance of becoming inhospitable.

There's just something so...so...unnatural about it to me. Babies typically come out when they are ready to come out. So why force the issue? (Rhetorical question) I mean, what if I decide to induce when I'm scheduled to, and something goes wrong because of my decision? Or what if I decide not to induce and something goes wrong? Playing the "what if" game while you're pregnant is not particularly helpful.

I can't help but think of all the women in the world who get pregnant, have little medical care and just have their babies when they have them. Of course, I counter-argue this thought with the fact that maternal and infant mortality is astoundingly higher in places where everything is "natural".

Ultimately, I know this is the first is a LONG line of decision I'll have to make for and about my child. And even moreso, I realize that this is only the beginning of him trying my patience ;)