Thursday, March 3, 2011

I love this trend . . .

In reading other mommy blogs, I've noticed a trend that I think is wonderful. The true celebration of pregnancy and childbirth. The subjects are no longer closed to young minds, women have a ton more choices about each, people document the processes of each with no shame, the sexuality inherently involved in each is no longer so buried, even people take pictures of babies crowning, women have home births in front of mirrors, fathers are there in the water helping birth a baby, fathers are the primary masseuses and couches during childbirth, women can have births how THEY want to, not how doctors feel they should, women can talk about both subjects without it being "taboo".

We come from a very repressed society, where women gave birth without their husbands present, where sex was something not discussed or talked about, where childbirth was seen as simply "dirty" or "messy", where both biological processes were not discussed and frequently swept under the rug.

I love how people now hire photographers or videographers to document the entire birth process, the wonderfulness of it, the blood and pain and all. We're finally being honest as a society about the realities of this process in many people's lives and we are no longer afraid of it.

I'm so glad I'm witness to this change in thought and society. I'm one of those women who likes to be able to talk about things, question tradition, explore new ideas and methods. I don't like being boxed in or told not to do something because it's just "not something we talk about". I'm going to be one of those mothers who demands a mirror when my babies crown, I'm going to want to try waterbirth, I'm going to want a photographer to document pregnancy and childbirth (yes I will probably have pictures of the actual birthing in a photo album for each child that I may have), I might even have nude pictures taken of me at 9 months pregnant someday, and above all, I'm going to do it how I want to do it for conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and child raising, teenage raising, and then befriending my kids! So there! :P

All of it is such a special experience, none of should be diminished by gainsayers/doctors/others.

Keep it up society, keep expanding those horizons!

2 comments:

Micah said...

haha yes ma'am ;) I won't argue with ya :P Not saying I will be a regular viewer of said videos or photos... except maybe the 9 month ones ;)

Mrs. Fuzz said...

I used a mirror when pushing Sienna out because they say it can help you stay focused and know when to push. I don't know if it did or not (you tend to close your eyes), but I'll probably do it again. I will say though that the key thing is just getting a doctor whose philosophies mesh with your own. Some people are hospital haters, but my experience was excellent and I'll do it the same way next time. I would love more pictures to be taken of my children's birth, but probably not crotch shots. Not because of the sexuality of it per say, but just because I find it unneccessary to document that stage for me to look at. I'd rather see my baby as she is lifted on to my chest than have shots of her head sticking out of me. Just saying. I find that stage interesting to view in the moment, but not so photogenic in pictures! Ugh...talking about this reminds me of stitches and how that felt. The aftermath is definitely painful.