Back-UP!

The Superbowl, along with American sports fanaticism, and patriotism, is all about commercialism. It is the one time during the year that our boys get to see commercials without us first pausing the DVR or making them leave the room. They love it! I noticed last night that there was a theme of harried, hen-pecked manhood, and I did a lot of eye rolling as I eyed Richard across the room nodding in sympathy with the beleaguered males.

The one ad that made my eyes pop out was the trailer for J-Lo's new chick-flick The Back Up Plan. The commercial started with a deep voice saying "Warning. What you are about to witness..." Black screen. Red letters (see it here). Next, a group of women, one beating a drum, surround a kiddie pool while a woman labors horror film style. Now, I have a hard enough time defending my choice to birth at home, without the film industry's portrayal of home-birthers as crazy, hippy-dippy morons who sit around in groups drumming babies into the world. I am tired of films presenting labor as hysterical, out of control, and horrific. All of the images I had of birth, before my own births, were of women screaming "I hate you!" at their men and huffing and puffing to distraction. Now, while there can be some truth (and comedy) to these representations, they really do a disservice to women and the birth process. They scare us into thinking we can't handle birth and they contribute to the intervention-heavy delivery that is common-place in this country. I am amazed at how many women, most of whom took extra care to eat and live perfectly while they nurtured their fetuses in-utero, sign up for a heavy dose of drugs right before the baby enters the world. The umbilical cord is still attached. To me it's like running a marathon and getting to the 24th mile and saying "Okay, give me some drugs!"

It is my personal belief that almost all of the emotions one can feel in this world are experienced in childbirth. Excitement, fear, pain, pleasure, exhaustion, hope, agony, triumph, relief, and ecstasy, to name a few. Unnecessary interventions rob women of the satisfaction of knowing that their bodies are capable of such a feat and that they can trust themselves. Now, don't get me wrong, I know that sometimes things go awry and there are complications, but I feel like doctors have made women doubt their own power, and have taken something magical and turned it medical.

And please, to those of you who had to get drugs, for whatever reason, I mean you no disrespect. I would have taken drugs too, I'm sure, If I had been offered them every hour while I was in labor. That's precisely why I had a home birth. In a birthing pool, with a little bit of screaming and NO drums!

Outfit:

Cap Sleeve knit shirt: From cousin (see Comedy Tonight). Old Navy.

Blue Tank underneath: Old Navy

Cream Sweater: From cousin. Merona.

Black, Red and White Checkered Skirt: From Salvation Army. I got this in high school!

Black leggings: Richard gave these to me. They are wool and they have many moth holes, so I have tights underneath.

Shoes: Payless. 5 bucks!