8/9: No turning back
Yesterday, I had my first major moment of doubt.
This whole time, I’ve been so in awe and thankful that this is happening, pumping myself up for the birth –I keep telling myself that it’s the first chance I’ll get to show myself how strong I am- and relishing every little bubble and popcorn pop in my belly.
I’ve been listening to the Pregtastic podcasts (lame name, awesome podcast), and yesterday one scared the bejeezus out of me. A woman was talking about her birth story and basically said, “there was blood and guts everywhere.”
Blood and guts??
Obviously, I never expected the birth to be “pretty”, but that statement right there made me realize how REAL this all is. That baby is coming out –and it gave me a great visual of where exactly it’s coming out of… eep- and we have to be ready to take care of it. There’s no turning back.
My friend Jeni , who gave me the advice to start learning what to do after the baby’s born instead of focusing on the actual birth so much, sent an amazing care package including a motherload of baby care books. I’ll be sure to post photos of the books and my thoughts when I’m finished reading them. I read for about 2 hours last night and learned:
-about baby hygiene (cord care, baths, etc)
-about cord blood banking –which we’re planning to do
-arguments for and against circumcision, which sounds to me like a terrible, awful thing to put a baby through [When I asked the Pilot if he wanted our son to be circumcised, he said “F*ck yes he’s getting circumcised.” Wow. He feels pretty strongly about that one]
-Swaddling and putting the baby to sleep on his back.
While I’m sure that every parent-to-be has their doubts about whether they’ll do it “right”, I just feel like there’s so much I don’t know. I know how to cuddle and love, so that counts for something? As far as everything else goes, I might be reading for the rest of my life.
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Our little girl is a month today… We managed all natural with a doula at the hospital.
I didn’t know what to “really” expect… But it is awful in ways but beautiful. I got to experience something that women across all time have experienced.. I feel more like a woman now (cliche I know) AND I really love that I got to work through the pain as my little baby was also working through that difficult process . It is hard work for them too!
Mostly it all comes naturally- even this after part- loving her so much I can barely imagine it myself…
So all the reading I did before has flown out the window.
We are wired for this. You will be an amazing mother and you will have an amazing birth that will be yours and yours alone.
Remember- no two births are alike!
yiii it’s scary. I’m due in three weeks but it looks like I may be induced earlier, so I’m pretty nervous. This is my first, and even though I had (almost) no worries throughout my pregnancy, now that Baby Esther is almost ready to be born I keep second-guessing myself and worrying. But I think that all mothers have fears for their children all their life, so I guess I better get used to it!
Um, TMI but my fiance is uncircumcised and it’s the best possible thing ever. At first I was freaked out by it since it isn’t common in North America (he’s British) but then I realized it’s like a perfect little protective glove!! haha. There’s no reason to remove it as long as a guy understands how to keep the whole area clean. It even prevents chafing. A miraculous little pocket of joy. 🙂
I agree! My boy-friend is uncircumcised as well but he’s from Mexico 🙂 He’s never experienced any problems with it.
My hubs is uncircumcised as well and it is very natural and doesn’t seem odd to me at all. He has told me that sex is supposed to be much better when a man is uncircumcised. No problems for him either. I dig it.
Yes, I’ve heard the sex thing too! Apparently it provides extra ‘friction’, ahem.
Mostly I’ve just read that circumcised men lose a lot of the nerve endings over time from constant chafing, which just sounds like sadtimes.
On the other hand I knew a kid in high school who was constantly tormented for being uncircumcised. I honestly don’t even remember his name but his nickname was flabby. Sad but true. :/
Natalie- Luckily that shouldn’t be a problem anymore as the % of boys getting circumcised is a LOT lower than it was when we were growing up! In some places it is around 50/50.
My husband is uncircumcised also. He is an American, second generation born in America, his grandpa immigrated from Holland. I asked my midwife what people were doing now she said it’s 50/50 and that there aren’t any benefits to being circumcised. In the 80’s it was a big thing about cleanliness and that’s why it’s more common, because everyone seemed to be doing it then.
When we were having our son we decided not to circumcise him. My sister has circumcised all 4 of her sons and she cries every time and told me that she wished she didn’t do it. She decided to do it because her husband is and had pressure from her doctor. She keeps doing it so all her sons are the same.
I don’t personally see a point to mutilating a newborn baby in any way unless it’s a hard and fast religious requirement. Abraham and his kin (the first Jewish tribe) started the practice for one reason only, to differentiate themselves from other that did not follow their faith, nothing more. (They also decided not to sacrifice human beings, that was the other thing they did to differentiate themselves.)
Lots of studies out there show men who are Not circumcised are more confident throughout their lives in general and have better sex lives. If he wants to do it later on in life he has that choice, but giving him that choice might be a wise decision. The vast majority of men since the dawn of man have been uncircumcised cuz that’s how nature made them, and that’s how they should stay, in my opinion. And the cleanliness thing? Total crap. Again, since the dawn of time men have had foreskin and they’ve managed to keep on living and procreating for hundreds of thousands of years. Just sayin!
AMEN!
I heard that we should get all of our reading done now because after baby we won’t have that time to ourselves to dig into a book. Who knows. Also, I feel the same way, the thought of birth scares the crap out of me. Hopefully going to childbirth classes and understanding it better will help. And the end result is all worth it, right?! 😀
You’re so, so, so, so, so normal. One thing at a time. When the time comes for ALL of this stuff, listen to your heart (and your husband) and you will know what to do. Breathe.
another reason I fear having a boy! I am anti- circumcision, (unless theres some sort of problem) but my husband is very pro. Mostly for the ‘normal’ aspect of things. My brother told me if I circumsize my son he will never speak to me again- and had a really good argument for the con side of things. One thing being – TMI ahead- that a uncircumsized man can enjoy sex very late in life, where circumsized men eventually lose a lot of the nerve endings from constantly rubbing on insides of pants and such, that it is dramatically different (in the hundreds of thousands of nerve endings lost!) sensation over the years. anyway, not a guy, can’t relate, but a decision not to be taken lightly. He also told me a horror story of his friend who now hates his parents for robbing him of that. so yeah, don’t want to be on the receiving end of that! and of course, worst case scenario, the botched circumcisions. ok… probably not helping the pregnant lady, but it’s scary!!
Also, I hope you didn’t read YHL’s birth story 0_0
I did and it scared the crap out of me (I’m 3-1/2 months pregnant). But their daughter Clara is just so beautiful and precious and it makes them appreciate her even that much more, as if that’s even possible.
love the name clara! my great grandmother’s name 🙂
you will NEVER be prepared for everything! (this is what my mother told me when i was pregnant with my daughter) She said yes we women have a birthing and motherly nature that just comes one day at a time and you learn as you go how to care for your child. and you will NEVER stop worrying either 🙂 Its our job as parents
I had to be induced & even ended up having back labor, but it was all totally manageable & there was no blood or guts – ridiculous! You will be totally fine, & it’s really true that once it’s over, you totally forget the pain. As for being good parents, don’t even give it a 2nd thought! You guys will be GREAT! What did our parents do w/o all the “how-to” books? We managed to survive, didn’t we? Sometimes the internet is a little too much info, know what I mean? I used the “What to Expect…” books & found them very helpful. One thing to be aware of – I think all new parents have at least 1 moment of “OMG, this is totally overwhelming!” after the baby is born. This is completely natural & mostly a result of severe fatigue (you will experience moments of complete, utter exhaustion). Just be aware that we have all had those moments, & they are a small part of what is 99% joy, & it has nothing to do w/ your parenting skills. You guys will really be wonderful parents!
You’re fears and concerns are completely justified. As a very new mommy(I delivered my baby boy last Monday) I can tell you that I had many of the same thoughts pre delivery. Looking back now I realized all that worrying was for nothing. Labor isn’t a walk in the park by any means but if you go into it prepared then you will be fine. All during my pregnancy people would ask if I was scared for the pain and my reaction was always “He’s coming out one way or another, so why stress about it?” I think that mentality helped me stay calm and cool once the pain started. One of my biggest concerns was what everyone would think if I chose to go natural or not and again that was something I shouldn’t have worried about. Everyone’s labor and delivery is unique and not something you should compare. In any case my hubby and I also had the circumcision debate and decided to go with it for many reasons but it was a topic of conversation almost everyday in our house. Do your research and you two will find an agreement even if one of you has to concede. Enjoy your pregnancy because it goes so fast!
I think most men feel the way Pilot does about circumcision – my husband sure did! But when they brought our baby back into our room after it was done and showed us how to care for the wound, my husband cried. Only time he cried during the whole process, but he just felt so bad about it! But I’m guessing if we have another boy, he’ll still want it done. It sucks when they do it, but it’s totally fine now ten weeks later.
Thank you for posting this! I’m due in 3 days (eek!) and despite all of my reading, I have had numerous breakdowns throughout my pregnancy with these same concerns (some of which I’m sure can be attributed to lovely pregnancy hormones). It’s good to know I’m not alone with my concerns. Although I have many momements of doubting my ability and fear, I try to keep in my husband and friends’ advice in mind: There is no one right or wrong way to do anything, and no two babies or births are the same. I just have to be confident that we have our little guy’s best interest in mind and so much love to give, and we’ll do the best we know how to do. No matter how much planning you do, plans change with everything in life and by arming yourself with knowledge now is the only thing you can do. You and the pilot will be fantastic parents!!! p.s… same thoughts from my hubs on the circumcision discussion
I am so worried about the circumcision, too! But my husband is exactly like yours, and I guess that’s the one thing I won’t try to sway his mind about.
Like you, I amazed a lot of stuff, it’s not that bad…then I went to take my first wash and I was washing “down there” for the love of god, things are swollen, I screamed a little…it was pretty. Too much tmi maybe but no one told me and I was shicked
Haha, love the Pilot’s response to circumcision. I can’t say from experience (no kiddos yet), but I’ve been reading your blog for a long ass time now, and I know you’ve got such a great head on your shoulders and you’ll be great. You’re a woman! You can do this
I like Jeni’s idea! You’re going to do great! You deserve the “I’m so crafty, I can make people” button!
Here it is on Etsy-
http://www.etsy.com/listing/6180964/im-so-crafty-i-make-people-button
I’ve already decided that when I’m pregnant someday, I won’t let myself think about labor until it’s happening. I’m the type of person that would worry about the pain from the second I found out, no matter how excited I was! Love the Pilot’s circumcision answer by the way 😉
You’re going to be a wonderful mother, Gina! You already are.
I don’t have kids, but remember what it was like when I first learned to care for my pets – my cat, dogs and the horse I visit on weekends – there were plenty of gross or tough jobs relating to their care that I quickly learned and now don’t think twice about.
Of course, a baby is very different than animals, however my point is that you’ll quickly get the hang of things 🙂
And LOL to the Pilot’s response! I guess he feels very strongly about that topic!
I was induced 2 weeks early, opted for the epidural, and I delivered my son Jack in 3 1/2 hours with only 20 minutes of pushing. Yes, I opted for the epidural. Everything was fine. The baby was fine. The guy that gave me the epidural was my new best friend. You still feel “stuff” but it takes the richter scale of delivery down a few notches, plus there was no burning as he crowned (the thing that freaked me out for 9 months). After he was born, we snuggled, breast fed and did all the wonderful bonding. All the pain and pushing was instantly forgotten. Then, I was up within an hour or so to shower! Do what is right for you in this department!! There was no blood and guts. Your “flow” afterwards is like a heavy period for a couple of weeks, but this is the only “blood” in the whole process. Being induced wasn’t scary, getting the epidural wasn’t scary (my labour pains progressed very quickly) the only thing about it was it took awhile to have it done because they had to stop the process every time I had a contraction. The nursing staff I had were awesome, which also makes a big difference. My husband did the slow count to 10 as I pushed…the doctors praised the slow count and I just wanted him to hurry the hell up!!
The circumcision decision: my husband is; his son from his previous marriage isn’t; and we opted to NOT circumcise Jack either. We talked about it a lot, but once he was there we took one look at him and it just became a non-issue. The thought of them cutting my new little man outweighed all the conversation about to cut or not to cut. If the pilot really wants him done, tell him to take a week off work to take care of it afterwards. 🙂 We discussed it with our doctor as well and she said that more boys are uncircumcised now than they were a generation ago (they also used to shave women and made our mothers lay on their backs to deliver). Good luck in this department!
And congratulations on this amazing life-changing-for-the-better event. Now that I have Jack, I can’t imagine my life without him, and you will too.
There are horror stories for everything- marathons, elevator rides, days at the beach- don’t let them get to you. Women give birth every day- it’s painful but doable.
I think both parents should agree on most aspects of childcare, but the circumcision thing I would leave up to the dad.
Gina, if you’re in a place where the more you know, the more you’re worried about doing right, I would stop reading. Newborn care is just not that complicated! You will kill yourself with anxiety if you are comparing your experience to book experiences. (Just wait until you start expecting milestones for the baby – eek.) No matter how much you prepare, it will not be what you expect – it just can’t be. In some ways it will be harder, but in many ways it will bring more joy, more laughter, more love. Just roll with the punches as well as your little Type-A self can 😉
My husband had the exact same reaction about the circumcision thing. I guess it’s a guy thing- we just can’t understand the same way.
Oh and another thing – I do not remember any blood from my deliveries, but in the photos I’m spattered with it everywhere! It’s messy. There are a lot of bodily fluids involved. And your first shower afterward will be a glorious thing. But you will not feel like you’re bleeding or dying or injured or anything like that. You’ll feel amazing AND finally get to snuggle your little man – way worth any amount of mess!
we had to have help to get preg, and I had a great pregnancy, but near the end I was terrified and so unsure it was something I really wanted! that all changed as soon as I saw her, thank goodness.
oh and my birth story was NOT fun, but it WAS worth it……. and there was very little blood (shockingly little, really) and no guts involved 🙂
you’ll be great!
Yeah, we had differing opinions on circumcision too (me against, husband for). Ultimately, I let him make the decision since he is the boy. I totally understand why people don’t circumcise, but I think you have to really tune other people out, do your own research, talk about it, and decide what is best for you and your family.
…and FWIW, none of my births were what I would consider bloody. There was some, but it was no horror movie situation.
I rarely leave my Google Reader to comment on blogs, (bad, bad – I know!) but I had to come over and say PLEASE, PLEASE inform your husband on circumcision! There are a metric ton of resources out there, and when we found out my son (who is now 2 1/2) was ‘all boy’ at the U/S – my husbands knee jerk reaction was a resounding ‘yes’ to circumcise him. It wasn’t until he started reading the facts, and I made him sit through a video of it being done that he completely changed his opinion. Mean? Maybe, but I believe if you are going to alter your childs anatomy without their consent, you shouldn’t be allowed to turn a blind eye to what they are going to experience. I am a former nurse, and seeing one in person the first time was what it took to make me realize how barbaric it is. (Strong word I know, but truly, that is how it felt to me.) In many parts of the United States, it is far more common to NOT circumcise these days than to do so. The argument many like to give is that they don’t want their child to be ostracized among their peers, but the rates of circumcision are steadily going down as more parents are being informed. I will kindly get off of my soapbox now(!), but as new mother’s we get obsessive compulsive over the pregnancy and baby books. We are even starting to ‘wake up’ to the process of birth itself, but circumcision in the US is all too often a decision that is based on automatic assumption, and there is little thought put behind the actual process or reason for it being done.
Above all momma, ALWAYS remember to follow your gut instinct! 😀 It will get you so. much. farther. than any book out there on the shelves. I am now 26 weeks along with #2, (girl!) and I’ve found so much relief this time around in realizing I have that ‘mom intuition’ I was told so much about before my son was born.
‘Worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have’ 🙂
Yes – don’t focus so much on the birth! It’s going to happen and you’re going to be concentrating on the baby, not even caring about the blood and grossness.
As for the other stuff — one day a time. There will always be differing opinions on circumcisions (I let my hubby decide that one), vaccinations, co-sleeping, babywearing, diapering, etc. There will always be judgment. The thing is – there’s no wrong way. As long as you love that baby and keeping him safe, you are doing it right!
I think that you’ll be fine. There are LOTS of imperfect parents out there, and most people turn out fine. You have an up on everyone because of all your research and thoughtfulness!
Personally, I would agree with the Pilot in terms of the procedure. He’s a guy, so he should know. Just like I don’t want men making women’s reproductive decisions for them, women shouldn’t dictate this one, especially when men seem to think it should be done.
I think love is the most important of all things. If you love your child unconditionally, everything else will fall into place. You’re going to be a FANTASTIC mother 🙂
thank you <3
One of my closest friends asked if I “really” wanted to hear all about the birth process, and I said yes. I’m now both completely terrified of giving birth when it eventually happens and oddly reassured (there were things she told me that I’m glad I now know)! You guys will be great.
Hang in there! My friend just delivered a healthy 9 lb 8.5 oz baby naturally! She did great and so will you!
I’m not super up-to-date on my circumcision information (I’m an adult NP), but I do know that the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t take a stand one way of the other. Here is the link to their statement if you are interested: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;103/3/686.
This is totally anecdotal-I’m definitely not claiming to be an expert!!!- I’ve seen several circumcisions (during nursing school) and while it looks horrible, the babies really don’t cry that much. The healthcare provider gives the baby sugar water (which is supposed to pacify infants) before and during the procedure and I didn’t really see them make a big fuss. Of course, I haven’t seen tons of circumcisions performed, so I can’t say they never seem like it hurts.
FWIW my brother isn’t circumcised because my mom said she held down one too many screaming babies during her med school internship. 🙁 I can’t help but think that unnecessary pain should be avoided, but my bf is jewish and we seriously have had heated discussions about this even though neither of us even want children! Touchy topic.
I was just about to leave a really similar comment. I’m a physician assistant & have witnessed several circumcisions as well. Every time, the little guy just laid there & sucked happily on the sugar water. It didn’t seem like it phased them at all! If you do go for the circ, don’t be too freaked out by how it looks afterward. It’s just a little….messy? Not what I expected I guess & I think most physicians are so used to that being the way it looks that it wouldn’t occur to them to forewarn the parents.
really good to know- thank you
I just told my boyfriend Will what the Pilot said and he said the same thing haha. I guess guys have come to a mutual consensus about this?
I’m pretty sure that love is all that matters 🙂
I left the circumcision decision up to daddy – daddy is circumcised, so baby will be too. I find most men that had it done actually want their boys to look the same (just from reading looots of forums) and besides, the fact that our men didn’t have any mental scarring occur from it is good enough for me.
I don’t remember aaaany of the stuff I went through as baby (and there was a surgery along with some other medical interventions), so babies are gonna be just fine. It’s supposed to heal very quickly too if you get it done straight away.
Hope you’ll figure out what you want to do! You’ll be great parents either way, you’re already showering with lots of love and thoughtfulness. 😉
Gina please let me know what these books are! I’ve only read one book on taking care of a baby (BabyWise, all about establishing good sleep patterns) and I definitely need to read more in these last few weeks. I know nothing!
i’ll write back to your email right now and tell you!
The circ debate is a tricky one for sure. I’m fence-y on the subject and my husband feels the same as yours does. There are, IMO, pros and cons to either decision. For example, WHO says that circ may decrease HIV transmission to the male during heterosexual sex (and yes, obviously I will teach my son to use condoms and hope that he does but realistically, I know that people can make poor decisions in the heat of the moment). I do know that my cousin had to get it done as a teen for medical reasons and, apparently, it’s VERY painful if it needs to be done later. So… I will probably let DH have this one as it isn’t a hill to die on for me like it is for him.
My husband is European and uncircumcised and is VERY anti-circumcision, as are most Europeans and Latin Americans, it seems. Circumcision is very unpopular outside the US, with the exception of Jews and Muslims, check out the stats: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prevalence_of_circumcision . And no major US medical organization recommends circumcision these days: not the CDC, not the APA, etc. San Franciscans were about to vote on whether the city should ban circumcision, until a judge stepped in and took it off the ballot. Circumcision really seems like an antiquated relic now of days when hygiene wasn’t so good and perhaps water was scarce, but it’s not really a modern thing to do. I look at it this way: if vaccinations didn’t exist now, and scientists just invented them, they for sure would immediately become the standard of care now because of the obvious health benefits. But if circumcision didn’t exist now and someone invented it, there is NO WAY it would immediately become the standard of care. If it were introduced for the first time now, can you imagine the riots at the proposition that we start cutting off parts of a baby boy’s penis?! It’s really just an idea whose time has since passed in the medical community, and it’s really not practiced in the rest of the world aside from religious reasons. But everyone should make their own decisions, of course. But it’s important to inform yourself of the facts and not let emotion sway this one (ie, just for the sake of having a son that looks like the dad, etc). One resource to start is http://www.nocirc.org/ . I’m a scientist, btw, so the research behind it and medical findings or lack thereof are very important to me! Best of luck with the decision and the pregnancy!
thanks for your comment- tons of great info, i’ll definitely be showing my hubby 🙂
So happy to help!! 🙂 I honestly never gave the matter much thought until San Francisco wanted to ban it (I’m in the Bay Area), and then it got me thinking… and then conversations with my husband and several other international friends about circumcision were really an eye-opener for me. I grew up in the US and it’s so common here that I never thought about it before… enlightening to realize that only about 1/6 to 1/3 of people worldwide are circumcised, and the rest of the world has a *very* different view than the US on it, though it looks like the US medical field and medical organizations are coming around. Best of luck!!
PS – I feel like it’s the least I can do; just discovered your blog last week and I love it, so much useful information and recipes!! I’ve been having a blast going through the archives. Thanks for all the amazing ideas and healthy living inspiration!! 🙂
thank you so much for reading! and for being a nice anonymous commenter 😉
I have a pretty unique name so I don’t like using it online, and I don’t have a blog… I’ll start going by “Postdoc”.
Girl major heavy topics…
Cord blood banking. They have to clamp the cord before it stops pulsing and therefore the blood in the cord that *should* go back into your baby to keep iron stores High <—very important..well…baby doesnt get that if you donate the cord blood. Maybe this has changed in the last 5 yrs but for us, we didnt do it b/c of that reason.
Not circ'ing. That's another big decision and had we had a boy, I had told Scott what my wishes were which is not really what he would have done 🙂 but I think he would have been on board. Again, it's all so personal and you just have to do what you feel is best.
As for birth being bloody, yep. But you know what, you really will not notice it. The whole environment will be so surreal you won't notice the blood. Just your baby 🙂
Gina, I am due in 4 weeks and my husband and I had the same debate re:circumcision. He feels the same way the Pilot does, and in the end, I let him have his way. If we were having a daughter and we had to make a decision about her in that respect, I think I would be the one to decide.
I have gone to childbirth classes, tried studying Hypnobabies, read Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, the list goes on and on. In the end – we are only in labor for a max of what, 1-2 days? I agree wholeheartedly, focus on the child care books and try to relax about the labor part. Even my birth plan is sort of “let’s wing it”.
You are totally normally in having those feelings. I think every mom-to-be feels that way. It suddenly hits you, this overwhelming feeling of Oh. Em. Gee. I am going to be a mom and I have no idea what I’m doing. Don’t worry, we seem to have an instinct that kicks in right when the baby is born! I read a ton of literature before my first was born….but by the time my baby boy came, I had forgotten most of it 😉
Nope. My son is intact. Just because my husband is circ doesn’t mean our son needs to be.
Hang in there, Gina! I think it’s safe to say that all (or most) pregnant women have these feelings. I know I do, just about every day! The only way I calm myself down is to think about pretty much any other huge undertaking I’ve done in my life: starting my job as a high school teacher, running my first marathon. While neither of these carry the same weight as raising our first child, they did carry immense feelings of anxiety and worry.
But I got through them by taking it a day at a time, learning from experience, reading and talking with others, and celebrating the small victories. I’m hoping to approach childcare in the same way.
That’s the stuff that terrifies me about pregnancy– not ACTUAL pregnancy, but the thing that comes after it– UMMM, raising a CHILD!!!! Terrifies me, terrifies me. But hey– I think something would be wrong with a person if it DIDN’T scare them, right?!?
I have two children. One birth was with an epi and the other was natural. Both were hard work, but totally worth it. I look back on both births as the most amazing, intense, and awesome moments in my life. Of course so many more come as they grow. 🙂 It happens, and it comes and goes before you know it. You’ll get through it. The fear is always worse than the event. I’m so happy that I’m a woman and had the chance to experience it. 🙂 All will be well, and you’ll be tired, but very happy, and honestly your fitness will go far in helping you through the birth, though you would still be fine if you weren’t fit. 🙂
Our son is intact, as is my husband. The rate of RIC is going down- 67% of infants in the US are being left intact. In my state, it’s 76%. In Arizona, it’s 80%.
Please be aware that the studies that say circumcision lowers HIV/STDs/penile cancer/UTIs are only relevant in developing countries (ex. Africa). They are not relevant to the United States.
where did you find those stats? (so i can show my husband)
I’m posting from my phone, so I can’t find the specific page, but the rates are from this website: http://hcupnet.ahrq.gov/
And the second part of my comment is from my Human Sexuality textbook: Human Sexuality, Roger R. Hock, Second Edition. My textbook for my HIV/AIDS and STI class (from last fall) say similar things, but I can’t remember what my textbook was called 🙁
*said similar things
I don’t know where I saw it, but I remember seeing the stats by region and they very greatly depending where you live.
Guts? There’s no guts! And it’s not that bloody. Odds are good you will not see any at all. I didn’t but I didn’t watch things progress.
While labor is no picnic, it passes and the hemorrhoids after were in my opinion about the most painful part. (But I had an epidural.)
I would give Tom plenty of data about circumcision, including current percentages of boys circumsized.
hi gina – my husband is cc’ed, & my 2 boys are too. i didn’t want to, but he felt strongly about it. the most persuasive argument i heard – that it’s important for boys to “look like” their dads.
the other thing to keep in mind, the actual procedure sounds horribly painful & medieval, but the reality is – the docs do a great job w/ pain reduction & distraction. also, babies don’t have the anticipatory component to all that – so they don’t know what’ s coming. sounds terrible i know.
forgot to mention that my 2nd son slept through the procedure completely.
Girl, let me tell you. When you’re in labor, you won’t notice any blood, guts, poop, or anything else – trust me. And even if you DO see those things…you won’t care. 🙂 They do a pretty good job of shielding you from that stuff.
Have faith in yourself and the Pilot. You guys are a team. You can do it! 🙂
P.S. I so LOVE these family posts!
thanks girl- i love writing them