I have a big mouth

This poor gal that I scarcely know from BMSynagogue just hit her due date. I say "poor" because I just wrote her an unsolicited small novel about empowerment or inductions or something. I try to keep my opinions to myself on such topics (unless it's something glaringly wrong, obviously) and don't give too much advice unless it's requested.

However, few things tick me off more than hospitals badgering perfectly healthy women and babies into unecessary procedures, especially inductions, which bear so much inherent risk and lead so often to c-section. I know it's the latest rage these days to Type A the whole shebang and play God, set your babies birthday yourself because you like the numbers or you don't want to miss your hair appointment or whatever the hell. Elective inductions, don't get me started.

But inducing at 41 weeks and claiming the poor girl is overdue? Please. Assuming her fluid levels are good, placenta still healthy and baby is normal, no high BP...there's no reason. ESPECIALLY when they KNOW that the "due date" is a flexible number to begin with, and the added statistics that show heavily that women on average go 7-10 days past their due date with a first child. Really, they should probably just revise the damn info and make 41 weeks the average gestation. Whatever.

So I tried not to be too preachy and didn't throw out too much info, rather encouraged her to do her own research and you know, believe in herself and follow her heart and all that mushy shit. I cannot stress enough that I barely know this woman. Like, we've shared a few jokes at youth group and some lovetaps on the rear and that's pretty much the depth of our relationship. Oh well, she can hate me but if something I say helps her have a better birth then woohoo!

Ok, I'm going to add in here what I HATED about the induction. I didn't like the hospital setting overall, really, because it made me feel like there was something WRONG with me. It absolutely goes against everything I believe about birth. Obviously, there is a time and a place (Ray's birth was one of them) for interventions, doctors and all that. But I think America has reached (and far surpassed) a point where they're just making too many things into diseases and problems and things that need to be fixed with unnatural chemicals, scalpels, and machines. Back to basics people, especially with something so very much a part of life as birth. Go find a midwife and give her a freaking hug or something.