doctor's office

I just happened to have an appointment with my DO yesterday (Oct. 20). The practice that she's a part of happens to have a birthing center, although she's not a "baby doctor". I go in every three or four weeks and she does cranial-sacral adjustment on my spine and neck. It's wonderful stuff. But I digress...

I got to talk with the woman who is the adminsitrator of the birthing center. (She's also a midwife and works as an assistant in the office, so I know her...and she's had seven children.) She answered some questions, loaned me some books and assured me that I know what I'm doing. (I think it went something like, "Stupid people have babies. Unhealthy people have babies. Crazy people have babies. They all do fine. You are none of those.") She also told me that reading and learning in the early stages is important because in the later stages and in labor the key word is "surrender". My control freak heart seized at that word...but it makes sense. Then she said that birth happens in the body, not the mind, and I have to let my instinctual-wild-woman-mama-bear self take over. I felt conforted by her thoughts and approach.

I go back to see Dr. W, one of the ob/gyn's, on Nov. 1. I'm fairly confident that I want a water birth. Then the question becomes at home or in the birthing center? The first hurdle is making sure I'm not "high risk". Age isn't as big a deal as I thought. If I am high risk then I have to go to the hospital.