quote of the day and more on birth

"Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are."  -Augustine

This butterfly charm was given to me by our VBAC group last week at our playgroup meeting. To me this charm symbolizes natural birth. I have two beautiful, healthy children from two cesareans but part of me as a mother still feels like a caterpillar waiting to escape from it's cocoon. I think when a mother gives birth naturally to her child she also gives birth to a part of herself, her strength, her inner being as a women. With the homebirth of my next baby I will escape this cocoon and be born again into the strong butterfly of a women that I always knew was there.

Women seeking a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) have to fight hard to escape the cocoon of modern medicine. We have doctors throwing inaccurate statistics at us and threats that we are putting our babies at harm if we choose not to have a repeat cesarean. We have hospital's banning VBACs. We have family and friends telling us that a healthy baby is all that matters. What about a healthy mother, one that has her wishes and her body respected?? With all of this around us the seed of doubt is planted in our minds, can I really do this? YES!!! I can and you can and women all across America can but we have to fight for it. We have to get pissed off about what is being taken away from women when they are led to believe that a cesarean is the only option and we have to find the strength and courage to stand up for our rights.

The closest doctor and hospital that would take me as a patient for a vaginal birth after two cesareans is over two hours away. I could have given in and scheduled a repeat with the OB who put me in this position in the first place but I didn't give up there. I went seeking a homebirth midwife who would take me. I found some that wouldn't but luckily I found some great ones who would. And that is where I'm at now, still fighting the fight 35 weeks pregnant with my third baby and planning the birth I've always dreamed of :)