Thursday, December 3, 2009

my not-so-secret obsession

I can't stop watching birth videos. Really, I'm completely obsessed. I watch whatever I can get my hands on: the waterbirth DVD I got from the birth center, YouTube homebirths, and my own three babies being born. I can't seem to get enough.

I watch them like a football team watches game tapes. Comparing, assessing. Noting differences. The thing that strikes me the most is that I seemed to be so quiet during Kyle's birth (my 2nd labor) compared to the others. I do remember feeling much more in control of myself, and on top of the contractions. Also, my water broke early on Owen, and I suspect that's why things seemed so much more scary and intense. Owen's was my smoothest, easiest labor, though, in terms of time, pushing, and the fact that I didn't tear a single bit.

If nothing else, my boys have watched the videos with me enough that they ought not to get upset by the sounds of me in labor. Especially in the video of Owen's birth, I'm making plenty of pained, intense, when-will-this-be-over? sounds. So, there is that!

The baby is still quite active, which I love. I am fairly sure, though, that s/he's solidly transverse (which is a sideways position). I'd rest easier if the baby was head down, but my other babies have all been the same way...and there's plenty of time for him to get into a better position.

That's what I'm telling myself, anyway!

3 comments:

Kristin said...

I was always a wreck until my babies were head down. They all got that way eventually-- and in plenty of time-- but still, I was nervous until they moved!

paige said...

i just came back to check this post to see if you had links to your fave youtubes :) i was just looking there today too - thinking, "hmmm... i'm about to do this again..." Some of the faces, sounds, positions - are so intimately familiar - you recognize the depth of what's happening. It's hard not to sob through them all...

Mindy said...

Paige, one of my favorites is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMaNBKKix8I&feature=related. But it was originally posted with Rob Thomas' "Little Wonders" (Radio Edit). I look it up on playlist.com for the full video experience!