Morning thoughts about length of pregnancy
I was part of the 50% of women that choose to become pregnant. I was proud to show my growing belly; my hands were alway caressing my baby, even when she was inside me.
As my babies grew, I remember the feelings of mid-pregnancy. I felt a great harmony in myself, as all of my body systems worked together well. There were some annoyances: the heartburn of the first pregnancy, and the hemorrhoids’ return in the second. There was also an amazing deep and easy sleep; now, when I lie awake for a while before falling asleep, I remember with envy those days being asleep the instant my head hit the pillow. Labor was something that was far away and scary. I thought about labor often. Would I make it through? Would I have to have surgery to get my baby out? Would I be in control of my destiny? Mostly, I enjoyed being pregnant and connecting energetically with the growing soul inside me.
By the last weeks of pregnancy, I was very tired of the weight, and all the physical limitations of my big belly. My attitude about labor changed; I started to look forward to the birth of my baby in a way that I had not done at the beginning of pregnancy.
My thought this morning is that there is a built-in wisdom in pregnancy. Its length changes a mothers’ attitude so that she looks forward to the labor, and to mothering. “To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
Induction always means a mother is not ready to give birth, and a baby is not ready to be born. Induction is a serious procedure, full of risk. Induction is a last resort, when a mother is too ill to continue a pregnancy. Inducing for convenience makes labor, delivery and breastfeeding difficult, because the natural flow is interrupted and disturbed. Everything comes with a price. Best to let the baby start the labor.
