Update!

Since my last blog post, which was mandated by the university, I have quite a bit of news to relate! Due to my massive belly and ankles, I was given a dispensation to complete my Graduate Internship on November 3, 2009. Successful completion of that internship made me a graduate of the GDLT program and a certified teacher in the state of Queensland! Huzzah!

Eight days later, I gave birth to my marvelous, clever, funny, agile and cute-as-hell little girl, Sara, by elective C-section. Don't fear, my readers and future c-section-havers! I loved her straight away. The C-section was recommended by my OB due to be blood being nearly solid (190/110) and Sara being up in my ribcage, making induction risky. As a planner, I was relieved. I simply went out to the receptionist who asked me "Is Wednesday at 10 OK?" As a badass, I was a little disappointed, since I had been ready to give labor a go. As a rational person, and a c-section baby myself, there was no agonizing or gnashing of teeth. That was just the way it was.

For those who consider c-section a cop-out, I merely have a scornful snort. Major abdominal surgery is no joke. I recovered, enough said about that, and by the way- my friend had 71 stitches in her vagina and perineum after her natural birth. Natural birth can be no joke either. as long as everyone comes out OK, it's a wash in my book.

Since then I have heard everything in the mommy dialogues. One friend required weeks of Bowen therapy to recover from grief due to the death of her childbirth dream by emergency c-section. A dear friend nearly threw up from PTSD when we visited a friend in hospital, and overheard another woman in labor. Another friend's second birth was so smooth and fast that her body went into shock at the lack of preparation.

Now I am a mom, I pack lunches, go to swimming lessons and decode toddler lingo. I am a science teacher, dusting off the old brain cells to go back to work a bit. I am an American living in Australia. And I am a passionate reader or moderate voices on childbirth, parenting and education issues.

So let's talk about it, let's be real, and let's be nice to each other!