momzilla (rawr)

Femina has had a few excellent posts lately about childbirth and the "momzilla" (a woman who will have things go according to (birth)plan....or ELSE!).  i felt convicted at that because when i was pregnant with little zu i had so many grand plans that did not work for that particular baby--because, despite what the books tell you, every baby is different and i truly believe that there is no One Best Way to mother--whether its bottlefeeding vs. breastfeeding, attachment vs. cry it out, etc.

i think that as a first time mom, if i had been more willing to be pliable, to rest in God's grace for me as a mom, that i would not have beat myself up when i had to go with a plan B (or, as i thought, second best, because it was not my first choice. it took me a long time to realize that what i choose first and what is best is not necessarily the same thing!).

i enjoyed reading today their post on childbirth--the first theological perspective on childbirth that i have ever read. in the hospital i cried when i was told i might have to have a c-section--next time, whenever God blesses us with another little emerson, i aim to hold my plans much more loosely, and to be thankful that God has blessed me with access to good doctors and good hospitals.

"You’ve got all kinds of options regarding childbirth. Thank God. But never forget that those choices are privileges and blessings, not rights. Hold them loosely. And, at the end of the day, thank God that your biggest problem is that you might have to have c-sections from now on . . . and not that your husband was left a widower, with a newborn baby and four other kids."