The Business of Birthing Wine

June 11th, 2009 → 3:46 am @ Josh Hermsmeyer


Note: I started this post way back in October. There are some interesting things I want to say about natural birth and natural wines, and I will, but not today. Today my wife is in labor and will be giving birth to my baby girl Charli. It’ll be a natural childbirth once again (barring an emergency requiring a hospital visit), no drugs and no freakin’ gurneys.

The birth center we will be hanging out at is actually just a well outfitted home, complete with couches, a stereo, beds, rocking chair, nice courtyard, birth tub for water births, you name it. From my point of view – and I don’t have to do the pushing, so take it for what it’s worth – a birth center is definitely the way to go.

Anyway, keep us in your prayers for a speedy, complication free birth! – Josh

All Natural

The other night my wife and I watched a documentary with Riki Lake (yes that Riki Lake) on natural vs. hospital childbirth. It’s called The Business of Being Born.

The general thrust (heh) of the documentary is that interventionist practices by medical doctors have done much to rob women of the experience of giving birth, while also pumping mothers and their newborns full of drugs, all for no measurable change in outcomes.

Riki takes all this pretty seriously. In fact she’s kinda nutty. I can’t really blame her. Giving birth is a big deal and being hopped up on hormones for 9 months takes it toll.

My wife takes it seriously, too. I respect that completely. She had our son naturally at our local birth center, sans drugs, like a freakin’ Amazon. It was awesome.

I was able to lie on the bed with her at the end, face to face, as she gave birth to Jackson. Usually men are relegated to the role of ineffectual cheerleader during birth, but I was able to play an intimate part in the whole deal because of the freedom you’re afforded by giving birth naturally. Moms aren’t forced to lie on their backs, legs in stirrups simply for the benefit of a doc, for instance (I’m told that’s the single most uncomfortable position to be in during birth). Instead moms are able to jump in the tub, walk around, sit on a ball, play the x-box, or do whatever helps them to deal with the pain.

So this is serious, miraculous, profound stuff were talking about here. Worthy of my undivided attention. But darn it if the whole time I was watching the documentary my mind wasn’t wandering back to wine.

To be continued…