21 Weeks

Note to self: do not ever watch a LIVE birthing video with your first child, before you give birth.  Let's just say that I watched two videos (one with an epidural, and one without) and I freaked out just a bit! I've never seen a live birth, and I know that I will most likely see one in my birthing classes, BUT I probably could have waited it out. :) Truth be told :: I am scared! Who wouldn't be scared? It's not an EASY thing to do, right? My mind starts playing mind games with me, and I have to start taking every thought captive to the Lord (2 Corinthians 10:5 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every captive, every thought, to make it obedient to Christ!) Am I going to have an epidural, or a natural birth? I'd like to talk about that in this blog entry, and why I feel so strongly about not having one....

I've never been completely against epidurals. I don't think that I've always wanted to go natural either.  I do know that in the beginning of creation, God created male and female, in His image He created them (Genesis 2). But because of the fall (Adam and Eve sinned and ate from the tree of good and evil AFTER God specifically commanded them not to (for their own good!) God gave specific curses for the serpent, Adam, and Eve. Eve's was this: 

"To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 

Now, I now I've never had a child before, and I know that regardless of the epidural, you DO feel pain throughout pregnancy, and in the beginning of the labor process. Does this justify "the severe painful labor we are supposed to feel?" I don't have an answer to that. What I do know is that this is what women should feel as a result of the eating from the tree of life, and disobeying God's commands. As a Christian, the weight of sin is an awful feeling. I also know the feeling of being completely redeemed and set free because of the blood of Jesus Christ, and his sacrifice on the cross for all mankind. We were supposed to die on that cross because of our sins, but instead Christ took our place so that we didn't have to suffer as he did. This doesn't mean that we won't suffer at all as Christians (we are at a constant state of war with sin in our lives -- just read Paul's struggle with sin in Romans 7) but we will always be in this constant struggle with sin until Christ comes in the end. What I am trying to say is that I believe because of the fall, and our disobedient hearts toward God, I should be feeling the pains of childbirth naturally.

I know that I can bring in the idea that God has created smart people, and in turn, they have created medicine, including epidurals, so that we don't have to go through that agonizing pain. But I am truly experiencing what God has intended for me to experience from the beginning? Some food for thought... 

21 Weeks! :) Halfway there!! I feel it, that's for sure! :)

My best friend Lindsey and I out for her 26th birthday at The Vegiterranean in Akron! :) Love her!