-say someone tells you that they are getting a new car… it is inappropriate to respond – my cousin purchased that same new car and got in a car accident that left him paralyzed
-say someone tells you that they are going to Japan for a mission trip... it is inappropriate to respond – whew my church went to that same part of Asia last year and not one person got saved the whole time
-say someone tells you that they just got engaged to a man named Charles... it is inappropriate to respond – Charles you know most men named Charles are either sex offenders or repeated cheaters
In the same manner it is inappropriate to respond to a mother to be who is simply, honestly answering the question that you asked by saying things like – oh really... I don’t know about that; what! You do know people can die giving birth; ooo are you sure about that because it is going to be very, very painful; wow such-n-such baby almost died right after it was born; what in the world made you want to do something crazy like that; etc.
Before you start holding your chest saying “OMG she is talking about me” let me just help you out. I am not talking about any specific person. Unfortunately, this is the response that I have received over and over again when people ask me the following… “Oh, what doctor are you using?” and I respond “we are using a midwife”…then they always follow-up with, “oh ok, what hospital are you going to deliver the baby at?” And then I respond – “none, we are having a home delivery.” Next is complete SILENCE, strange looks, and squinted eyes followed by the above inappropriate responses. (One person even asked me “is your husband black?”.)
I never knew that the personal decision that my husband and I made would cause such a ruckus. Why is having a home delivery or using a midwife so foreign here in the states? The rest of the world has not abandoned this idea, actually it is quite the norm. Remember that having a child is a natural part of a female’s life. Our bodies were built specifically for this process and has been preparing for it monthly since you were in middle school. Delivery is not an automatic traumatic, emergency in need of serious medical attention. Furthermore, most of the world’s great minds including Shakespeare, Sojourner Truth, or our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ were not born in hospitals or by doctors.
(Continue to educate yourself! Check out this newspaper article about our midwife at this link http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/sarahn_agyriwah_henderson_midwife/Content?oid=974328
To learn more about natural birthing options I suggest you watch the great documentary - The Business of Being Born. It is available for instant watch on Netflix.)