A la natural.

When I was in college, just after we were married, I got my hands on one very intriguing book.

In it were pages full of gloriously naked women in the throws of childbirth.

I looked through all the pages, fascinated and full of questions (why did everyone's breasts look so strange? why didn't anybody want to wear a shirt? lots of other questions)

My friend Mrs. Olsen had lent this book to me, and I kept it for an embarrassingly long amount of time.

Even then, when the answer to the question of when I wanted to start a family (which by the way is a horrible casual question) was a "5 years down the road" sort of thing, I was drawn to conversations, books and information about natural childbirth.

Now that I am here, after researching all the different birth options in my area and meeting with some different (all great) practitioners, I feel most comfortable with and have chosen to work with:

a wonderful Certified Nurse Midwife in an out of hospital setting ~ (a lovely birth suite).

She is great, a perfect fit for me.

She has eased my worries many times, is a phone call away. Her office is warm. She has spent over two hours at every appointment Dashing Boy and I have had with her, explaining different things I had never heard about, answering all kinds of questions, giving me hugs and positivity.

She has a great record, her record speaks for itself.

And most importantly Dashing Boy and I feel comfortable and well taken care of in her care.

Unless I become high-risk, I am birthing with her in her amazing place where absolutely no epidural is available :)

I now have five months (I'm due the beginning of June) to prepare myself (as much as I can) for such an experience :)