sensitive subject?

I was recently reading a woman's blog in which she posted a rant about how she hates when people call her "brave" after informing them she is going to have a home birth. Hmmmm. Really?

She explained that when people call her "brave" what they are really alluding to is their belief that home births are dangerous and that she must be crazy for wanting one.

And maybe some people do feel that way. But maybe other people really do think she is brave. This woman said she's done a lot of research and feels a home birth is the best option for her and her baby. Congratulations! I don't care.

Ok, ok, I mean, it's not like I hope there are complications or something and that her baby has to be rushed to the hospital so someone can say, "Told ya you shoulda had that baby in a hospital."  In fact, I hope everything goes really smoothly and that it's a beautiful experience. I even hope that if she has a great experience this time around, she'll do a home birth with all her pregnancies. See, so I do care.

I just don't think she should be so offended when people call her brave. Maybe some people have given her that crazy look, but still, why choose to be offended? (Ok I really don't have room to talk because one time a guy told me my baby was hungry and I was totally offended.)

In conclusion (wait, where did that come from...) I think this woman is brave. In fact, I think all women who give birth are brave. Whether you have your baby in a hospital or at home, whether you have an epidural or go "natural", whether you have to be sliced open or...not, you are brave. You are taking on the challenge of sustaining another life within yourself for 9 months, expelling that life from your body, and then shaping that life for the rest of YOUR life.

And that my friends takes bravery.