Hurricanes and Earthquakes

Now that I have a delivery date to look forward to, I've focused a lot of my energy on learning more about the labor and delivery process. I had been diligently reading my "What To Expect When You're Expecting," which seems to be a love-it or hate-it bible for the pregnant set. But when this all happened, I kinda didn't feel the need to read about months 8 or 9, figuring I'd already been there done that. Since sitting on the toilet that fateful Monday 10/12, furiously thumbing through the book to figure out if my water had in fact broken, and if I should be hauling ass to the emergency room instead of trying to self-diagnose...I hadn't really referenced the book again.

Today, I decided it was in fact time to dive into the details of labor and delivery. After all, this is coming no more than 9 days from now, so it probably makes sense to have at least some clue. Right?

Yeah, hmmmm. Jury is still out on that one.

I liken a pre-determined due date and 100% knowledge of the birthing process, vs. the traditional wait it out and who knows when it's coming or what it's going to be like - to hurricanes vs. earthquakes. I've said many times that hurricanes (as well as tornadoes and any other natural disasters you "watch") are far worse than earthquakes because of the fear sparked simply by anticipation. The inability to predict or prepare for earthquakes eradicates the irrational behavior showcased in every news story covering a "storm watch." When a big one rolls through, it's 20 seconds of sheer terror - but at least you didn't break your plans preparing for it.

So again, I ask...should I have read that chapter of the book?

I mean, is it really better to prepare myself for the inevitable, or just succumb to it and embrace the element of surprise? After all, I'm getting an epidural. So was it even necessary to read about the intensely nightmarish pain I'd be experiencing if I weren't numbed from the pelvis down? Because frankly, now I'm just preoccupied by the pain I supposedly won't be experiencing in that moment, but most certainly will feel the aftermath of.

"Rip." "Tear" "Sting." "Stitch." Wow, talk about not understating things. This chapter reads just like Hurricane Katrina is headed straight for my va-jay-jay. And unfortunately, it's too late to board up my house.

Perhaps indeed, I should have spared myself the details, and let the delivery hit me like an earthquake. When that first tremor hits, you have no idea if it's the big one or a 3.2 - and there's something scary yet hopeful about that.

Here's to waiting it out.