A BABY STORY

Ok so I have a confession. I have been watching "A Baby Story" on TLC over my lunch break at work for awhile now. I have figured out that this is probably the most horrible thing you can really do when you are pregnant and going to be delivering a baby of your own soon. I like to think of it as research and getting myself prepared and knowledgeable in all the medical mumbo jumbo, but I am beginning to realize this may be the worst research I could be doing.

For example (and I have many but I will pick one), the story today centered on a family with 2 kids and they were about to add their 3rd little person to the world. Sounds normal right…well here is the catch. The baby is supposedly “bigger” than the normal newborn baby. So, I am thinking to myself – ok I get it - that can happen. Then for the next dramatic cliff hanger – she is going to have this baby without the help of drugs. This makes me think to myself that this lady has to be insane, brave and heroic, but insane. So the show continues with you watching her writhe in pain for 10 plus minutes on TV while she has everyone in the room watching as well. Everyone including her two smaller children which I am guessing will be scarred for life, I know I would be. If I was a small kid watching this (and by small I mean like 4 and 6 maybe – old enough to understand what is going on but not old enough to process it) I would hate the little brother or sister about to join my family for what it did to my mother. I don’t think I would be seeing anything magical in the birth of my sibling that is for sure. So anyways the baby is finally born and everyone is happy. Then the drama happens – the kid is over 10 POUNDS!!! Seriously, that is like a 3 month old already popping out of there. Would you even have clothes for a kid that size? Will it even be able to fit in the small cribs at the hospital nursery? So much for stocking up on newborn diapers before the kid is born – you just wasted your money. No wonder the pregnant woman and the doctor were so worried about her “tearing.” (yep-all of you females just cringed didn’t you?)

Now, with me being the hormonal pregnant woman that I am right now – I think every muscle and bone in the bottom half of my body started to hurt when they popped the weight up on the screen. Then of course I thought to myself – “not this chick!” Bring on the drugs and I will try to stop eating in the last 4 weeks to ensure a baby in the at most 8 pound range.

So, even though I know I shouldn’t, I am sure I will tune in for the next dramatic child birth event on Monday for “educational purposes.” I don’t know why I put myself through this – it is kind of like an addiction. But I am sure while I am in labor myself and the doctor throws out some medical terminology to one of the nurses I will perk up and remember some episode from “A Baby Story” that will help me understand what is going on…Or maybe not.