Just Say No

Remember those ads from the 80's and 90's (I know, I'm old)?  The "Just Say No" campaign attempted to rally youth against peer pressure and drug use.  I remember thinking the ads were incredibly lame; in hindsight I'm convinced I was right.  It *was* lame.  However, it was also catchy and true.  In the end, we always have a choice.  We get to choose.

And so, as I stare down a post-term pregnancy and the possibility of "induction," I am adopting this decades-old motto.  I am going to just say no to pit...ocin.  What is pitocin, you ask? Well, if you're a momma or a momma to be, you already know what it is.  If you've never heard of it, it's basically a cow-derived synthetic version of oxytocin, which is a feel-good bonding and uterus-contracting hormone that your body naturally produces (e.g. after a good night of lovin').  Pitocin is one of the most common drugs used to induce ladies who are late and/or wishing to go into labour, and it stimulates waves and rushes in greater intensity and frequency than the natural version.

Today, I fall into that category of late mommas who want to go into labour.  Oh, how I want to go into labour! Save for a massive medical emergency, however, I'm not nearly so willing to bet on the health of my baby by exposing her to this drug.  Read all about it here and here and here and here.  Before you balk at me for linking to obviously biased, or anti-pitocin sites, here's my disclaimer: I am not always accepting of "conventional wisdom".  We don't take conventional financial advice when it comes to our investments (liquid all the way, baby), we don't buy real estate just because others do,  and we don't follow the herd when it comes to our walk with Jesus.  Hubbs and I have always sought out information from multiple angles and tried to make decisions that, through the wisdom of the Lord, we believe to be best and most God-glorifying.  This is one such instance.  Feel free to disagree but don't try to convince me that I'm wrong ;)

Anyway, I'm thinking about induction because I have a doc's appointment today, and my doc is a doctor more than she is a "woman-and-baby-friendly birth attendant."  Her first inclination is to go a medical route, and I suspect she will try to tell me that after 10 days past my expected due date, I should be induced.  I am gearing up for a fight, or at the very least, a disagreement.  I am preparing myself to have to exercise my right to wait until I'm past 42 weeks before thinking about other ways to evict baby.  I am steeling myself for the possibility of having to find another doctor (worst case scenario) during my 11th hour.  And I am also praying (as are many faithful friends and family) that all of this is a moot point and baby will emerge safely and in a timely manner soon.

Today I read in the Bible the following verse:

Do not be anxious about anything, 

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 4:6-7

And so I will trust in my Maker, who is knitting baby together and preparing her for this world.  I choose to trust that His timing is perfect and good.  I choose not to worry and be anxious, but to let His peace guard my heart and my thoughts so that I don't get worked up about something that He has under His control.  And I choose to just say no to drugs.