advice: unsolicited

As soon as Luke and I began telling people that we were pregnant, the floodgates of advice burst open.

Everyone felt the need to share with us their breastfeeding methods, diaper brands, sleeping methods, ways to parent, how to register, where to register, when to register, what to register for, discipline methods, and on and on an on the list goes.

Luke and I just laugh because none of what was told to us was actually asked-for advice.

I take that back.

I sent the bump’s “suggested registry checklist” to Heather for advice on what I actually needed vs. what they were telling me I needed.

Other than that though, I didn’t ask for any of the advice sent my way.

Even still, I was and still am able to sift through what everyone tells me, and keep what I’m interested in, and throw the rest of it away.

However.

The one thing that bothers me the most is advice on labor and delivery.

Now, I need you to prepare yourself for what I’m about to tell you. Are you ready? Are you sitting down?

I plan on going all-natural.

I know, I know. The horror. Why would I do that when I don’t have to?

I actually have my reasons, but you don’t need to know those, right?

With the exception of right here, on my blog, I have decided not to share that with people anymore. I cannot tell you how unendingly aggravating it is to have people attempt to talk me out of it, tell me why it’s a mistake, look at me as though I’m an alien, or tell me about how absolutely horrible the pain will be, thus causing me to beg for an epidural within minutes of arriving to the hospital.

I think that, of the people I’ve told that I plan to go natural {I get asked a lot, I guess that’s a normal question to ask?}, only three have encouraged me in my endeavor. I can actually name them. Are you ready? My mom {who did it with 4 of her 5 children, 2 of whom are twins, one of whom weighed TEN + POUNDS}, my mom’s cousin Angela, and my friend Carrie. You want to know something interesting? They’re all still alive.

Shocker.

I guess what I’m trying to say in all of this, is that giving advice to someone, no matter what your intentions, really isn’t necessary at all. Unless of course, you’re asked for it. After that, blather on my friend.

I am curious though, how many of you went the way of natural child birth? Do share.