I imagine it’s the same reason one might choose to run a marathon or surf a big wave.

It’s not just so I could say I did it, though that feels good to do so.

It’s not because I had to, certainly no one was pressuring me to go natural.

It’s not even because I wanted to be the ‘natural’ type.

I chose natural childbirth because that run or that wave is never going to exist for me any other time. I had one opportunity to ride it all the way to the top and see what it was like. To feel the pains and rushes of the climb, the sweat on my brow, knowing that I am doing hard work and my body is capable of completing the challenge.

Was it easy?

No, not for me. I have heard stories of easy births, but even my ‘easiest’ birth was a huge challenge. My longest birth was like running a marathon, my shortest birth was also like running a marathon. The body feels the whole experience and when it comes to a close, your body rejoices in the rest. Perhaps that is why I am so attracted to distance running now, when I have never run before in my life. Each run is similar to a birth in some small way. Meeting each hill large and small with as much energy as I can muster. Using breathing, stretching, music, support people and music… I use all of these in both my births and my running. Then the feeling of finishing, not necessarily just a race but any long run, I feel that sense of completion. It’s only a tiny fraction of what I felt after each of my births, but it’s there.

I have been grumpy for the last six years of my life.  After my first son was born, I recovered quickly.  By recover, I mean regaining the

same state of health I had before my pregnancy.   After my daughter was

born less than two years later, I didn’t recover quite as quickly.  I found myself more stressed and worn out and short-tempered.  Afterr my third child was born, I became permanently grumpy (well almost.)