Sunday, March 19, 2006

What Are You Going To Be Using?

I've been mulling this gripe around in my head for a few days trying to evaluate if it is a worthy complaint or not. Last Thursday, Faith and I headed to the OB office to receive my six week after birthing check up. The entire event was really uneventful. The nurse practically rolled her eyes when she saw me with no heavy carseat or large stroller and just a sling with Faith. She had no idea that I was saving the entire office from The Lungs of Faith, had I used either one of those contraptions for just sitting around. That doesn't really bother me though.

What DOES burn my cookies is the whole contraception question that comes up. My answer stopped both the nurse and then later the doctor in their tracks. And first off, the question is asked, "What contraception are you using?". It is an assumption that I should be using contraception. When I reply that I am not, I get, "But you're using..so-in-so right?". Nope. Why would I if I still would like to have a large family of at least one or two more little Knucker Hatches?

The doctor mentions that it would be detrimental to my health to get pregnant within the next year. Note this is said, after he seems to find no problem with all things internal in the check up.

In my experience, it wasn't until Jack and Grace were both weaned that by body decided to start popping eggs again, and even that took a few months after weaning. When my body had recovered to the degree it needed to recover, it started doing the baby making thing. I know there are cases when women breastfeeding exclusively might still get pregnant, but they are the rarity. Perhaps their body was more fit for the task. Who am I to doubt the natural perfect order of God?

I'm not sure what about the whole contraception question irks me. But since when did it become mandatory for women in the Western world to be using birth control unless they were actively trying to conceive? I feel like we're starting to cross the threshold of a movie like "Gattica" where it won't be long before it will be the norm to pick the eye color of your child. Can't we just be spontaneous, stop trying so hard and enjoy the surprises of motherhood?

1 comment:

Mama Knucker Hatch said...

Passionate Worshipper said...

I was reading your blog...I found it just while I was randomly looking through, and I think it was a God thing...It's so nice to read others moms writing about...Well, mom things. The world doesn't have enough stay at home moms! Anyways, my name is Leslee and I am from Canada and my blog is www.guidedbythelight.blogspot.com If you ever want to check it out go ahead!
I understand about the whole contraceptive thing, BUT I do have to say I feel done having kids and didn't think twice about using c's after my son's birth!

(Comment moved by MKH during the In This Corner blog merge.)