Birthing babies...easy as pie?

I was surfing the web yesterday and came across this comment:

"Regarding giving birth to children… after so many, eventually all you have to do is just cough or sneeze and there you go… out comes baby."


Now, I know this dear lady was just making a joke, but I was thinking about Amy (from Amy's Humble Musings...see link on side bar) who is about to give birth any day. I responded to the comment as follows:

"As a woman who has given birth to TWELVE beautiful babies, let me tell you that this poster doesn't know what she is talking about. Labour is a difficult experience for most women. It takes courage and perseverance, and strength. And one more thing for those of you who haven't given birth, ever, or have had only one or two: it actually gets more difficult, emotionally, the more you experience it. IT HURTS. It is not pleasant. And you remember. That old wives' tale about "as soon as you hold that baby in your arms, you forget the pain"... HOGWASH!

Is it worth it? Of course. Children really are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb really is His reward. But never assume that after a few it gets easy."

It's not easy. Never has been, since the Fall of man. But it is the path the Lord has chosen to bring children into the world. It takes strength of character and grace to face the upcoming delivery.

Instead of joking about it, or minimizing its difficulty, let us acknowledge the sacrifices made by women who carry and deliver these precious bundles of joy. Let us support them in prayer, help them with casseroles, and babysit the older ones for them so they can recuperate.

I'd like to see us go back to the days when motherhood was viewed as something sacred.

In Christ,
Janet