Battle of the Sexes!!!!

There are sometimes when I feel that its perfectly natural to want to be able to enjoy your "cake and eat it too"! In terms of gender roles and responsibilities I feel that there's been a major shift from times past. In some ways I think the changes have been good but in others...not so much. For example, I feel that as a woman I should be paid equally to a man in the work place. Now in my career I obviously don't do any heavy lifting, or physical labor. But even if I did I feel that I would pull my weight! I feel this way because I am a hard worker, I am a leader and I'm always looking for ways to improve the moral of my environment while increasing productivity. 

I feel that the contribution of women in the work place is often not appreciated or belittled in comparison to the work that men do. I've never subscribed to this mentality because I can only speak for myself when I say I know that when I'm working I'm doing just that! And hard I might add. I've never been one to be happy to do just the minimum. That said, its frustrating when men are treated like the superior sex in the work place. Of course I might not be able to do everything a man can but I can organize and delegate whatever is needed to make sure that the best level of performance is achieved.

But I'm still a WOMAN and I want to be treated as such! I want to when the time comes take advantage of my ability to take maternity leave and all other benefits that I am eligible for as a woman. I get tired of hearing people complain about how hard men work as if to say that woman don't.

Now in terms of relationships I think that its just as important to pull my weight in all areas be it finances, communication, and the over all maintenance of the relationship. I feel that this is the only way that a relationship can be successful when both partners are willing to work and actually put the work and effort in to make the relationship work. Yes I said it, it takes actual work or at least effort at the bare minimum to have a relationship flow in a way where both parties feel appreciated, respected, and of course loved.

That said, I must confess I have a slight obsession with the "olden" days when men were MEN an women were WOMEN. Let me explain, I have no issue working hard everyday and then coming home to try to make sure that the things that need my attention are taken care of be it house chores or whatever. But when I read books or watch movies from the period of say the 1800's or so when women wore the long, flowing dresses with the up-doo's I must say I'm enchanted...I think to myself what would it be like to actually just be a "homemaker" or a woman in high society who even if single was "taken care of". Now I'm just as ambitious as the next woman if not more so given my driven nature to succeed. BUT that doesn't mean that at times the thought of doing nothing more than in the case I was married taking care of home as my major responsibility isn't appealing...

I dream of the day when I'll have children and a family of my own. I think about how my home will be run and the challenges I will face as a wife and mother. I think of all the time I will spend cultivating the interest of my children while maintaining order and cleanliness in the home. I often find myself thinking of what it would be like to simply cook dinner, take care of the children all day, and the home. Of course we don't live in a society that thinks much of the role of motherhood or being a wife for that matter in terms of the duties that come along with those titles. In my opinion the roles of wife and mother are seen as just that roles that women take on and are expected to thrive at while juggling a full time career.

To me I feel like women are expected to be these superwomen of sorts...Women are expected to work all day then continue to work by taking care of the family. In my opinion that means maintain both responsibilities flawlessly with or without the support of a partner or husband. I listen to both married and single women and while there are a couple women who tell me about how they are able to split home responsibilities with their husband or mate the overwhelming majority of women I have spoken to said they feel like they are doing it all alone regardless of their "marital status".

Now clearly anyone with any perception would tell you that its impossible to literally do it all without having to make some huge sacrifices and compromises in terms of career and family life. For example, women who have found a way to find some sort of a balance with their career and family life often say they still feel like failures when they are unable to give their family the attention they feel is necessary to sustain both aspects of their life. For example we as a society have grown accustom to all types of things that we feel are necessities in terms of both career and family. In order to maintain a certain quality of life the woman is expected to work just to make ends meet so that the family can have its basic needs met. But at the same time, the hours and careers that provide the salaries necessary to facilitate the desired lifestyle is often very rigorous and demanding leaving the women feeling drained after getting off work.

If it were a perfect world my existence would be as follows. I would work when I wanted to with various volunteer organizations I am partial to for one reason or another be it youth or education oriented. I would be a stay at home wife and eventually mother. I would be an active participant in the education of my children through homeschooling for a duration. Then the children would be put in either private school or equivalent in regards to the quality of education. I would be there to cook and take care of the home and also the children. I would consume myself with the lives of my family but I would still nourish other areas of  interest in regards to my career. I think that being a wife and mother are very serious roles and not simply titles that we as women usually do at different stages of our lives. I take both responsibilities seriously. I look forward to seeing how my views change in regards to my perception verses what actually ends up happening as far as how my home is operated. As it stands I'm sure I will remain in the work force full or part time with or without children. Simply because  I enjoy the interaction from  my co-workers and the intellectual challenges I face within the work force. However, as I stated its nice to sometimes envision other possibilities for my life.

Now this is obviously very much from a woman's perspective because I can only speak from my experience as a woman who has interacted with other women. That isn't to say that the work that men do is any less appreciated. I'm just saying that in a perfect scenario it would be nice if women were treated as TRUE equals in the work place and in the case of being attached to a man (no matter the form of the relationship) that she still be given the support needed around the home.

Now I must say in my current relationship, I don't have any issues with "equality". We each do our share to make sure that things are taken care of be it financially or whatever else needs our collective attention. But I felt the need to address this topic because so many of my peers seem to be in situations where they feel like they aren't appreciated at work or the home. And being that I am a woman I can defiantly sympathise with their concerns.

However, I can't conclude this post without saying that there are more than a few good men out there! I feel that many of the good men that we as women or at least I often overlooked didn't come in the "packaging" I was looking for. But blessings come when you least expect them and in "wrapping" that you might have never have guessed!

Growing Pains

In my experience I've learned that there are different phases that most relationships go through.

1. The Honeymoon Stage: First couple months or first few years depending on how well you do at maintaining the "fire" in the relationship. This is when there's lots of hand holding and staring into each other eyes...

2. The rhythm Stage: When a since of normalcy develops as far as routines. This is when you learn what makes one another tick. Or this is when you become aware of how you can push the other buttons and how far to push.

3. The growing pains Stage: This is when one or both partners in the relationship are in a life transition. Where the rhythm stage is challenged! This is when one of both partners preferences or views changes in a way that could affect how the relationship flows for lack of a better term.

Obviously there are other stages that one goes though in a relationship but I would like to focus on the last of the three that I just outlined above. So without going into too much detail in my estimation I currently am in the growing pains stage of my relationship. I would like to say that for the most part during the time of our relationship have learned to communicate in an effective way. However, recently we've both become more vocal about how we see our future and how we would like to see the relationship progress. That said, we've been experiencing what I would like to call growing pains. For example last night we dealt with what I thought was as make us or break us topic. I won't disclose the topic because it isn't relevant to the point that I'm making.

Simply put, we both got a lot of things off our chest that we hadn't had time to discuss due to our work schedules. So rather than dealing with one issue at a time as it arose we had several topics that we needed to talk about and come to some sort of a resolution. I admire him for his ability to listen and take my feedback into consideration during our verbal exchange. However, to be honest neither of us wanted to talk about many of the things that we ended up discussing. But it had to be done. The out come of the intense conversation was a clearer understanding of each other's expectations. I was eager for clarity so I know I push his patience to the point of emotional exhaustion... This isn't my intent but I often will repeat myself to make sure we are both clear. And I will often say things like, "so let me put what you just said in my own words just to make sure there isn't any confusion". I must admit that this often irritates him because he feels that since we both speak English there shouldn't be room for misunderstandings or miscommunication. However, I strongly disagree because I feel that different words have dramatically different meanings from person to person. For example the word love. Some perceive love to be simply an emotion fueled by passion or "fussy" feelings. But I personally am of the opinion that love is an action word that should be seen rather than simply spoken. So if you say you love me for example I need to see evidence of that love in our daily interactions. I know that may sound like I'm a demanding person in terms of my expectations but I think that while I have expectations I never ask for something that I too am not willing to do myself.

I think that where many people run into trouble is when they discover that their partner isn't who they perceived them to be when they first started the relationship. It is only natural for two people to change to some degree during the course of the relationship. For example one person may be extra spiritual at the beginning of the relationship but for one reason or another falls into a "rut" spiritually. Then that same person may have some sort of experience that jump starts a new thirst for a closer walk with God. Now the other person for example may be really into say sports at the beginning of the relationship but as the relationship progresses the person becomes more involved in say community service as an outlet.

What I have observed among my peers is that many couples are not prepared for the changes that inevitably happen. Basically there is an unspoken assumption that both partners will remain exactly the same in appearance and temperament for the total duration of the relationship. But I personally feel that assumption is the cause of the demise of many relationships. Because people shift in their views and preferences. I also think that people are sometimes unaware of their own changes and think that its only one person that is changing when in fact both people are both changing in different ways.

I also have come to realize that not everyone that says they are happy for your happiness is telling the truth. For example, have you ever been around a negative person who seems to find fault in everyone's situation. They push their unhappiness on you by talking about the negative state of their relationship. I have been guilty of coming from such conversations thinking...."Man maybe I need to re-evaluate my relationship...maybe its not as good as I think". This I think can be dangerous to the fundamental foundation of ones relationship when you allow outside people and opinions to shape your opinion of your situation. Simply put, if she isn't happy in her relationship she makes you think that its not possible for you to be happy in your relationship. Or that you somehow are living in a reality where you are permanently wearing rose colored glasses where you don't see the issues that may exist due to being so "in love".

I also have witnessed grown men and women who are so unhappy in their lives that they can't stand the fact that you are happy. These people are almost impossible to be around because they make even the sunniest day seem dark and dreary just with their negativity! It is these people that personally really get under my skin because for some reason they feel that are relationship EXPERTS yet they aren't in a relationship, haven't been in a relationship, and aren't likely to attract a mate due to the repulsive state of mind they dwell in.

I think its sad when people get in such an emotional rut that they can't see the forest for the trees. I wanted to write about this because I felt like others might relate to what I wrote. I also wrote it as a form of therapy because for me writing is a release for me to vent or just express what may be going on in my mind.

I think its important to maintain communication between one another and not to take for granted the feelings of each other. I have learned quite a lot about myself in this relationship and how I deal with allot of things. I know I have lots more to learn but I hope you enjoyed my thoughts about some of the things I'm leaning though my relationship.

I would love to hear your experiences or comments! Thanks for reading!

Sermon Notes from 9/19/10

The sermon this past sabbath was so powerful to me because it explored the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. The sermon presentation was also very engaging being that Elder Aaron didn't speak from the pulpit like most pastors or speakers. He came down and spoke with the congregation in a manner that was almost like sabbath school. He encouraged feedback and even allowed questions and answers from the audience, which I thought was a nice touch! So I will share highlights from the sermon that were meaningful to me. I hope you are blessed. Again, all comments and are appreciated!

Church: Praise Fellowship Seventh-Day Adventist

Sermon topic: The Holy Spirit
Speaker: Elder Aaron Sikhosana

The Holy Spirit isn't bound by a body like we are. Yet the bible refers to the Holy Spirit as a he denoting person hood. There is a misconception among some in the christian community the Holy Spirit is some how not equal with the other members in the God head which include God the father and Christ. Being that we as humans are limited by our finite minds we can't truly comprehend who God is or how powerful He is. So Elder Aaron brought out that God used the terms father and son when speaking of the God head in terms we as humans could understand. That said, there is much for us to explore and learn about who the Holy Spirit is.

Genesis 1:26 Speaks about our creation and how we were made in the image of God

Matthew 26:19 Highlights how Jesus wants to make Disciples of all nations

2 Corinthians 13:14 Emphasizes that the Holy Spirit will be with us

John 16:12 Speaks about how the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth

Genesis 6:3 This text points out that the Holy Spirit is the means by which God speaks to our hearts

Psalms 139:7-10 Asks the question where can I go that God isn't there

One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to draw us closer to God. The Holy Spirit being the vehicle by which God motivates and moves us.

*The Holy Spirit specializes in the work of the heart!

There will come a time when God will withhold or withdraw His Spirit from earth. But that time is not now.

Ephesians 4:30 Warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit

Elder Aaron brought out that the Holy Spirit has feelings too and that He is hurt by our constant rejection which can lead to the Spirit being grieved.

When we recognize the magnitude of God's love and what intensity God puts into trying to draw us closer to Him we will begin to see what affect our sin has on Him.

The next part of the sermon focused on the different roles and attributes of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit comforts us- if you can imagine Him wrapping arms around us in time of grief or trouble.

The Holy Spirit is the the Still small voice which is not to be confused with your conscience. Your conscience as defined by Elder Aaron is the moral capacity to understand or conceptualize right from wrong which is essentially your world view.

One of the main functions of the Holy Spirit since the time of Christ is to be a teacher.

The Holy Spirit also intercedes on our behalf through prayer. Elder Aaron gave the analogy of his son wanting a game station and how the particular game station was at the lower end when compared to other game stations. Simply put the Holy Spirit is able to discern our needs better than we can verbalize them. So when we pray the Holy Spirit becomes the vehicle by which our concerns are submitted to God. The closer we get to God in our relationship the more in line our request will be with God's will for our lives.

We often get in the way of the work the Holy Spirit is trying to do on our hearts.

The Holy Spirit also convicts us of sin. As a result of our sinful nature we don't have the capacity to even repent of our sins. So it is ONLY by the work of the Holy Spirit that we are moved through His conviction of our minds that we are in need of repentance. Further more, repentance isn't automatic! Repentance is a gift! I thought that this was quite POWERFUL because I had never heard it explained so plainly. Basically our sinful nature prevents us from even being aware of our sin so it is only through the Holy Spirit that we are moved to remorse or regret of our sin.

The Holy Spirit works in capacities as we allow God to come into our lives.

It is the absence of the Holy Spirit that makes our lives as Christians powerless. Conversely the Holy Spirit unfortunately in many of our lives is an untapped resource. We were urged to pray in earnest for an out pouring of the Holy Spirit into our lives. We were encouraged to pray first for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives before we ask for anything else in our prayer lives.

I was truly blessed by this message! I hope that you too are blessed and encouraged!

The Unbearable Whiteness of TV News

This is an interesting article I came across and it further illustrates some of the points I mentioned in the article I wrote about my experiences in the world of Journalism.

I'm Officially Pulling the RACE Card!

I've been doing lots of reflecting and self analysing lately...Maybe its because I am by nature a very introspective person. I enjoy observing people, events, and issues and researching. So I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life journey and where I am and where I want to be in the next few years. I have recently come to the conclusion that many of the goals I had for myself earlier in my life I've either achieved or bypassed due to preference or circumstances. It's almost like once I started working as a TV Reporter that I felt that I had reached many of my professional aspirations. That said, there are still many things on the career side that I've yet to experience. However, God has blessed me in so many ways especially in terms of my career at such an early stage that I sometimes feel like the odd woman out.

I think that its a bit of an exaggeration to say that I'm in a quarter life crisis because I don't consider myself in a crisis. I consider myself to be in a quarter life transition. Its kinda like I sat down and said to myself ok so you didn't end of a teen mother statistic, check, you graduated college in four years with a bachelors degree, and have worked at a hand full of TV stations around the country. I know that this may sound a bit self absorbed but I feel totally blessed to have basically played by the "rules" and in many ways I feel like I've WON! Now I sit and ask my self now WHAT?!?!

Well let me tell you... The world of TV Journalism is not at all what I had expected it to be. I've had the privilege and opportunity to both learn and work side by side with many great Journalist. I've been blessed to basically be at the right place at the right time which as afforded me many opportunities to cover great stories. That said there is another side to my career that I haven't really ever spoken about or written about to date.

I know this may come as a surprise but I personally have experienced OUTRAGEOUS forms of both racism and prejudice. That said, I would like to preface the following statements as strictly MY experience. I know that others may have experienced other things but I can only tell and talk about what has happened to me. I must say that its taken me some time to be able to actually address this topic because its still quite sensitive and honestly tragic for me to recount and think about some of the situations that I have experienced first hand.

For some reason, I was of the assumption that I was the sum of my credentials and experience. However, I have come to understand even with all my combined work and life experience I am nothing more than a Black Woman in the eyes of past and present employers. I have even been told in interview settings while sitting across from various *News Directors that while their news website said they encourage women and minorities to apply they are looking for a specific prototype. Simply put, if a blond white woman left the news station for whatever reason be it for a better opportunity at another station across town or for family reasons they are looking for another similar woman to take the existing position! WHAT?!?! I said to myself, you mean to tell me in 2010 at least in my chosen field I am not measured by the content of my character or abilities but simply by the hue of my skin tone!

WOW....that was allot to take in at first. But then I started to watch the local stations and sure enough, when one white woman left she was quickly replaced by a younger, bright eyed version of the previous woman in most cases. WOW... I was shocked to see this. I was even more amazing at how self absorbed or anti-black many of the other women of color are in many of the stations that I've worked. It has been my experience that I've been befriended by the white staff in most cases because they don't see me as a threat. However, the other black women or non-white women in my experience have been plain vicious! I have found the reason other black or minority women are not supportive of new minorities on staff is because they know that in most cases its only a matter of time before they are replaced by the new "Token".

This is because in 2010 in many states TV stations usually only have one at worst or two at best minorities on-air at any given time. But at these same stations its perfectly normal and acceptable to see five or more TV personalities that are white. But for some reason each station has their "Token Minority" TV personality. There have been several times where I've witnessed blatant nepotism and racism in the hiring process.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the interviewing process of TV Journalist I would argue that we endure some of the most intense screening and interviewing procedures out there. For starters, once the *News Director has viewed your *resume tape he or she may call you in for an interview. At which point you may be asked to go out and do a "sample story" with a photographer if you are in a high enough *TV market. However, if you are at a lower TV market station then they may send you out with a camera, battery, tripod, car keys, and a map and tell you to "GO for it". Typically they give you three hours to make "magic" then come back and edit the piece as if it were to go on air.

Mind you, you've spent weeks and countless hours rehearsing the recent city happenings. You've memorized all local officials and state officials and their names and most recent issues or accomplishments. You've been asked all types of random questions about the recent city news which may include everything from politics to education issues to city taxes. You are expected to recite and have an opinion on all of the above and be able to present yourself in a assertive and aggressive manor without crossing the line of being a "know it all". But as you might have guessed you are expected to know it all... just not to act like it.

After all that I've been required to take written 4-10 page test about everything from current national events to our foreign policy. Read from the teleprompter and do a walk and talk *stand up. After having spent your hard earned money to travel across country for the interview to be told the position has been filled two weeks later by a less qualified white woman...it is a huge SLAP in the face to put it mildly.

In some cases I've discovered the new hire to be apart of the same country club as the news stations executives. To be fare that could be a coincidence. But similar situations have happened time and time again and its hard not to notice a pattern.

Yes I'm Officially Pulling the RACE CARD! I may be a Black Woman but I more than just another Black Woman on TV. I am an educated, funny, witty, sassy, young woman who has been often overlooked and judged by nothing more than my RACE! Especially when it comes to news unless you have walked in my shoes you can't tell my or our story! Have you ever found yourself watching a news story and thinking to yourself there has to be another side to the story. The thing I can't seem to wrap my mind around is the concept that news organizations expect to have balanced non biased news reports when all the content for the show is gathered from one view point...the white one.

Have you experienced any form of racism or prejudice in your field? If so I'd love to hear about how you addressed or dealt with the situations you were faced with.

All comments are welcome and appreciated even if you happen to have an opinion that is in opposition to mine.

My point in writing this isn't to say woe its me! But to bring to light my experience which will hopefully create dialogue that will one day lead to change!

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*News Directors in my career of TV Journalism are the head people in charge. They are the ones who decide who's on the news and basically what is news or what will be covered at whatever station.

*Resume Tape is a compilation of your on-camera work as a TV Personality. It is edited down to include a montage which are quick clips of your best news stories followed by the full length versions of your best work. All edited down to five or seven minutes which is the industry standard. Even though the term tape is used generally speaking the format is DVD or a web link where you've uploaded your work.

*TV Market is determined by the state in which you live. The demographic area is then measured by population and so forth. So an example of a top ten market would be say New York or Atlanta.

*Stand up is a demonstration of something you are saying by using a prop such as a gas pump if you are speaking about gas prices for example.

National Breastfeeding Month: Whip Em Out

Pleasure as it relates to Christianity

Ok... So I decided I wanted to tackle the topic of SEX specifically as it relates to me as a christian woman of color. That said, I would like to make the observation that during my years I've noticed that sex in general is a very taboo topic in the black church. Basically in my experience the only time its ever mentioned at church is when there is a problem say fornication, adultery, or teen pregnancy...

Then I thought to myself how come the church doesn't address or talk about sex within the confines of marriage as a fun, pleasurable, activity? Why aren't there any books really on black love dedicated to the exploration of sex? Personally I like reading books on different types of sexual exploration techniques such as Tantra or Kama Sutra. I'm not ashamed to say that I enjoy reading these books well because I find the topic interesting.

I think that I should be able to discuss the topic of sex without being judged. I mean I'm of the opinion that God created me as a sexual creature. Further more I believe that God created sex to be enjoyed but also as a means of procreation obviously. I believe that when two people engage in sex who are in a committed relationship preferably married that it can be such a gratifying experience! I am also of the opinion that it is the responsibility of both partners to keep the channels of communication OPEN so that each one can feel loved, satisfied, and appreciated.

I think that some how within the black church that sex has become demonized. Meaning, that many people even those that are married feel uncomfortable expressing the PLEASURE or satisfaction that can come from a healthy sexual relationship. I think that its a shame that in this day and age many including myself have been made to feel that sex is a dirty thing that shouldn't be spoken about. I wonder why this idea has been allowed to be passed on from generation to generation within our christian communities.

I for one am not ashamed to say that I think sex should be a topic that is discussed more than in just a negative light in regards to how it is addressed in our churches. I don't think that people should be ashamed to say that they enjoy an amazingly satisfying sex life with their spouse preferably or committed partner.

I would appreciate any comments about your experiences as it relates to how you feel sex is viewed or discussed within the confines of your church community!

My Journey into the world of Yoga as a Black Christian Woman

I am SUPER EXCITED about starting my first yoga class this month. I have noticed that there is a HUGE stigma in both the black community and among many Christians regardless of religion preference in regards to yoga. So when I've spoken to my peers I've gotten mixed reviews and or warnings about yoga being a "religion".

While the term “yoga” also refers to the spiritual discipline that originated in India, yoga, itself, is not a religion. Yoga as a form of exercise solely promotes physical and mental wellness. It improves flexibility, strength, and posture, and reduces stress. There is no deity worshiped or rituals performed.

I feel that it is important to arm ourselves as women of color with the best information out there. As I've stated in earlier posts I am interested in discovering everything that I can about becoming healthy and maintaining balance. I will post about my journey into the world of yoga!

As with anything that interest me I've done quite a lot of research about the topic so that I could arm myself with the necessary information to make what I think is a decision founded on both reason and research. To those of you who read my blog I want to thank you for your support and for reading!

Take care and Be Blessed!

A review on “The Business of being born” A Documentary

I am writing this for a couple of reasons. The older I get the more aware I am of the possible complications that can arise during pregnancy and childbirth. Being that I have yet to become a mother and the closer I get to 30 the more intrigued I have become with the concepts of pregnancy and motherhood. I came across a documentary entitled “The Business of being born” which brought out several topics and areas of concern regarding how our American society handles and views childbirth. The initial premise of the documentary was to ask the simple question, “do we as women actually have a choice in the way our children are brought into the world”

In this day and age of quick fixes and fast food we have quickly become a society that expects everything from ordering a meal to giving birth to be done according to an equation. Meaning, we are being conditioned to believe that modern medicine is the ONLY way to go when it comes to childbirth. A little background, I love to watch the TLC series, “ A baby story” or “Bringing home baby”. In both of these shows only one form of childbirth is highlighted or considered and that is the hospital birth. Now being that I am such a fan of gadgets and technology in general it may shock you to find that in many areas my way of thinking is very traditional or what could be termed as old fashioned.

That said, I was taken immediately when the documentary illustrated that today childbirth and pregnancy has become a “BIG money business”! Doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies being the main motivating factors behind the shift in how we now view the correct way to give birth. It is not my intention to tell you which is right or wrong but rather to provide a spring board for needed dialogue. I continued to watch I learned that the US is the only developed country that has more than ninety percent of our children in the hospital. While the rest of the developing world has continued to have births at home or in a birthing center and only resort to a hospital in extreme high risk cases. It was also interesting to find that the US has the highest rate of infant and mother mortality. Then I began to wonder if there was a connection between hospital births and mother and infant deaths.

Basically it is though our society of plastic surgery that the concept of scheduled births has become something of a fad. There was a time when c-sections or cesareans births were only suggested when complications basically made natural vaginal birth impossible. Now women are scheduling cesareans like hair appointments and facials with little to no thought of the consequences. The reason for the shift from vaginal delivery to cesareans is guess what...MONEY! Not the well being of the mother and baby. Had you even considered the concept that its not necessary to give birth in a hospital with a doctor? There are trained women known as midwives or Douala's who assist in the birthing process. Now there are several pros and cons to both traditional hospital births and home births. It is up to you a mother to become informed and educated so that you can make the right choices for you and your child.

In conclusion, I was just shocked to find that there were so many proven and healthy alternatives outside of hospital births. There is much I feel I need to do in regards to making the choice for myself when the situation presents itself. But I would say if you are pregnant or are a mother to be arm yourself with the facts so that its you that actually makes the choice on the method of delivery for your child.