Why does the discussion of natural childbirth usually end in debate?

[etwahl]

We had decided on Presley for a girl but once MIL heard about it, she told all her friends, and then reported back to us that EVERYONE (including her) hated the name and that we couldn't name our child that. It reminded them all too much of Elvis. So, it ruined the name for us. Now we keep our names "top secret" and MIL hates it! I already know my own mother doesn't like our chosen middle name, but I could care less. She had her chance to name three kids (and I always hated my name!)

Last night we were at a class where everyone was telling the names they picked out. We were the only ones not to tell. I told my husband I was surprised he didn't just tell. He said if I'm not going to tell all my friends and family, I'm certainly not going to tell a room full of strangers!

Tammy,
Mom-to-be Mar 8, 2003!

[KathyO]

We didn't tell our name choices to anyone... although that was partly owing to the fact that we could not for the life of us come up with a boy's name we agreed on! (Fortunately, we had a girl.) Anyone who pressed us too hard was told, "oh, but it's BAD LUCK to tell ahead of time!!!" Nobody persisted after that.

But until she was born, we referred to her by a "fetal name" - I had dreamy thoughts of Robin (unisex name, comes in spring, and EDD was in April) or Pema (also unisex, means lotus), but then my husband said, "Hey, Ziggy the Zygote!!!" and it stuck.

I can't _believe_ that your MIL was (a) out taking a poll of her friends, and (b) back in your face, telling you to change your choice. This time around you should scare her with some really awful, bogus names to keep her busy until the actual event... "No, really, Mom, we both think that Noxzema is a LOVELY name!!! Don't you??"

Cheers,

KathyO

[Rachels]

We had a contest to find the WORST baby name to go with our last name, and we passed out the list of the nearly 100 suggestions we got to everybody we knew. THEN we told them what we had decided on. Once people contemplate a baby named such things as "Puke Smook" and "Troubled Smook," Abigail just really sounds just fine. :)

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[hellollama]

My husband and I, when I was pregnant the first time, made a list of really horrible names for boys just as a joke between ourselves. We had fun laughing at the names, but kept the names to ourselves. Imagine our horror when two years later my sister unknowingly gives one of those names to her son! Yuck! The kid has to live with this name for the rest of his life! Its a good thing she didn't tell it to us. There is no way I would have kept quiet. The ironic thing is that my sister didn't tell the name because I told her not to after my MIL insisted that the original name we chose for our son was a girl's name and refused to believe otherwise. (The name was Gabriel). Of course we didn't name him that because my MIL never would have let us hear the end of it.

[MelissaTC]

WOW! Your story sounds just like mine! I was all set for a natural birth. The nurses and doctor were so respectful of my wishes. Not once did they offer me pain medication. I eventually took it because I had been in labor for over 24 hours and was exhausted. Well, my little guy's hearbeat kept going down and while I began to dilate, he was not budging. They wheeled me in for a c-section and you can imagine our relief when they pulled him out and immediately put him on oxygen. That was of course after they unwrapped the cord from his neck. My poor little guy was blue. But he was fine and is growing like a champ today. My little birth plan which I had worked so hard on was completely out the window. But I have a healthy, happy little guy and for that, I am grateful :)

[dd_ani]

:)

That reminds me about what my doctor said when we were discussing delivery options and pain medications. "No one tries to have a 'natural' rootcanal."

Michelle

[Melanie]

We did the same thing. We kept our lips sealed on the names. There are relatives/friends we have who'd probably make odd comments if we had told them one and they didn't like it. I figure that once he was here and named, they knew there was nothing they could do about if they didn't like it. I don't know if everyone liked Ds' name, but no one said anything!

My mom teased us by calling Ds horrid names all throughout the pregnancy.

If we have another, we are still keeping the names quiet, because it worked out very well.


Mommy to Jonah