That wasn't sooo bad

I took my gestational diabetes test today. They give you a relatively small bottle of this sweet orange drink that I drank in 1 minute. I chugged it.  Then, one hour later they drew my blood.

It was a cinch.

So many ladies complain about this test and drink. The ladies on thebump.com are ridiculous with concern and feedback about how bad this test is.

I am wondering to myself, if they have such a hard time with this, what to me seems, "simple test" then maybe the majority of them blow everything else out of proportion. 

I mean, don't get me wrong, I am sure that labor really is "that bad" and I believe that it is "different for everyone". BUT, I have a few friends who, although be it hard, have made it through a natural delivery. HELLOOOOO....Jen gave birth naturally twice in 2 years...and the last one was even a surprise home delivery in the bathtub!  I watched Amanda give birth to Liam.  Heck yeah...it seemed that a delirium came over her after about 12 hours of labor in the hospital, but she did it, and very well, I might add.  Courtney said that when she had Taylor, it was too late to get the epidural, so she just pushed through it. My friend Cheryl is a labor and delivery nurse and I recall her saying that she felt that she had to "poop very badly". 

I also have had a few friends have to receive a C-section, and they too have made it out with no complications, with much less pain than I hear about so often. Spring did it 3 times. Cindy said it was a fairly easy heal when she had Erik. 

I wonder, will I be able to handle labor and delivery as well as they have?

I am starting to walk myself through the process in my mind. Beginning to visualize the labor that I want for myself and Baby Salter. PS:  Yes, I am including room for deviations from "the plan". But, I believe in going into it with some ideas about labor help and visualization for delivery.  

I definately am making Jim do the perineal massage starting at 37 weeks (GROSSED you all out, right?...well.....I say... whatever the heck helps.) I am going to hop on the birthing ball. I hope to labor at home for as long as I can, til my contractions are 5 minutes apart. I want to get in that huge tub in the delivery room. I want to take advantage of not being strapped to the bed with monitors for as long as possible. 

Ask me this all again in 10 weeks...maybe I will tell you a different story. Until then, pray that we have an easy remainder of the pregnancy and delivery.