Letter to my son, 1990

Dear Adam,
Both Mom and I experienced incredible amounts of anxiety as it became more and more apparent that the greatest obstacle to our having a safe and natural labor and delivery was the medical establishment itself. We attended one Lamaze class only to realize that it was nothing more than a nauseatingly patronizing, manipulative tool of the ob/gyns.

What they teach there is to revere and obey thy physician. Calling Lamaze "Natural Childbirth Classes" is intentionally deceptive. Over 90% of all Lamaze students end up taking drugs during labor or delivery. Like the church, Lamaze preaches blind faith. (Tee times are written in stone)!

We were very lucky to discover that BRADLEY HUSBAND-COACHED CHILDBIRTH CLASSES were available in the area. Nobody in the medical community offered us any information regarding alternatives to Lamaze in spite of repeated inquiries on our part.

It all turned out well. We remain eternally grateful to our Bradley instructor. She provided us with the education we needed to allow us to confidently fend off all of the inappropriate procedures routinely practiced by the ob/gyns. You emerged healthy, happy, and beautiful, and Mom and I were quite proud of the fact that we were responsible for that.

Of course, Horton Hospital has barred us from their maternity ward forever, but then, who would ever want to return to the gates of hell (other than Orpheus).

As you know, we gave birth to Jillian at a progressive birthing center in Catskill, NY, supervised by a lay-midwife, and it was an incredible experience for all concerned.
A Labor of Love,
Dad

Note: It is Orpheus' head, floating in a river, that graces the cover of "The Zedland Chronicles."