An Ode

Many, many, years ago,
(Kids walked uphill both ways through snow)
And every baby came to earth
By excruciating, painful birth
And then, one day, there was this dude,
Who thought, "That's mean, unkind, and rude."
All women will think I am the man,
When they hear of my splendid plan.
I'll stick a needle in their back
And give them a most tasty snack.
Instead of screaming, groaning, tears,
A smile will form between their ears.
And so that is just what he did,
And now when moms give birth to kids,
They smile, they laugh, they rarely cry,
And don't feel like they're going to die.
So here's to joy and down with pain
Three cheers for dear Bupivicaine!
I think I'll paint a great big mural,
To share the love of the epidural.



To all of those women who "go natural," either through their own choice or due to a poorly functioning epidural, my hat goes off to you. To my own wife who was feeling some pretty fierce cramps before the second attempt at the epidural brought relief, you're my hero and super tough. To the person who figured out how to help my wife sleep through labor--we're forever in your debt.

(In case the poetry obscured the details, the epidural went in about 1:45 and now Christa is getting her traditional pre-birth nap)