Don't think I'm so disillusioned to think that birth is actually going to go according to plan. I know I speak for many women when I say that Birth Plans can get thrown out the window in a heartbeat during labor. Anything could happen. With Aiden my plan was no plan. I watched too many Baby Story episodes where the mother ended up crying tears of disappointment b/c her birth plan didn't work out. I didn't want that so I decided to go with the flow. After that experience I decided I'd rather deal with the disappointment of a birth plan that didn't work, than deal with the disappointment of having no plan and therefore no say in how birth went.
With that said, I'm planning a natural birth. I'm very aware that half way through labor I might scream for an epidural, but having an epidural and pitocin worked against me last time I'd rather not go down that road this time. I think medical interventions during birth are amazing when used appropriately. Unfortunately, I didn't experience medical interventions used appropriately. So, I'm hoping to take a different path. If I want a natural birth I KNOW I have to have a plan in place for pain management. Sadly, I won't be allowed to actually have a water birth since I've had a c-section. But, my midwife has agreed to let me labor in the water and be off the monitors as long as everything is going well. She has promised that I don't have to lay on my back in bed and she has said that I even get to have snacks (believe me, after 30 hours of labor with Aiden I was STARVING and the nurses at the last hospital didn't let me eat.) So along with laboring in the water and having a doula, the rest of my plan is using the Hypnobabies technique. Tom got me all the CD's and I've been using them every night to practice. Tom also sent me this article (I love it when he sends me news articles about things I'm interested in!) which tells a little about Hypnobabies. Simply put, it's about relaxing during labor. I know this approach isn't for everyone, but this kind of stuff works for me so I'm going to give it a go! So, there is my plan. Or should I say tentative plan. The bottom line is this: I want a healthy baby and a healthy mama at the end of the day. After that I'd also like to remember holding my child for the first time. My midwife has promised that I will not labor as long as I did last time and therefore exhaust myself. Even though a c-section is the last thing I want, she has said that if pushing is not productive I can quit at anytime. That makes me feel very comforted. To put in a plug for midwives, I LOVE mine. She takes care of me and treats me like a human being...which is a lot more than I can say for my OB that was present for Aiden's birth.
All that is left to do now is pray and hope for the best. I'm also hoping that a Thanksgiving snowstorm and rush hour traffic don't figure into the plan so that we can make the 45 minute drive to the hospital in good time. It also wouldn't hurt if Sage was a team player and put his head down.
With that said, I'm planning a natural birth. I'm very aware that half way through labor I might scream for an epidural, but having an epidural and pitocin worked against me last time I'd rather not go down that road this time. I think medical interventions during birth are amazing when used appropriately. Unfortunately, I didn't experience medical interventions used appropriately. So, I'm hoping to take a different path. If I want a natural birth I KNOW I have to have a plan in place for pain management. Sadly, I won't be allowed to actually have a water birth since I've had a c-section. But, my midwife has agreed to let me labor in the water and be off the monitors as long as everything is going well. She has promised that I don't have to lay on my back in bed and she has said that I even get to have snacks (believe me, after 30 hours of labor with Aiden I was STARVING and the nurses at the last hospital didn't let me eat.) So along with laboring in the water and having a doula, the rest of my plan is using the Hypnobabies technique. Tom got me all the CD's and I've been using them every night to practice. Tom also sent me this article (I love it when he sends me news articles about things I'm interested in!) which tells a little about Hypnobabies. Simply put, it's about relaxing during labor. I know this approach isn't for everyone, but this kind of stuff works for me so I'm going to give it a go! So, there is my plan. Or should I say tentative plan. The bottom line is this: I want a healthy baby and a healthy mama at the end of the day. After that I'd also like to remember holding my child for the first time. My midwife has promised that I will not labor as long as I did last time and therefore exhaust myself. Even though a c-section is the last thing I want, she has said that if pushing is not productive I can quit at anytime. That makes me feel very comforted. To put in a plug for midwives, I LOVE mine. She takes care of me and treats me like a human being...which is a lot more than I can say for my OB that was present for Aiden's birth.
All that is left to do now is pray and hope for the best. I'm also hoping that a Thanksgiving snowstorm and rush hour traffic don't figure into the plan so that we can make the 45 minute drive to the hospital in good time. It also wouldn't hurt if Sage was a team player and put his head down.
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