Why the Best Birth Plan is No Plan at All

First of all, if you’re here I’m guessing you’re expecting so, congratulations!

Pregnancy is such an exciting time and I hope yours is going well so far. 

Personally, I really enjoyed being pregnant (at least after I got through the morning sickness in the first trimester).

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Pregnancy is a great time to prepare for life with a baby, but can also be nerve racking as you determine name and nursery decorations, navigate safety standards, breastfeeding, daycare. Then of course, there’s fielding questions and dodging belly touches. [insert eye roll]

And of course, there’s….

The Birth Plan

Creating a birth plan can be one of the most daunting tasks during this time. Depending on your social circles, you may feel an overwhelming pressure to deliver baby au naturelle. I know that I did. 

There are any numbers of reasons that I felt this pressure, but ultimately I decided that it was worth giving a whirl. 

However, 

I was also (albeit hesitantly) open to receiving an epidural if needed. After all, I had no idea what labor was actually going to be like and they make painkillers for a reason, right?

And that was what was my saving grace. 

Doctor, Midwife, or Doula

This was an easy answer for me. I opted for a doctor. 

Why?

1. I loved my OB. 
2. While I really liked and respected my OB, I didn’t care that someone other than her might deliver my child.
3. Frankly, I didn’t want anyone involved in my pregnancy besides me and my husband. I liked that delivery was OUR experience and that I could brush off any advice I didn’t want to take from a third party. 
4. I wanted to know that if something went awry, the person in charge would be prepared. 

My Birth Plan

When it came to creating a birth plan, I had two items:

• For me: No episiotomy.
• For baby: Delay cord clamping. 

Beyond these two items, I was open (and both of these were already regular practices at my hospital). 

Hello Baby! 

Baby E’s Birth

So how’d it all go down? 

First, my water broke

It was Sunday night and hubs and I were watching the season finale of Game of Thrones (the one when the dragon comes back from the dead). I was having contractions, as I had for the several nights prior. I was officially past my due date, but I assumed they’d go away when I went to bed and I’d go to work the next day and meet another round of “no baby yet?”  

But as the closing credits hit my water broke (talk about a season finale I’ll never forget!) and off we went!

I had tested positive for strep B a couple of weeks prior, so I was supposed to go in promptly if my water broke. Besides, my mother had had quick labors, so I anticipated the same. 

No go.

We arrived at the ER at 9:30 p.m. and were admitted to L & D. We tried to get comfortable. I ran a bath. (They look luxurious, but it’s another story when someone’s preparing to exit your body through your vagina.)

We sat. We played cards. We walked. We tried to sleep. 

Contractions continued, but nothing was happening. I dozed in 45 second increments between contractions. 

At 6 a.m. I walked the halls again. I ran into my cousin whose wife had just had a baby. They had also been admitted around nine the previous night. I was begrudgingly happy for him between contractions. 

After that, we returned to our room. Within the hour, contractions immensely increased in intensity. 

Breathing wasn’t going to work and I admitted defeat on an unmedicated labor. I had the nurse call an anesthesiologist. 

I still wasn’t dialating. 

When the anesthesiologist finally arrived, a needle to the spine sounded like a luxury vacation. And the moment the drugs hit, it may as well have been. I slept for the next few hours before they started pitocin.

I hardly felt a thing through the rest of delivery, and gratefully so. 

At seven that night our little girl arrived — almost 22 hours after being admitted. And she wasn’t small — over 9 lbs. (Her brother ended up weighing over 11 lbs.)

After her birth, the delivering doctor commented that I’d probably made a good decision on the epidural, as my cervix had swollen during contractions and I needed the rest. Without it, I’d probably still be in labor.

Moral of the story:

Leave the door open to options, as you really don’t know what you’re in for until you’re there. You don’t have to be brave through labor; it’s literally one of the least glamorous experiences you’ll ever have in your life. Give yourself a break. Besides, momming is full of warrior moments and giving birth (with or without drugs) is already one of them. 

Welcome to motherhood. I wish you luck.

— Funky Crunchy Mama