My Birth Plan – Baby Number 3

It’s called a birth plan for a reason.  It’s a plan.  It’s not set in stone, it might not work out but it’s a plan of how you would like the controllable factors surrounding your birth to be.

I didn’t really have a birth plan with Logan.  How can you when you’ve never been through labour? My plan was to have a baby.  Having been through that thoroughly horrendous experience I had a much better idea of how I wanted my labour and delivery with Florence to be. It was almost all for nothing when my bump stopped growing but thankfully I got the midwife led birth I wanted.

In fact, the whole experience was so fantastic I want a replica birth with this little baby inside me – perhaps a little quicker. I am once again booked in to delivery my baby at our local midwife led birthing centre.  They don’t provide epidurals or caesareans. It’s a unit for low risk women to deliver their babies in as natural way as possible.  Every aspect of the unit is geared up for relaxation and the rooms are like homes from home where you, your partner and baby can all stay the night (if required) in the same room, on a sofa bed.

In terms of the labour I’d like to stay home for as long as possible.  If I do end up at the unit in early labour I would love to make use of the essential oils again by having Matt rub my lower back (sorry slave boy).  Once I feel the pain is becoming a little much I’d like to slip into the birthing pool and last as long as possible before hitting the gas and air.  Ideally I’d like to use the gas and air just for the pushing stage but we shall see. I don’t know if it helps with any kind of pain relief but it does give you something to think about and ‘do’ whilst things are happening downstairs.

The birthing pool was a massive form of pain relief for me. I didn’t have any of that ‘burning’ of the first labour.  There were no stretching and tearing skin sensations.  I had to deal with the contractions and the general pain but that was all.  It really was the burning that I couldn’t cope with previously.  The idea with the birthing pool is that you keep your bump underwater the whole time, stay upright and the warmth of the water keeps you relaxed and supple.

Assuming that all goes to plan with the birth, I’d like Matt to cut the cord and have some skin to skin whilst waiting for the placenta to be delivered.  Whilst the midwives take baby away to be weighed and checked I’ll shower and clean myself up.  I’d love Matt to dress baby girl and then we can all sit down and relax whilst little lady has her first breastfeed.  I’ve put a whole outfit including nappy and personalised bib in a small duffle bag on top of the changing bag so Matt can just grab it and know what baby girl is to wear.

It all sounds too perfect and I will be lucky to experience another labour like Florence’s. The one thing I can’t control is when.  Florence has been quite ill the last week and is still off her food and tired.  She’s been napping on the sofa which is totally out of character for her.  I’d hate for something to happen during the night and have to disturb her, she needs all the rest and routine she can get at the moment.  As much as I want to meet our new family member I really want the children I have to be happy and healthy.  If only to make me feel more relaxed about leaving them.  I was out the house less then 24 hours when I had Florence; we left home at around 4pm and got home around 9am the next morning.  Being a low risk birth unit, we were allowed to leave within about six hours but opted to stay overnight just to recuperate. This time, as we have Florence to think about I will want to leave as soon as we are given the all clear.  Even if I get home and head straight for a nap.  At least I can nap at home, in my bed with my kids around me.

A nap? Who am I kidding?!  I’ll have a newborn baby who wants feeding every hour and lets face it, I won’t be able to take my eyes off her.