Our Birth Plan

As the day gets closer and closer, people keep asking me what my natural birth plan is.  Well, in case you're wondering, here it is!  And before you get to thinking I'm one of those crazy ladies with a long birth plan, this all fits onto one page in Microsoft word.  It's a compliation of things I've discussed with Andrew, my doctor, my doula, and of course, Dr. Google:

While I understand that certain procedures may become necessary, I am prepared for a natural, unmedicated labor and delivery – including no unnecessary medical interventions, freedom of movement during labor and delivery, intermittent monitoring, no on-going IV, and limited cervical checks.  Please do not offer me pain medication.  I will request if needed.

Labor

I would like to:

• wear my own hospital gown and bathing suit
• move, walk around and change position at will
• use the shower/bathtub
• not have the amniotic sac artificially ruptured
• avoid Pitocin and try other natural methods to help with progression

Monitoring

• I prefer intermittent fetal monitoring.

Cesarean

Should this become necessary, I would like to:

• privately discuss this option with my husband and doula (except in a true emergency).
• have my husband present at all times.
• have an epidural for anesthesia and want to be conscious.

Episiotomy

• I would prefer to tear naturally
• I would like to try warm compresses

Delivery

I would like to:

• wait until I feel the urge to push
• encouraged to try different pushing positions
• have our baby placed on my chest immediately

After Delivery

• My husband would like to cut the cord.  We would like to delay the cord cutting until it has stopped pulsating.
• Should our baby need to taken from the room for more evaluation, my husband would like to accompany our baby at all times.
• We opt for all standard hospital treatments for newborns (Hep B, eye ointment, etc.)

Breastfeeding

• I want to breastfeed as soon as possible after delivery.
• Please no bottles or pacifiers

Other

• My support people are my doula, Kadi ******, and my husband.  I would like them to be present during labor and delivery.  No other visitors are allowed until after delivery, unless I specifically request them to join.

We've made it!

It's hard to believe it was 10 weeks ago that I was put on bedrest.  I prayed and I prayed that we would make it to at least 35 weeks, and here we are...prayers answered.  I can't even explain how much more at ease I am now.  No more extra hormones, no more modified activity, and no more worrying about Baby Girl coming too early.  We still need her to bake for at least 2 more weeks, but I guess she could come any day.  I still think all of these precautions might have been unnecessary and I'll deliver on time.  Complaints:  My hips are killing me, especially in the middle of the night and in the morning....poor Andrew.  Oh, and I never thought my hands could be so swollen! 

It's going to be hard to wait another 5 weeks.  Not just because of the discomforts, but because I am soooooooooooooooo excited to meet this little girl.   I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe me as patient before.  We are all ready for baby girl's arrival.  In fact, the only things left to do are to clean the bottles (just in case I need them sooner than later), make my labor playlist, and print out my focal points.  I'm going to use some pictures of Hawaii and a few of my favorite bible verses.  I'm not at all afraid of going naturally and I don't understand why people keep asking me this....it's a natural process that God made my body to do.  I know it's going to be extremely painful, but it's pain with a purpose.  Block the pain, and you block the body's natural feedback mechanisms and interventions usually only lead to more interventions.  Hundreds of thousands of women do it around the world everyday...without medication.  I am, however, going into this knowing that I might need some help.  If I end up laboring for a long time, or if I take forever to progress and need to be induced, then I might opt for some sort of assistance.  I've heard pitocin-induced labors are torturous, and I'm not doing this "prove" anything.  I really just think this is the best way to bring my daughter into this world.


And now for some fun pregnancy progression pictures!


7 weeks.  little bump, I guess?  I miss my abs.  sigh





15 weeks - yea, you pretty much can't tell under clothes.



20 weeks - this was the beer gut look that I had at our wedding ;)





22 weeks - still had to do a bare belly look to really see it.



27 weeks - ba-bam! no more hiding it.





33 weeks - haaauuuge.



 







4 weeks?!

So, the hospital and my OB are now going by the date of my LMP and not the initial July 27th due date that my doctor in FL put down...I'm learning more and more about what a bad dr. she was.  So, due date according to my OB is July 23.  This makes my change day Saturday - which means we've made it to 33 weeks tomorrow....which means Baby Girl is full term (NOT a preemie at 37 weeks) in 4 weeks from tomorrow!  I was also told that the hospital won't do anything to stop labor after 35 weeks. Ummm, that's 2 weeks away..AHHHHHHHH (that's excitement and nervousness all rolled into one).  Are we really ready for this?  I hope so!

My BH contractions come and go, especially when I go for one of my walks, but there's nothing that resembles a pattern and no other preterm labor signs, so I'm just enjoying the fact that my pregnancy is now relatively normal.  My dr. even joked that she might even end up having to induce me.  Place your bets on the due date, etc. here:  http://www.babyhunch.com/poolpage.php?poolid=3e52b2e3406c6c5bff38196322b6309d

We have Andrew's 5 yr Yale reunion this weekend.  We decided to stay in a hotel up there to somewhat get a way.  Staying in a hotel is always fun, even when it's only an hour away.  I'm excited about having something to get dressed up for.  I've been hanging out in tank tops and Andrew's shorts for weeks now ;)

Baby Girl is doing great.  We're not doing ultrasounds anymore, but the dr. is estimating just over 4lbs at this point.

32 week update:

compare this to my 12 week bump when I thought I was getting big. HA!

From my weekly email:
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

How far along?: 32w, 6 days
How big is baby?: The size of a squash still
Weight gain/loss?: 30lbs. - I think I'm going to stop reporting now.
Stretch marks?: Still stretchmark free.  woot!
Maternity clothes?: Yes please.

Sleep?: getting more and more difficult because my hips hurt so much

Food cravings?:  I probably eat 5 servings of some kind of cold fruit a day, and I've started craving icecream all the time!

Gender?: Baby Girl!
Movement?: All the time now.  Especially after I eat.  She is in the right position for birth, which also means that her feet are now up by my ribs.  Her kicks don't hurt yet, but she likes to wedge her right foot under my right rib. 

Belly button?: So the top half is now flat and the bottom half is still an inny.  As much as I love being pregnant, I can't wait to have my body back.  I don't think it will ever be the same though.

What are you looking forward to this week?:  Our weather has been incredible and it's supposed to stay that way.  I'm also looking forward to another meeting with our doula this Sunday afternoon.  We are finishing up our birth plan!

Notables:

Andrew and I spent some time with a friend's 5 week old baby girl last weekend.  She was getting a little fussy and Andrew took her and walked around with her for 15 minutes or so.  I wanted to cry because they looked so sweet together.  He is even more handsome with a baby in his arms and has now been dubbed the "baby whisperer".  Good news for me :)