THE Birth Plan

So I haven't really shared my birth plan with anyone but my close friends and family.  To sum it up, it does not involve any type of medical intervention whatsoever.  Before I was pregnant I was not familiar with the extremely controversial world of birthing.  From what I've learned, there are those women completely accepting and trusting of the medical way (induction, internal fetal monitoring, pain relief - drugs and a doctor/nurse directed birth in a hospital); and I am not opposed to their opinion if that's what makes the woman feel the most comfortable. The thing with interventions is that they are a slippery slope, one usually leads to another with the end chance of cesarean much a higher than a labor without any. 

Then there are those women like myself who thinks of labor and giving birth as a natural process that our body knows how to do on it's own! I want to feel the power of my mind and the natural coping methods such as the explosion of endorphins my body will provide me with.  I am not saying it will be easy but it is do-able; mammals for thousands and thousands of years have given birth and most have survived  with a smile on their face when presented with the greatest reward of all, their baby, after all that work. 

I am not trying to push my views on anyone, I would just like to spread the word, that you do have a choice. Like my doula says,  "If you don't know your options, you don't have any!" So, all that I ask is to explore all the information available, you will find out very quickly what you desire for your delivery day. 

I hired a doula from the Fort McMurray Doula Association (FMDA) to help support us and to be our natural birth advocate at the hospital. She will also be there to remind me why I made the decisions I made in our birth plan when I start to questions myself. This fact was taken from their website, "Studies have shown that when doulas attend births, labors can be shorter, have fewer complications, and result in babies who are healthier and breastfeed with greater success."  

Now here is my rant about the medical way: 

I have had a healthy pregnancy with no complications to report.  Therefore, there would be no reason why I would be asked by my ob/gyn to have my membranes swept at 38 weeks and 4 days.  At this same appointment, I was asked to fill out an appointment booking form for induction to take place at 40 weeks and 3 days.  I refused and was told I will be asked again during my next appointment this coming Monday where I will refuse once again.  If there are still no complications, there are no reason for me to accept. 

Unfortunately, this is the struggle with dealing with an ob/gyn, next pregnancy I will be moving to the big city and using a midwife, no doubt about it (Fort McMurray does not have any practicing midwives).  Not only does the midwife practice all aspects of the intervention free birth but you get to spend as much time with them as needed.  I will not have to wait in a women's medical clinic waiting room for 3-4 hours every appointment, then transferred to the examination room for at least another half hour to spend 5 minutes with the doctor.

My doula has been more that I could have ever asked for, especially for my first pregnancy.  She has always been available for any questions or concerns I have had and has been over at our house at leat four times to discuss my expectations. The FMDA also teaches the pre-natal classes at The Hub free to the public which I attended. I will be honest, the tone of the classes are towards a natural birth - fine for me but they could make a woman with different plans uncomfortable.
My doula also helped me understand my wants and needs for my labor and delivery and then how to express it on a birth plan which will be presented to the nurse at the hospital (a copy has already been given to my ob/gyn - he made sure to tell me that I shouldn't get my hopes up).  So when the time comes, she will be over at our place and then the hospital to guide us through all the stages of labor. I know in some small way the doc is right (he just didn't have to be a jerk about it!), if any complications do arise and medical intervention is needed, I need to be open as both mine and the baby's health is the most important.

So we are down to the day now, and I could not be more excited to meet our little girl.  I know we will be so overwhelmed with love that any pains experienced throughout the whole pregnancy and delivery will be completely forgotten about! Wish us luck :)

If anyone has any questions, please comment with your email and I will get back to you!