Friday, April 6, 2012

Au Natural...

Since becoming pregnant I've been asked a million times if I plan to have a natural delivery.

I always laugh. 

Every time.

Here are my thoughts in no particular order.
  • I'm having twins- I may not have a lot of say in how it all ends up. 
  • I have ZERO attachment to having a natural birth.
  • I do not see myself as less of a women if I choose not to 'do it the way millions of women have done it' ahead of me... without drugs- in fact, I fully intend to have an epi.
  • I want these babies to get here safely. If that means drugs and knives I'm ok with that.
  • These babies got to my uterus via massive amounts of medication, hormones, a plastic catheter, ICSI, 5 days in a lab and many, many people other than my husband and I... nothing about this process has been 'natural' I'm guessing that isn't going to change now.  
  • I may or may not have placenta previa on their birthday complements of Baby A... if things don't move I will not have the option of a vaginal delivery- like it or not. 
  • I don't want to have any expectations of their birthday. They will be deciding how their day is going to go- there is no sense in me trying to write it down and prepare for it. Let's remember that I planned on them being here about 3 years prior to their arrival date- obviously they are in the driver seat.
So, there you have it, my thoughts on the birth of these sweet little babies. It is weird to think that we're getting close to the halfway point of a normal 40 week pregnancy and likely have passed the halfway point in this twin pregnancy!

I know I have A LOT of natural delivery Mamas as readers. Please know that my thought of birth is 'to each her own' we all have differing feelings about birth... these are mine :)

12 comments:

Joys Truly said...

Loving your thoughts on this delivery and how "natural" it was for your babies to get there. Congrats on halfway there!!!

Stephanie said...

Good for you! We didn't have a birth plan besides to have a happy healthy baby! You never know what is going to happen and for us it wasn't worth trying to plan every minute and then be potentially upset it didn't go according to plan. We didn't expect to have preeclampsia and be induced 2 weeks early, we didn't expect to have a placenta abruption due to my contractions and need emergency c-section to get our boy out safely and we certainly didn't plan that during our quick emergency c with 2 different doctors that I would need xrays to ensure nothing was left inside during the too fast sewing up. But at the end of the day, baby boy was here safe and sound and that's what mattered and no one was upset about things not going as planned - I know I have friends and family who did have a birth plan, which didn't go as planned and they spent more time being upset about their lack of control than they should have on such a special day! Can't believe those boys will be here so soon!!! :)

Jessica said...

Me and you are on the same page!! I have been asked the same thing to many times and the truth is I feel like I have to much to stress about already and I just have to put the faith in my Dr that he knows what's best and if I completely honesty nothing up until this point has gone the way I "planned" and I doubt it will start in the delivery room!!

Mrs. H said...

Totally agree with this take on things.

Jesica said...

I'm definitely a natural birth mama, but my thoughts on birth are that every woman needs to make her own choice on how she wants to birth. I do not believe that every woman should natural birth or birth at home. If a woman is more comfortable in a hospital, with drugs, with C-section, that is totally fine with me and that is where she should be!! It's when a woman is striving for a natural birth and is being sabotaged every step of the way when she walks into the hospital door that I get annoyed.

That being said every step of my birth plan has a backup. I "plan" on having a home birth but I know there are so many things I can't control and if I end up in a hospital, so be it! All I really want is a healthy baby at the end and if I have to do it in a hospital for one reason or another then I will.

Melody said...

I actually planned to have a vaginal medicated birth. But things did not go that way. So, the 2nd time, I just went all natural. I guess people (in theory) SHOULD have a birth plan, but most people I know, that goes down the drain. I guess mentally it just helps you to know what your plan is. But DUH with twins, you sometimes don't have a choice. How come people don't get that? LOL.

Amy said...

What a refreshing post, seriously. Good for you!

Sybil said...

Your plan sounds just like my plan! I would rather have a vaginal birth (vs a c-section) but whatever it takes to get her here safely. And I fully intend on having an epi too. There are no awards for the one who endures the most amount of labor pain....the emotional roller coaster we have been on for the last 3.5yrs is enough pain for me.

Megan said...

I'm with Jessica. I have a natural birth plan and I've always envisioned a natural birth for myself but it's a very personal decision and to each their own. I'm very attached to my birth plan and I hope I'm not setting myself up for disappointment. I think you have a great plan for your twins.

Anonymous said...

This post made me smile :) I could not agree w/you more. The most important thing for me was getting the babies out safely. There is so much negative talk about c/s- but it was necessary for my boys to enter the world safely- so in a perfect world I would have preferred a vag birth- but seriously it was not a big deal.
I am so grateful for technology and doctors with knives---- w/out them I would not have my boys. Happy half-way point!

jill's infertility document said...

I think you are so smart for letting go of expectations. It is so true how our ideas of birth and conception change after years of infertility!

L said...

I think your plan sounds perfect! Sometimes I think it seems like being willing to 'go with the flow' leads to a more successful experience. When I delivered N a doctor and nurse both mentioned that people with really specific birth plans are often disappointed and upset when things don't go as they have planned. I agree the most important thing is a healthy baby(ies) and mommy!