If you haven't seen What to Expect when Expecting…CHECK IT OUT! Super funny!
I think it is so interesting that a first time mom's (FTM) view on having a baby is determined by the shows we watch. Even before I had my first and educated myself I thought that labor was scream filled and insane. I was just going to deal with it even though I knew I wanted an unmedicated birth. There are so many movies out there that portray a birth scene. Showing the dad's sweating just as much as the mom's. The mom's screaming at the top of their lungs and just an overall crazy feeling to the room in general with nurses coming and going and doctors yelling at the patient to push while another nurse yells counting down backwards telling you when and when not to breath.
Some of the aspects are true. There might be nurses coming and going. If there is a possible problem with the baby there will be a ton more people in the room. It is also because that is what we expect to happen, because of TV. If it didn't happen than a FTM might think something was wrong. But birthing doesn't have to be like what we see on TV.
I promise it can be however you want it to be. You just have to figure out the things you want to happen and what not to happen. And talk to your doctor about it before hand. If your pregnancy is not a high risk pregnancy there are some things that you can "request".
First things first: MAKE A BIRTH WISHES plan and call it Birth Wishes. It is a birth plan but a "nice" way to say birth plan. Make sure that it is under 1 page long. Seriously if you have a 10 page document and show the doctor or nurse when you arrive at the hospital they probably won't read the whole thing or won't remember everything. Pick and choose the things you want on there. Include your name, date of birth, social security if it applies. Sex of baby being born and name of baby so they can write it on your arm band and bassinet when it is born.
Do Your Research: The way to pick and choose the things you want on your Birth Wish List is to read all about it. Be knowledgable about the things that could happen in labor and a possible outcome. Like: being cut vs tearing for an episiotomy. Or about what type of intervention you do and don't want, pitocin, epidural and such.
Make your Birth Wishes list organized: Break it into different sections with bullet points. Seriously the docs and nurses will love you for being so organized! Break it down to Labor, Delivery and Postpartum sections. It is easy to read and follow and it will sit in the front of your file so any nurse that comes in will see it right there in the front!
Ok next part: About labor and how it can be different from TV. You can ask to have the lights dimmed during delivery, music playing in the background, mother directed pushing so that a nurse is not counting at you. (probably won't work though if you have an epidural because you probably won't know if you are having a contraction). You can ask to labor as long as possible in the tub. For them not to ask you if you want any pain meds or suggest it unless you ask for it. There are so many different scenarios but one thing is for sure that however you have your baby, it will be exactly what needs to happen. That baby has to come out and it will come out one way or another but start planning now on how you imagine your birthing experience. Even if you are getting a c-section you can ask for certain things too or specify about skin to skin as soon as possible after the surgery. Just do your research and think about how you want your labor to be.
