Real-life births are full of surprises, but flexible planning will help you have your baby in the way that’s right for you.

Imagine this: You will soon be journeying through a wilderness. You’ve talked to some friends who have already travelled this wilderness, and they all have different stories to tell. Some people have climbed steep mountains, or struggled slowly through dense woods, while others have hiked along an easier path.
There are some common threads, too. Almost everyone describes the trip as being most challenging toward the end. Many people say it was helpful to have an experienced guide with them. And everyone promises you that the reward for reaching the other side is worth every second of the journey.
Planning your birth is a little like getting ready for that journey. There is so much about birth that is unpredictable. You don’t know when labour will start, how long it will last, what complications might arise or how you will feel about everything when it happens.
But there are some plans you can make. You can learn about birth so you are will prepared to consider your options. You can think about the environment and care you would like to have during labour. You can even think about what will help you cope if things don’t work out as you had hoped and your plans have to change. Consider these questions as you put your plans in place:

Where do you want to be in labour and while giving birth?
If you are planning a hospital birth, would you like to be in the birthing room rather than the regular labour ward? (You may need to pre-register.) Would you prefer to labour at home as long as possible, or do you think you would be more comfortable heading to the hospital fairly early? If you are planning a home birth, you will need to find a caregiver who attends home deliveries, and also make plans about which hospital you will transfer to if problems arise.

Who do you want to have with you?
As well as your caregiver (physician or midwife), you may want your partner, a labour support person, your mother or a friend. Do you have older children who also want to be part of the birth? Do you have a backup if your partner or labour support person is unexpectedly unable to be with you?
Increasingly women are choosing to hire trained labour supporters (doulas), in addition to their partners, to help them through labour. If you are interested in learning more about this option, check out the DONA International website: dona.org.

What do you want to be doing in labour?
Do you picture yourself walking around outdoors, standing in the shower, relaxing in a whirlpool tub, listening to music? You might need to make several possible plans:
If labour starts in the middle of the night, what will help you relax and get more rest? If labour starts in the morning when you are not tired, how can you keep active and encourage the labour to progress?

What kind of help would you like?
What comfort measures do you think will be most helpful? Do you hope to have an unmedicated birth, or do you plan to request pain medication as soon as labour becomes really difficult? You can’t predict how you will feel once labour is really underway, but if your support team knows your goals and preferences, they can support you more effectively.

Are there any routine hospital procedures you wish to avoid?
Remember that you are entitled to refuse these if you choose. Your hospital tour may be a good time to learn about the policies of the hospital you plan to use.

Are there any issues you feel strongly about?
Are you very concerned, for example, about avoiding an episiotomy? Make sure you discuss this carefully with those who will be attending you.
There may also be small things that are important to you. Some women,, for instance, prefer to labour in their own nightgown rather than a hospital gown.

What do you want to happen once the baby is born?
If you’ve been concentrating on the labour, you may not have thought much about this part. Does your partner want to tell the baby’s sex or cut the cord?
Do you want to breastfeed immediately or keep the baby with you?

What if labour complications do arise?
It’s impossible to anticipate all the possible variations, but you can consider some of the common ones and any that you are especially concerned about. For example, if you need help pushing your baby out, you may have a choice between forceps and a vacuum extractor – so you might want to discuss this issue and include your preferences in the birth plan. or if you need to have a Caesarean section, which members of your birth team will be able to stay with you? Can your partner stay at the hospital to help care for the baby?

Article by Teresa Pitman.
Taken from Today’s Parent Pregnancy Guide (Spring 2009)