What is your birth plan/birth dream/birth fantasy?

[Thalia]

I'm curious:

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital)

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?)

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?)

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?)

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band?

Thanks!

[earthie_mama]

Where do you want to give birth?
Fantasy: at home, waterbirth.
Actual Plans: Nice hospital, 2 hours away, waterbirth

Who will attend your obstetric needs?

Midwife

Who will provide support?
my husband

What preparation will you use?

Haven't decided yet...any suggestions?

What else do you and don't you want to have happen?

Waterbirth, with me doing the actual delivery, and as much as possible with a midwife there as 'back-up', I also want to do a drug-free birth, with soothing music that I'll bring with us.

[jessjillbolyer]

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital)
Fantasy: At home
Hopefully: at a birthing center 2 hour drive away! I live in a VBAC unfriendly state.
Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?)
Midwife

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?)
Husband and doula

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?)
Not sure yet but looking into Bradley
What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band?
Waterbirth for sure, not sure what else yet.

[meggles]

Nice question, Thalia!

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital)
We definitely want a home birth!

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?)
We will have a homebirth midwife--a CPM/LM.

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?)
So far, just dh, the midwife or midwives, and likely a doula as well.

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?)
I've found a Birthing from Within class in our area that I am excited about. I'm looking into Hypnobirthing to see if it's something I'd be into. I plan to do prenatal yoga throughout the pregnancy too.

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band
I'm intrigued by waterbirth. I definitely want a tub to labor in at the very least. Up until this point, I've focused so much on getting pregnant that I haven't given much deep thought to the actual birth. I know I want it to be natural and empowering.

[bemommy]

Where do you want to give birth?
I would really like a homebirth this time around, if not then I'll consider driving to the nearest birthing center. If I end up at a hospital I want to leave ASAP

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?)
I've been considering concurrent care to appease the family.

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?)
The first time around I pretty much wanted to be left the hell alone. . I don't much care who's there and not there. I will need someone to care for my DD.

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?)
I know some self hypnosis techniques, I may look more into hypnobirthing.

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band?
For all I care there can be a circus going on. As long as the phone is unplugged that is. I'd like to think about laboring in water.

[dynamicdoula]

What preparation will you use? -- Haven't decided yet...any suggestions?

Birthing From Within!!

[Thalia]

Here's mine so far...first time mama so this may all be fantasy!

Where do you want to give birth?
We just found an alternative birthing center in Oak Park, IL that looks like it has all the stuff we want: permanent water birth set up, LDRP suites with full bath and shower and queen sized bed (so that DH can be in the bed and enjoy the babymoon, too) microwave and fridge so we can have some food ready for whenever I'm ready to eat, during or after birth, plus a Level II perinatal center just in case.

Who will attend your obstetric needs?
A certified nurse midwife. We found a practice but haven't met any of the midwives yet.We'd feel comfortable with an OB if my pregnancy ends up being high-risk for some reason, but my sister (who is an OB) said that if she weren't an OB herself, she'd use a midwife.

Who will provide support?
My DH, my best friend (whose birth I attended), my naprapath (who loves births and is willing to provide treatments during labor if necessary, maybe even with TENS) possibly the same doula who attended my best friend's birth, and possibly my mom (my parents live in San Diego, so we don't know yet when she's going to come out for the birth).

What preparation will you use?
Probably Bradley and hypnobirthing. The birth center we like has hypnobirthing classes! :

What else do you and don't you want to have happen?
We are really excited about the possibility of a water birth! : We also used prayer a lot during my best friend's birth and I'm sure that will play a role in our birth, too. I also like the idea of having music and some flowers in the room. That's all I know so far!

[Zaxmama]

Oh Gosh.. your all going to hate me so much....

my fantasy birth would be a water birth at home with nice music and my dh and son and a midwife and doula who specializes in prenatal and laboring massage....however.. the truth is where I live they are super anti-vbac (my son was an emergency csection after 20 hours of labor) and I know its gonna end up being an OB planned csection probably in the end of december. ( I have diabetes and make Big Babies.. DS was 10 lbs 12oz )I can pretend I am too posh to push but the truth is I wouldn't mind trying..but its not going to happen..
so I know the drill but I can still enjoy my pregnancy and live vicariously through you all.. right?

[tannersmommy]

Where do you want to give birth? HOME!! :

Who will attend your obstetric needs? I'm not sure about this yet. Last time, we paid for the birth twice (midwife and c-section/hospital stay). We REALLY can't do that again. So I'm not sure if we will do prenatal care and birth with midwife, or if we will do prenatal care with OB (covered by insurance) and have an "oops we didn't make it to the hospital in time" delivery at home.

Who will provide support? DH and my mom (who is a HB/UCer). If we end up having to plan a hospital VBAC, I will definitely have a doula, too.

What preparation will you use? Probaby Bradley.

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? I DON'T WANT ANOTHER C-SECTION! I really don't even want another hospital birth. I would like to labor at home in water. I would like quiet, low-lights, soothing music, close family support. Most of all, I want patience on the part of everyone involved (including me), even if it takes 36 hours again this time (please, no).

[mrsfatty]

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital)--either home or a birthing center (my last birthing experience was at a hospital--it was terrible--then again, I was preeclamptic)

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?) Still deciding...I'm considering using my OB and "accidentially" not making it to the hospital--my husband is not comfortable with that...or I'm looking for a midwife to assist at home or at the birthing center.

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?) My husband

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?) None...I've read books...and I've given birth before...I'm just going to trust my body and listen to my body...

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band?) I think I want water to be apart of my labor and possibly birth...

I do NOT want all the interventions from my previous birth...

[Jess_n'_the_bean]

(dd is Dec 30, so jumpin' between dec & jan groups)

Where do you want to give birth?
Ideally at home but more likely in a birthing room at the hospital. In ontario midwifery is covered as part of our universal health care plan - women can choose if they want an ob or a midwife. midwives have 'priveleges' in their local hospitals - can order blood tests, u/s etc. If you do choose to birth at home you still have to register with the hospital in case something goes wrong.

Who will attend your obstetric needs? midwife and doula - they come in pairs; midwife for the babe and doula for the mommy and daddy

Who will provide support? hubby, possibly my best friend who is studying to become a midwife, and maybe my mom

What preparation will you use? Bradley, Lamaze not sure what else yet

What else do you and don't you want to have happen?
I REALLY DON'T WANT A C/S. a water birth or at least labouring in a tub would be fantastic. we shall see!

[kalisis]

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital) Home again, for sure.

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?) If this was perfect, then I'd do an unassisted, hands down, no questions asked. But in reality, we'll have a CNM - DH just is too freaked out to go for it. I'll wait until the last possible second to call her, but...she'll still be here, KWIM?

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?) DH and probably my mom will be here (at least I'm hoping) so she can kind of corral and entertain DS. Also, my FIL's gf, I'll ask her to come again since she made it too late to actually witness DS's birth. I want to share the power of labor and birth with her - I think then she might get some of what I do about it.

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?) We did Bradley last time, so no need to do that again. I'm rereading Birthing from Within, but really, I think I'm good to go.

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band?) This time around I want to use some aromatherapy and definitely have some music. I know it's cheesy, but I already am craving Manheim Steamrollers and some other jazzy kinds of stuff. More candles maybe - I don't know. Haven't thought too much about it yet, but this is good to get me started.

Good thread!

One of my plans is to only put out positive thoughts to the universe. Like, instead of saying, I don't want to go to the hospital, saying, I'm going to birth this baby at home. Something I'm working on in my life in general, but so far, I'm seeing results, so I know it will help with this particular life event as well.

[mommy2boys]

Where do you want to give birth? I would love to give birth at home but my insurance will only let me have a hospital birth and there are no homebirth midwives within 100 miles of here.

Who will attend your obstetric needs? Midwife

Who will provide support? My spouse, he is an excellent labor coach.

What preparation will you use? I'm thinking of trying out hypnobirthing

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? I would ideally love a waterbirth and don't want an iv or any other unnecessary medical intervention. I would also like to be able to catch my own baby.

[RoadWorkAhead]

Where do you want to give birth? (Home, birthing center, hospital)
Home, though I wouldn't be opposed to the BIrth Cottage if I had to

Who will attend your obstetric needs? (OB, certified nurse midwife, direct entry midwife, other?) My midwife...whatever kind she is. It will be the same place as with DS

Who will provide support? (spouse/partner, doula, midwife, friends, family?)
DF, my mom, my grandmother and great aunt, possibly his mom, and who knows who else?!?! Last time we had a big old party w/ a Finding Nemo viewing at my house

What preparation will you use? (Bradley, Lamaze, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, etc?) Not sure yet, possibly the same as before (combo from local HB advocate), possibly birthing from within

What else do you and don't you want to have happen? (waterbirth? prayer? a three-piece band? Water birth with DS either in the water or right there during birth