Planning my “Perfect” Birth

My goal

Ideally I would like a water birth. Whether it is to be at home or in hospital this is the way I would like to go about things. I picture a quiet, warm setting allowing me to have a natural, un-medicated water birth with my partner in the pool/tub behind me. I want the immediate skin to skin contact as soon as he is out & I also would like for the cord to stop pulsating before my partner cuts it. As far as medical professionals go my first choice is to use Sunny brook’s only tub as it is comforting to know that everything is there if we need it. If this option is unavailable I would like to have the water birth at home with a midwife & potentially a doula if we can afford one.

Rainbows & butterflies

I know that everyone pictures the perfect birth & I understand that things may (& probably will) not go according to plan, but I can hope. I also understand that if I am un-medicated I will more than likely not be quiet. Understandably so, I know this is going to hurt but for the short amount of time I will be in pain once I’m holding my baby in my arms for the first time I doubt that I’ll even be focused on that at all. Even if my birth isn’t perfect or even close to the way I have planned it I really am just hoping for the safe arrival of my son.

Baby steps (pun intended)

I can’t just wait till I am in labour & decide “OK this is how it is going to happen” so I am officially in motion attempting to obtain this ideal birth. I have contacted all the midwives in the GTA & am on the waiting lists in hopes of getting one. I have also emailed Sunnybrook hospital in regards to getting an OB through there that is willing to deliver via water birth. Unfortunately Sunnybrook is the ONLY hospital in all of the GTA that has a single pool for birthing & there is also not a single birthing centre here in Toronto which was really upsetting however I will deal. So now it’s time to play the waiting game. *fingers crossed*

Backup plan

Seeing as my water birth is becoming more of a dream then reality I have to have a back up labour plan. I know I am NOT comfortable with an epidural, the whole premise of it freaks me right out. Again I realize birth is no walk in the park but once I have my son safely in my arms all will be quickly forgotten. That being said If I do have to go with the whole “flat on your back & push” birth I think I would definitely like some pain relief so I am looking into different anaesthetic blocks that I can I use, none that will not interfere with being mobile during labour or pushing when the time comes. I plan on spending much of my labouring process in water which is offered by most hospitals, thank God. Again, I just want the safe arrival of my son.

Final thought

As much as both my ideal birth & my back up birth are how I would like to go about things I am more than willing to change things to get my baby here as safely as possible. Although chances of C-section are slim as I have an “Anterior Placenta” if I have to have one then so be it. It’s all down to the waiting game. Waiting for a midwife or an OB to contact me, waiting for appointments & waiting for the pregnancy to come to term. Seven months has already flown by & I only have a small stretch before our new addition arrives.