Photo Courtesy of Megan Crown Photography @ http://megancrown.com/

Birth Stories

I'm guessing that if someone hasn't asked you what your birth plan is yet, they will. Perhaps you've even reached out to a couple of close friends or family to find out where they gave birth and who attended.

Your birth preferences are so important! I love this topic because I believe it really sets the tone for the birth experience that you're preparing for. We can't predict exactly how labor and birth will go of course, but we can prepare our minds and our bodies for birth.

What do you value?

I always encourage my clients to start with their values when they are considering creating their birth plan. Values are a great place to start because they can guide the process and help to ensure that your preferences are really tied to your desires and not the preferences of someone else. I know in our culture today, it can be a challenge sometimes to make a decision because the cultural norms (birthing in a hospital with a physician and getting an epidural) are so strong. And, please know that I'm not criticizing that choice, it is simply one of your choices and I want you to make a choice that is most aligned with your values.

Your Top 5

I'd like you to take a moment and write down your top 5 values. Examples of values are: autonomy or independence, honesty or integrity, transparency or privacy, commitment or communication, etc... You get the idea. What values really drive you in your everyday life? You might need to consider a challenging decision that you just made to get the root of your values.

For example, if you decided to attend a friend's wedding instead of staying home even though the trip and the expenses were inconvenient and a stretch for you, perhaps you really value commitment. If you are quick to resolve an issue with a co-worker or colleague rather than wait and let the issue stew, perhaps you value transparency. Perhaps being surrounded by a peaceful, beautiful environment is important to you. In that case, you might focus on your value for aesthetics. You get the idea.

Write it Down

Once you have your values written down, I want you to think about your labor and birth as you envision it. What would your ideal labor and birth look like? Here are some questions to get the juices flowing...

• Are you laboring in the shower or bathtub at home?
• Are you taking a walk with your partner in early labor?
• Are you laboring in the living room supported by comfy pillows? Leaning over the bed?
• Are you laboring at the birth center? In the hospital?

What kind of environment makes you feel calm and supported? This is an interesting question because I find that some women feel more calm and supported laboring at home or in an out-of-hospital birth center while others feel more calm and supported laboring in the hospital.

What if my birth doesn't go as planned?

In the event that something changes in your birth plan, what can you do to bring your values back into the equation? For example, if you were originally planning a water birth and now that's not an option for whatever reason, perhaps you can labor in the shower for awhile. Perhaps you can play sounds of water or ocean waves on your phone. Perhaps bringing a small portable fountain or diffuser with lavender to the birth would be an option. All of these choices incorporate the element of water. In this way, even though you’re not actually laboring in a birthing tub, you can still be connected with the element of water, especially if it’s calming for you.