Before I had my son, I said, “No induction! No pain medication! No episiotomy! No nothing!” Then I ended up experiencing what I like to call “lazy labor” and wasn’t stretching quite enough to fit the little guy’s head through. I did have a drug-free birth, aside from the Pitocin. I’ve heard Pit makes your contractions ten times stronger; needless to say I’m eager to know what natural contractions feel like compared to the ones I felt. I would like to go into labor naturally next time without the use of Pitocin. Will the natural labor feel like a walk in the park compared to what I’ve already gone through? If I forgo the Pit, will I be able to avoid another episiotomy?
In all honesty, these questions can’t be answered because so many factors play into what type of birth a woman has. Birth plans can give caregivers an idea of the mother’s preferences, but the reality is that things never go quite as planned. Sometimes your contractions just won’t get rolling on their own – and sometimes your baby’s head is just too big.
When you are writing a birth plan, try to keep it realistic and keep an open mind about changing your plans. Sticking to a plan too rigidly could actually compound your stress in the delivery room and cast a negative light on your birth experience. I look back and regret my episiotomy sometimes, but then I remember how afraid I was of tearing, and how that fear kept me from pushing as hard as I needed to. For me, the episiotomy was the best option at the time and in my circumstances. The same goes for my induction. It’s easy for me to look back and say I should have been more patient and waited for my contractions to start back up again. On the other hand, who’s to say they would have in a safe and timely manner? After all, my mother had to get a cesarean after waiting over two days for contractions to start after her water broke.
Did your birth go according to plan? What would you change? What will you do differently next time?