39 week update + why I have a birth plan

How in the world am I 39 weeks along?! But at the same time, have I been pregnant forever??

At 39 weeks, my body honestly feels about the same as it has for the last few weeks, but baby boy is settled nice and low. I barely even feel pregnant up around my ribs! What a tease. My aches are minimal. My energy is pretty normal. My sleep is erratic and unreliable. My emotions are a little roller coastery. My symptoms overall are pretty darn great and manageable; we are sure to have a bald little angel because, even this far along, still no heartburn in sight-- which works great for me!

I need to just chill out and wait, but I am feeling pretty anxious these days, so the whole relaxing-while-you-can thing is easier said than done. I've got bags packed, car seat bases installed, family on high alert, and lists of what to grab last minute on our way out the door, but no idea when any of this will become relevant. Talk about a lesson in patience! I don't want to be induced because I believe in relying on my body and Rhett's being more in tune with when this needs to happen than I could plan out ahead of time. I am fortunate that I have the freedom to make that decision to wait for spontaneous labor, because I understand not every woman has that luxury. That brings me to my birth plan, and why I even have one.

Again, it's no shock that I would make a plan. Ever. I mean "plan" is in my web address. But when it comes to birth, I didn't even know birth plans were a thing. As I started listening to pregnancy-related podcasts in the first trimester, I heard them referenced a good bit but didn't think much of it. It wasn't until learning about all the different things that happen in labor and what choices you have that I started to realize I was forming opinions about some of these things. When it comes to medical care, I am never for just being an easy, uninformed patient. Medicine is changing and evolving constantly, and that is certainly no different for labor and delivery. I rarely go to the doctor or get antibiotics or even need anything along those lines. Heck, antibiotics are so overprescribed that many of us are walking around without much good bacteria at all in our tummies! It's no wonder it's so common to be sick and tired and bloated.

Please, don't get me wrong. The doctor is the expert. I am well aware of this and absolutely believe this. I would not want to have to make some of the decisions that doctors make every day-- but I also know MY body better than a doctor, and if something is suggested based on convenience or for the sake of a little bit of time, I'm probably not going for it. So much medicine is unnecessary. Our bodies are designed to heal and adapt and respond, and I trust mine to do its job. It hasn't let me down yet!

So what sorts of things are in my birth plan? Well, first of all, I listed mine as "birth preferences." I know I cannot plan out exactly how this thing is going to go, but when given choices, I do have preferences. That helps me keep it in perspective and to not feel so tied to these decisions that my entire birth experience is ruined if something doesn't go to plan.

Second, I listed things that I thought either strayed from the hospital's policy a little or that may not even be offered or discussed in the moment. For example, it is my hospital's policy for immediate skin-to-skin contact with baby, but delayed cord clamping differs doctor to doctor. My doctor is all for it, he just said I might need to remind him in that moment. Who knows how coherent my thoughts will be at that point! So I listed that on my birth plan in hopes that between all the nurses (who have hopefully read my little plan) and my small team of family, someone will remind the doc to hold off on that cord. I also thought it was important to note what types of medications I am and am not comfortable with, both for me and baby. Example: Cytotec is a medication that isn't approved for regular labor and delivery use, but it is commonly used to ripen the cervix and stimulate contractions. This medicine carries an increased risk for uterine rupture and lots of hospitals have even banned it. These sorts of things are typically discussed with you ahead of time, but in my experience, the downsides to medications are not discussed with you at length. I also think it's very easy for one birth to roll into the next in the mind of hospital staff because they do this every day. I'd like to stand out as an individual on this day, not just another patient, and that may sound a little idealistic, but I can try, right?! I have cookie goodie bags made up with a little thank you note on each one for the staff who come and go from our room, so a little bribery never hurt in getting things to go your way! Cookie bribes are the best kind. Now we'll see if I actually get the cookies made in early labor at home! :)

Informed consent is super important, and I encourage anyone who will need to make these types of decisions in the future to do your research-- hospitals and doctors differ greatly on what is used today, and you hold the ultimate power in your healthcare. It is your job for your body to be in the best shape possible to handle a big day like your baby's birthday, but it's also your job to know what is currently recommended and what is old school practice that maybe should be phased out. Nothing can be done in your delivery without your consent, but your consent doesn't hold much weight if you don't know your options. Read up and a LOT, listen to Preggie Pals and The Pregnancy Podcast, and talk to others about their experiences-- it's your day (and your new family's!) and you should feel empowered about the decisions being made.