The arrival of Amelia's baby is imminent (due this week!) and whilst she likes to be informed and well-prepared, she realises that 'even the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry'. She shares her hopes for 'the perfect birth' and is keeping her fingers crossed that everything will go according to plan.
I have been surprised throughout my pregnancy at just how much there is to know and learn about pregnancy and birth. I previously had no idea about so many topics on which I could now probably bore you for hours!
Personally, for me, ignorance is not bliss, and I have been keen to educate myself on all things pregnancy and birth so that I can make informed decisions. Charlie has been fantastic at embracing this and we have attended hypnobirthing and NCT classes together. I have also been on a pregnancy yoga course and read quite a few books.
It has been interesting to see the different angles to pregnancy and birth that each course or book has to offer and this has enabled us to cherry pick the bits we like, and ditch the bits we don't.
One message that is loud and clear, however, is the fact that giving birth rarely goes to 'plan'. After all, the baby certainly can't read the plan! So rather than a birth plan, we have prepared our 'birth preferences'.
I really hope that I can have a water birth in the midwife led unit at our chosen hospital, using hypnobirthing techniques to stay calm and with as little intervention as possible.
We have also included our preferences for other things too, like cutting the cord, skin to skin and feeding. We have provided for our ideal birthing scenario, but we are also prepared for the fact that things may well go differently.
With my due date fast approaching, I just can't wait to meet our baby, so I am remaining positive and hope that I will embrace whatever type of birth we end up having. I will let you know how we get on!