When I found out that I was pregnant back in May 2008, I was both elated and scared.  Having grieved a miscarriage ^[1] the year before, I worried that something might go wrong.  At about twelve weeks (when I should’ve been relieved), I woke up one morning in the most excruciating pain I’d ever experienced.

My husband rushed me to the emergency room where they found that I had a twelve centimeter ovarian cyst.   I was given pain meds and went on bedrest for two weeks.  The medicine made me incredibly sick. After a lot of prayer for healing and pain relief, I woke up one morning with my mind made up that I was done with this medicine/bed rest thing.

I continued to see my ob-gyn, but I had this awful nagging feeling inside because she was so eager to do surgery to remove the cyst.  The nagging continued.

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I wanted to do everything I could for my baby’s healthy birth, so I came up with this mantra – “My Body, My Baby, My Way.” Spunky, huh?

In finding “my way”, I did a several pivotal things which I highly recommend for new moms to consider.

• Research everything about various ob-gyns/pediatricians and birthing techniques.

• Don’t be afraid to change doctors if you are uncomfortable or even if something doesn’t seem quite right.  I did – right in the middle of my pregnancy, and I’m so glad I did!  I was open and honest with my new doctor. She respected my requests fully.

• Take Bradley birthing classes. They are amazing and will prepare you and your husband for natural labor and childbirth.

• Write a birth plan! I can’t emphasize this one enough.  Whether you are having a hospital birth or a home birth, it is imperative for you to have a birth plan.  My nurses followed my birth plan exactly.  They let me labor MY way.  They watched and encouraged.  (A birth plan can help immensely if you have to be transported to a hospital during a home birth.)

• Stand up for yourself and your baby. Don’t feel like you have to just go with what your doctor says.  Doctors are human. They make mistakes. Follow your “mommy intuition.”  God gave it to you for a reason!

• Tell “protocol” to go fly a kite! Doctors and nurses do what they do 24/7.  What they sometimes fail to remember is that every. single. pregnancy, labor and birth is different. They can’t all be thrown into the same identical mold – with the same identical “protocols.”  Don’t hesitate to walk against the crowd and to request something different in your birth plan.

{Off soapbox now}

My baby’s birth ended a little lot differently than I planned.  When my husband and I made our birth plan, we had no idea that I would be in labor for forty-six hours before Ridley would finally make his appearance.  Yes, I was in labor for 46 hours.

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I had the most horrible back labor ever, but I stuck it out naturally for 40 hours.  Ridley was doing just great, but I was getting totally exhausted.  My contractions wouldn’t stay consistent unless I was on my hands and knees, but my nurses continued to let me make the decisions.  They gave me the option of continuing on or getting some help. I knew I needed help.

At this point, I’m confident that my other doctor would have suggested a c-section.  Looking back, I’m so thankful that I followed my “gut” and changed doctors!

My husband encouraged me because I totally felt like giving up.  I felt like a failure because it wasn’t going the “best” way that I had planned.

I got an epidural and pitocin (which finally regulated my contractions) and gave birth to our beautiful son six hours later.  I think he just didn’t want to come out of his cozy home. Ha!

There are things that I wish were different, but I know that I made the right decision for Ridley’s birth.  I’m 100% committed to pursuing “my way” for subsequent pregnancies, labors and births.

Won’t you join me in my mommy mantra: “My Body, My Baby, My Way?”

Linked to Works For Me Wednesday ^[4] and Amy’s Labor Day Party ^[5].