A Birth Plan?

In just 12 weeks (more or less), I will be delivering Lil' Miss Peanut via a scheduled c-section.  I know this as I have known it since I was 24 years old. Ginny was delivered by c-section and so will this new baby.  The date of the c-section hasn't been set and will likely not be set for at least another 6 weeks. I do know that my doctor likes to have a scheduled c-section when the patient is 39 weeks. I will be 39 weeks on November 3rd, a Saturday.

One thing I heard a lot about when I was pregnant with Ginny was having a birth plan.  Most birth plans apply to those who are having a vaginal birth. It is understanding why women (and their spouses) would want to have a sense of control over the birth of their child.  However, how could I have a birth plan? I'm having a c-section after all. I did learn that some women do go into a c-section with a birth plan.  It amazed me, especially considering this was a surgical procedure.

My options during the c-section are severely limited due to my prior abdominal surgery in my 20s.  For example, some women request dissolvable stitches. I do not have that option. When I heard of that, I asked my doctor about them. However, she didn't feel that they would hold well enough over prior stitches, etc.  So, I had to go with staples because they hold things better. Honestly, they weren't that bad and didn't hurt much coming out. I found, through my experience, that I was fine with how my doctor planned the delivery as well as my husband and my role in it. I did NOT want to see the baby delivered. I can't handle seeing that much blood and didn't want to see my belly all opened up. No thank you. I'll pass on that. My DH didn't want to see it either and was happy to pass on cutting the cord to the professionals.  He didn't feel like he missed out in any way.

Chris was able to watch as Ginny was measured and weighed. He even had the camera and took pictures so I could see it later.  Once Ginny was cleaned up and her eyes treated, Chris held her next to me until they finished up on me. From there, the nurse handed Ginny to me and rolled me to my room.

The hospital we will be having Peanut is the same one where we had Ginny. They are very breastfeeding focused and family-centered.  Heck, all their nurses in the birth center are lactation certified.  Again, this leaves me with little concerns adding requests to a birth plan. Not only do they make your room the pre-op and recovery room (so no changing rooms, period), they also make sure they get you started breast feeding right away with assistance, once you are in your room again.

So, our birth plan has taken on a different tone. Our birth plan deals with arranging what we want and need to happen before we go to the hospital and when we come home. Of course, I can't make concrete plans until we know when I will deliver our baby girl.  However, my parents will be coming up to help out with the new baby and Ginny. They will be here at least the day before I deliver and will stay a few weeks to help out. They are left hanging in limbo right now due to not knowing the date of my c-section.  I've told them that I wouldn't be surprised if we had this baby on November 1, based on the fact that my doctor does most surgeries on Thursdays.  However, we do not know if that will be the date or not.  We are quite grateful that my parents will be coming though. It will be nice knowing that Ginny will be taken care of while I'm giving birth and that Chris can be with me.

Our biggest concern and issue is what happens if I go into labor before the scheduled c-section??  Will I have to go into the c-section alone, without Chris? After all, someone needs to take care of Ginny. The closest family from us are some cousins and aunts and uncles who all live at least 2 hours away.  We have no close friends in the area either. We don't know what we'll do if that happens. Chris wants to be with me to see our new baby and to support me; however, without someone close to look after Ginny, I may be forced to give birth alone.  All I can do, I suppose, is pray that this baby doesn't decide to come early.