Lately, all my dreams have been about giving birth.
Just 2 nights ago, I dreamt that I needed to go in for an emergency c-section and the gynae started brandishing a cleaver like Daniel “The Butcher” Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York. I was still calmly asking him if it was necessary to use a knife that big and he was all “we’re out of scalpels but don’t worry, everything is under control” while twirling his moustache. And the most disconcerting thing about the whole dream? I was less concerned about the cleaver and more about the fact that my gynae doesn’t even have a moustache. I just saw him last week and the guy was clean shaven, then a week later, he’s got facial hair long enough to twirl.
Then last night, I dreamt that I was in labor. Like actual screamy, panic-inducing, BABY’S COMING NOW kind of labor. My dreams don’t usually translate into real pain but last night’s dream had my stomach all up in knots. It turned out to be a particularly bad case of middle-of-the-night-diarrhea but the point is that my brain managed to conjure up a whole dream scenario to give some context to the pain.
I’m no expert on interpreting dreams because they usually never mean what I think it means but I see a theme here and I’m going out on a limb to say that I’m about ready to pop.
So I figured I might as well be productive and come up with a proper birth plan. For the previous 2 kids, my entire plan was to arrive at the hospital and start yelling for an epidural. But after some serious consideration, I’m going to attempt a medication-free labor. I have to at least try this once and see how far I can go without having to stick a needle up my spine.
To make the process easier (or at least provide some distraction from the pain), I’ve come up with a list of things I’ll need in the delivery ward.
1. Music – Chariots of Fire by Vangelis (on repeat), followed by Deshi Basara (the epic Bane chant from the Dark Knight Rises) during the pushing phase.
2. Movies/Dramas – Every episode of Game of Thrones from the past 2 seasons. Now’s not the time to be watching namby pamby characters whining about their romantic interests (I’m looking at you, Ted Mosby). It’s time to go for some Ned Stark level of brutal medieval action.
3. Mobility – The good thing about not having epidural is that I won’t have to be confined to the bed. I’m going to try every yoga position possible to see if it helps with the pain management. If I have to squat to deliver the baby, I’m going to do it.
The husband says that this time, he’s going to film the entire birth process and make it into a snazzy video and I made him a promise that if he so much as brings any image capturing device near my birth-giving parts, I will personally get off the delivery table and beat him unconscious with said device.
If you have any birth plan recommendations, do share!
31 Comments
I think filming is not allowed during labour?
serious? that’s probably good news for us both..
Depending on which hospital you plan to deliver at, not all will respect your birth plan. I have a sample of mine if you would like me to email it to you.
Sure! My email is daphne@motherinc.org :)
I think birth plan is very personal. The idea is to empower yourself to take charge. I felt so empowered when my doctor agreed to almost all except one. I had a wonderful HypnoBirthing in Water at NUH. Same time here is the group class that offer birth planning that has been missing in many antenatal class at the hospital. http://www.childbirthodyssey.com/services/birth-plan-consultation/
Is it necessary to have a birth plan? I really can’t make up my mind on what I want to do for the labour… All options seem painful. Btw, about the dreams – I have been having really crazy and vivid dreams too lately. I feel incredibly tired when I wake up in the morning and can even remember some of the plot of my dreams I had recently.
LOL I don’t think there’s such a thing as a pain free birth. Even the epidural hurt like crazy..
Wow, you wanna go epidural free? Brave mama!
Ruth´s last post ..Charly T’s: Savour Home-Styled Food from Around the World
I think I have to try this once at least! I’ll let you know how it goes!
Where are you delivering? Do they have a labor pool? I highly recommend it. I’d be happy to share my plan with you. Email me and I’ll send it your way.
I’ll be at Thomson Medical – not sure if they have a labor pool though, will have to check with my gynae.
Thomson Medical has a labour ward with a birth pool. You can try to request it in advance but they will not be able to guarantee that you can use that specific ward and there is an extra charge for using that ward.
Yeah I just found out too! Quite keen to try out water birth but I’ll have to check with my gynae
I just delivered at Thomson a month ago too. Yes, there’s a labor pool but subject to availability and also up to your gynae. I remembered asking my gynae about water birthing and she said only a few docs specialize in that, and she wouldn’t since she has no experience in that and didn’t want to take the risk.
Filming is fine during the labor if you guys have the time.
As for pain relief, I was going to go au naturale but ended up getting the gas, then the narcotics and finally the epidural. DIdn’t even feel the epidural going in cos’ I was so high on the narcotics and gas.. lol but it was good.
Good luck with the delivery!
Apl the best for the delivery. I delivered both my babies without epidural. Go for it!
My husband did film the entire delivery. I wouldn’t let my boys watch it, but nice to keep it for the memories. :)
Wow you actually have both deliveries on film?!! I probably won’t dare to watch it myself…I saw a picture of the placenta and it’s truly gross.
No. Not both. Just the 2nd delivery. :) I think for the first delivery, my husband didn’t know what to expect, so he just stood by me the whole time, and tried his best to assist the midwife, copying what she was doing to help make me feel better.
For the second one… I think he kinda knew what was coming, was more relaxed, so he just stood by, watched and filmed. That was after getting woken up at 3am in the morning, taking a last minute flight back from a biz trip and arriving in the hospital with his luggage in tow. I went into labour while he was in China, and he had to make last minute plans to get on the next flight back to Singapore. Thankfully, he made it back shortly before my major contractions.
Very cool hubby you got there!
Haha, you’re joking right? I told myself I would go epi-free this Feb for number three. I only managed to last two hours.
Hahah 2 hours is not bad. Hopefully it will be a quick delivery
For someone like me who can’t even handle a hot glass of water without going OUCH-SO-PAIN, I managed to go thru my last 2 labours without any pain relief! I didn’t even use the stupid gas mask (which I suspect was just to keep screaming mums quiet for a while).
It’s really possible to go thru without epidural. I managed the first stage of labour decently by lying on my side (and not flat on my back). Managed it so well that my ob-gyn was wondering if I was truly in labour because I could actually talk calmly.
Jia you and have a blessed delivery!
Ok your comment actually makes me feel better! I have a really low threshold of pain as well.. and you’re right about the gas mask, it’s completely useless.
That’s very brave and I fully support you. I have wanted to have a natural birth without epidural too but baby was in breech position, so I ended up with C-section. I’d still try natural for the next round. All the best to you!
Abby´s last post ..A different Friday (Part Two)
Thanks babe!
It’s only pain. And u get a baby at the end! 3rd drug free labour on 19 th July a beautiful 9lb 4 oz boy. It hurts yell and scream and then forget it all when u get a baby who’s calm and has no drugs in its system!
Remember birth plans are great but are only a guide u can hope to use!
Best of luck! Remember the more it hurts the closer it is to over!
Hahahahah I like your style. It’s only pain, just bring it on!
That’s very brave of you to try to go drug free. If its the third birth and second natural birth it may be easier; I hear the baby comes out more easily so its a shorter period of lower pain. But what do I know. My greatest fear in connection with natural birth is poop, which I hear inevitably emerges from the pushing before the much larger baby gets pushed out. Gross.
Elaine´s last post ..Cousin Samuel
Maybe try to clear the system during the early stages of labor? I actually managed to not poop while pushing out kirsten but then again, I think they’re used to it already.
Yay! Good to know its possible. Nobody seems to ever talk about it so I’m just clueless on this aspect of childbirth
Elaine´s last post ..How long does youth last?
number two was epidural free. labour was so much faster second time round, so yeah, you can do it!
Hi Daphne!
I gave drug-free natural birth 8 months ago at Mt. alvernia and they honored my 2-page birth plan! You can read about it more on my blog http://www.a-natural-mom.com =)
My hypnobirthing class at http://www.parentlink.org helped immensely! You can check it out!
I agree! You should give it a try! I also gave drug-free birth to my first born and it was the most empowering experience! The baby and I were both alert for immediate skin-to-skin embrace and she breast crawled and self-latched! Truly amazing!
In any case, good luck and wish you all the best! =)