Birth Plan

I am 10 weeks and 2 days today, and baby Kemp is about the size of a prune.  Most people at this point would never be able to tell that my stomach has grown a little in size, and I actually have only gained one pound.  If it wasn't for the fact that I can see a growing belly and my pants are becoming a little sung, I would be worried that I haven't really gained any weight.  Our next doctor's appointment is this Thursday (on our anniversary), and we will hopefully get to hear the heartbeat.

It seems like once you get pregnant every mother shares with you their labor and delivery stories, whether you want to hear them or not.  I got two great labor and delivery stories from Erica at work, who had both of her children medication free. 

I actually appreciate their stories and advice, although Johnathan and I have decided to do our own research and educate ourselves on the various options for labor and delivery.  I bought a book called, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, and started reading it over the weekend at the lake.  I just want to go into labor and delivery confident that the decision we have made to have pain medication, or not, or whatever other decision we may choose, was the right one for us.  I want to make informed decisions and create a birth plan that reflects our wishes, knowing, of course, that situations may arise during labor that cause us to sway from that plan.

So far the book has enlightened me on the pros and cons of various procedures during labor, including epidurals, which I never knew slowed labor, and having an episiotomy versus natural tearing.  I think most of the book discusses issues that most doctors would not explain to you in depth.  Hopefully in the next few months I will have my birth plan finalized and ready to go.  It's early, I know, but I'm a planner.