Waiting patiently....

I'm so excited!

One of my best friends is 40 weeks pregnant today and anytime now she is going to meet her baby girl. Her first birth was a caeserian for a low lying placenta, but this one will be a much longed for VBAC and I"M GOING TO BE THERE!!!!!!!

I can't explain how privileged, honoured and excited I am about seeing my very first birth (apart from my own and virtually the whole library on u-tube!)

She is looking gloriously radiant and feeling fantastic, ready for the exhilarating journey of birth and meeting her baby. A vbac is a struggle, but she has fought hard for what she believes is best for her and her baby and I know that she can achieve it. She has changed care providers, from one Ob/hospital who would not "let" (cause yeah, its his body to decide) her even attempt a vbac, to a hospital that does them all the time and is fully supportive. One hospital does what is best for the ob's (convenience, more $$ etc) and the other wants what is best for the Mum and Bub, using evidence based practice not scare mongering.

The anticipation of labour commencing must be strange for her though, her first child was born at 38 weeks with not one hint of labour. She is eagerly waiting for her first sign that the birth dance has started, and I am permanently attached to my mobile waiting for the call! My bags are packed and the MIL is on high alert to come when called to look after the kids.

I'm wishing for her a beautiful, empowering birth, where hopefully the baby comes out the natural exit. A vbac does have a risk of repeat c/s, but the hospital has a great c/s policy. I know that Nicole desperately wants a Vbac, and the thought of another c/s motivates that more, but if it was necessary and she has control in how it was handled she will be ok.

I'll be making sure that if there is a choice to how things are done, they are done for the better of Nicole - not to make any one else's job easier. I'll do everything I can to make keep her birth space protected and making sure that everything that happens is done out of informed consent.

What everyone should have hey!

Best piece of advice I could ever give to anyone to gain correct information:

BRAN - remember it.

B - What are the benefits?
R - What are the risks?
A - What are the alternatives?
N - What if we do nothing?

By using the above you are given the whole picture. It's your right to make an informed choice, but sometimes all the options aren't given. By keeping the above in mind, it's easier to remember what to ask and to make a choice based on everything.