Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies! After such a ridiculous cascade of intervention with my daughter, I really am opting for a much more hands off approach this time around. I actually feel a bit miffed though that I have to persuade hospital staff that I know what I'm doing because I am going against the grain. It's my body and my baby!!

Flowerchild - thanks for bringing up the stitches thing, I hadn't even thought about it. I'm going to have to do some research to find out when I would or wouldn't need stitches. I really don't want anything unnecessary done, I have faith that my body can heal itself for the most part.

Becmc - Like you I have a doula this time around and she's actually coming over this week, she's bringing that book with her. I am sure I will find it a very informative read.

Julie - I have the pink kit and we are slowly working our way through it - I have to say I really like the way it helps you connect with your body and your own uniqueness. I'm only a few chapters in but I'm hoping that a combination of being armed with evidence based research, preparation of the perineum, good breathing techniques and visualisation and knowledge of my body will get me to the stage of birthing the head without pain relief. I think that I need to feel in order to control birthing the head properly. This time not allowing the midwife to rush me and breathing the baby out instead of pushing......

As for being in the water - that's the one thing I might not have access to unfortunately.....from memory there's one shower for the entire birthing suite.