Hi Babyluv

For me I think the most important things were to be very well educated and to make my position clear to my OB. I told him that of course I understand that the best laid plans can change at any moment, but given that all is well with baby and me, this is what I want. I set it out very clearly on a birth plan. I gave the hospital the plan at my preadmission interview, and they ended up following it very respectfully.

Also of critical importance was labouring at home for as long as possible. I also was only 5 mins from hospital, so knew I could leave it quite late. In the end I think I stayed at home too long, because I was in transition/starting to want to push when we left home and getting in and out of the car and up to the labour ward was excruciating. But when I got there I was fully dilated, so there wasn't really much they could do to me!

And I guess the last thing that was important was bl**dy minded determination, because it really, really hurt. Because of the pain and the shock of the whole experience, I think the birth plan was very important, because I was in no state whatsoever to be making decisions, so was glad to have agreed those things with my caregivers in advance.

Oh, and one last thing I did - I started acupuncture to prepare my body for birth a week before I was due. My greatest fear was going over my due date, and having to be induced with the whole cascade of interventions that often follows. I went into labour two days before my EDD, so never had to deal with the pressure to induce that would have started up a few days later.

But in the end, a lot of it is down to your body and your baby. I think partly I was well prepared and determined, but partly I was also lucky. My labour was only 10 or so hours, I'm not sure how I would have coped with a labour stretching over days. So I guess prepare for and work towards your ideal outcome, but don't hang all your hopes on the perfect birth. I ended up having an episiotomy because after two hours of pushing I was exhausted and just couldn't get my baby out. My pushes were getting very weak indeed. My OB left it until I said I couldn't do it any more, and then suggested and epi, to which I readily agreed because I was at the end of my strength. Part of me is disappointed that I didn't get the 100% natural birth, but I'm OK with it because it was the right thing to do at the time.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, it is such a wonderful and special time.