A Home Birth Plan.

My beautiful friend Laura is 39 weeks along.  Incredibly, she agreed to share parts of her home birthing plan with RNL readers.  I am thrilled for their family and thrilled that she is allowing us "in" to her labor goals.  This will be Laura and husband Jonathan's second experience of labor (their adorable son Tyler is almost two).  Tomorrow, Laura will be revving her system up with the help of a breakfast smoothie made with castor oil, ice cream and fruit nectar; she wants the labor to begin in the near future because her sacrum is terribly locked up (not to mention they're ready to meet their boy).  So here is Laura, in her words, to share what she has planned for the long awaited birth day...
(All photographs by Julia Fregoso) 

"Learning to trust my body and understanding the natural birthing process has been transformative for me.  With the help of Ina May , I have learned about my birthing options and felt encouraged by so many others' insights and personal stories. I'm looking forward to my birth and wish todeliver my son peacefully. Naturally. Gently. Drug free. Intervention free.  Minimal monitoring. At home, in water.   This is our first birth at home and we're looking forward to having a natural birth. We have completed childbirth classes in the Bradley method and have read as much as possible to prepare ourselves. We have decided to have two midwives present to assist us in staying relaxed, comfortable and medically supported. The main areas we feel strongly about are the environment at the birth and some of the procedures. Home Birth Goals: Feel empowered, safe, free, focused, able to ride my labor waves. Give birth in the peace and security of my home. Trust Birth, let my body naturally give birth. Not be overly checked. No chemical pain relief offered. The birth environment is very important to us: privacy, dim lights, candles. I plan on wearing my own clothes, or no clothes, during the birth. I plan to eat in early labor and sip during 2nd stage contractions... Pain Management Goals: We plan to handle pain with relaxation, massage with oils, and warm water in the labor tub. Delivery Goals: I will push at my own pace (Mother-Directed Pushing). No episiotomy. Jonathan would like to be included in the "catching" of our son as he chooses.  After birth, I will nurse my son immediately and any evaluations will be done while I’m holding him. Umbilical Cord: We wish for the cord not be cut until it stops pulsing. (Jonathan does not want to cut the cord.) Can't wait to spend the night in our own bed with our new little one ... hopefully tomorrow night!"                            -LAURA