My birth plan can be summed up in the immortal words of Mike Tyson (whom I never EVER thought I would be quoting):
"Everybody's got a plan until they get punched in the face"
- Mike Tyson
I'm due in the next few weeks with a good sized and consistently kicking baby boy. It's all very strange; I thought since I have done this before it would seem less abstract this time but it's still a nebulous thing to prepare for. Especially given the fact that nothing could have prepared me for reality last time.
One thing that the birth of the twins has allowed me forgo this time is having the ultimate "Birth Plan". I have some stuff I would prefer and not prefer. Literally nothing went as hoped for last time and I still had a great birth experience. My midwives and I had talked so much and they were in my corner every step of the way for the nearly 6 days I was in the hospital. Even the emergency OB doctors, the Fiasconaro brothers from Bay Ridge, whom I probably would have never ever chosen, turned out to be fantastic. In the end I had one very healthy and one very sick baby, which none of us could control, no matter how the birth went.
I know everyone needs to prepare for birth in their own way but I can't help but feel a little impatient with people who fret about the lighting, the music, keeping the umbilical chord attached for 12 hours, the goo that goes on the babies eyes or not, etc. If it happens great, but if not this is not your Sweet Sixteen. Just focus on the bigger picture! Baby healthy? You healthy? It's a home run!
Btw, this birth plan parody made me laugh out loud:
If nothing goes as you've planned it but you can still find incredible joy in the unexpected experience and let go of the imperfections I figure it's a perfect initiation into being a parent anyway.
