Birth Plans - There is no way to plan

I always smile inside when I talk to a friend who is pregnant for the first time and at 18 weeks prego has her whole birth plan/ idea mapped out.

"There is no way I am having a c-section"
"I am going all natural"
"I am having my baby at home"

and so on...

I smile because that's how I was. I knew what I wanted for this birth and there was no telling me otherwise. I was going to go all natural. There was no way I was having a c-section. I read every natural birth book I could find. I did the natural birthing class. I had birthing balls and mantras to get me through this right of passage as a women.

And then Hunter (my baby) had another plan. I should of known then that he had a mind of his own.

At 35 weeks he was breech. I was heartbroken when my Dr told me. How could that be? I was doing all of the yoga poses that encouraged him to turn and besides babies know what to do... its instinct!

There were options. I could have had him turned - external cephalic version- This included many risks and about 50% success rate. After 3 years of trying to conceive, taking unnecessary risks weren't an option. I could of tried to deliver vaginally anyway but again too risky. So after much internal debate, I decided to have a c-section. Once I made that decision I came to peace with it. What I wanted to happen really didn't matter. My birth plans were really Hunter's birth plans or God's, however you want to look at it. In the end it seemed so silly to have all of these plans and expectations when really the only plan should be to have a healthy mom and baby.

I have seen some friends hold onto their birthing plans so tight that they lose sight of what is really important or in some cases make risky decisions.

Remember the only real birth plan is for everyone to be healthy when it is over!