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I had my routine doctor's visit on Monday, and I am one week away from the final stretch (oh, the pun!) of pregnancy. Even though I've been eating anything that isn't nailed down, I didn't show any gain on the scale. I actually haven't gained a pound this pregnancy, although my doctor isn't concerned since I was still carrying a little extra weight from being pregnant with Cordy. My doctor said everything is still looking good with no complications.

This visit, I also brought the rough draft of my birth plan. For those who may not know, a birth plan is simply a written explanation of your preferences as to how you would like your labor and birth experience to go. It is useful to let those caring for you know a little bit about how you would like things done: do you want them to offer you an epidural the minute you get to the hospital, or would you prefer they not mention pain relief at all? Do you want the lights low to help you relax, or would you like music playing at all times? All hospitals and doctors have their own set of "default" practices, and without a birth plan, they might not know that you would like some of the details modified.

I should stress that this is only a set of preferences, and not an actual script or contract as to how you want your experience. No two labors are ever the same, so while it is useful for the hospital to know your wishes, there is always the possibility of the unexpected, and parts of your birth plan may need to be thrown out the window in order to provide the best care for you and your baby. You're allowed to change your mind, too: just because you said no pain medication doesn't mean you can't request an epidural if you find the pain too intense.

During my last pregnancy, I never got around to making a birth plan, and by the time I considered one, our course of action had already been decided. Cordy was in a rare breech position that made a vaginal delivery nearly impossible, so a c-section had to be scheduled. This time, however, I'm trying for a VBAC, and there are a lot of factors to consider in order to increase my chances of a successful VBAC. At my previous doctor's appointment, I asked my doctor if she would mind if I made a birth plan, and she encouraged me to do it so she could get an idea of how I wanted things to go.

My birth plan includes a request not to be induced or to have labor augmented with Pitocin, since these practices can lead to a higher risk of uterine rupture. I also listed my preferences to be allowed to move around as needed, and to risk a tear rather than having an episiotomy. Once the baby is born, I want to hold her and attempt breastfeeding immediately - this is something I didn't get to do with Cordy, and I'm certain it was a factor in the breastfeeding problems we suffered.

At the appointment, my doctor took a few minutes to read through my plan. I was terrified that she was going to say it was ridiculous, but thankfully she only had one issue with the plan. I requested intermittent fetal monitoring, but she said because of my previous c-section, I would need continuous monitoring. However, the hospital has a telemetry unit, so I will still be able to move around as I want. We agreed to the change, and she agreed that the other preferences were perfectly acceptable.

I'll be presenting her with a final copy at my next visit, and she will make sure it stays in my records and is forwarded on to the hospital as well. If you are looking for help putting together a birth plan, check out these links.