New Here, any advice?

BlackVelvetSky

My first pregnancy, I had no real clue as to what I was doing.  I just did as I was told by my doctor.  I hadn't been dilating or thinning, so a week before my due date, he was already talking about inducing me two days after the due date.  No need, someone tried to get in our house the night before the date, so I went into labor through stress.  Anesthesiologist was in surgery, so the nurses gave me "something else" with made me feel loopy and I hated it.  Passed out and barely remember the epidural, which took two anesthesiologists three tries to get through my muscle.  Even though my body hadn't been ready, I was denied an episiotomy, and ended up with 2nd degree tearing.

When my DS was born, they said he was perfect. When the staff left, my mother tried to help me nurse him.  A nurse came in and flipped out that I was holding him and snatched him from my arms.  He was taken from the room and when he was brought back, he had a bubble on his head.  They told me he had swallowed meconium from the trauma of the night before and they were transferring him to the Children's Hospital an hour away.  Without me.  I bawled, so scared, and they wouldn't give me enough information about him.  Had I known then that transferring him without me was illegal, I would have sued, but I didn't find out until years later.  

The nurses at Children's started him on a bottle, without my permission, and didn't even use the formula we had chosen as a backup.  All of our decisions regarding this was in our file.  I was pissed.  DS never took to breastfeeding after this, even with consultation.  Having just given birth, I spent a week sleeping in chairs that folded out, and once on the floor at Children's because some idiot invited their entire family for a night, and it was allowed.  On day 7, he was finally released.

Sorry for the long post, but I though it might be important to see where I'm coming from.  Needless to say, I'm done with the hospital.  I've since researched my options.  I'm now four weeks pregnant with number two, and have chosen to use a Natural Birthing Center near here.  I know it will be better for my baby, but I am still a bit nervous about going natural.  I'm hoping to do a water birth.  Any advice?

KateLouise

Firstly congratulations on your pregnancy and welcome.

Someone here has a FAQ link in their siggy, so hopefully they'll post.

There are lots of decisions to make in terms of the birth experience you want from pain relief methods to skin to skin contact with baby. So I guess my advice is to start reading around the subject and let things mull over in your mind, so you know what you want to bring up with your MW/OB.

I've had two natural births, and sure it's intense but it's very achievable.  

Some people will recommend a doula, and others will recommend hypno birthing and other natural birth classes. So definitely think about if those fit with what you want, and ask for other's experiences. the ladies here have a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

Wishing you a H & H 9 mths. 

AmyRI

I'm glad you found a birthing center that fits with what you want for this birth experience. I hope everything goes smoothly for you this time around

I do want to suggest, however, that you tour the hospital that you would be transferred to in case of an emergency. I'm not in any way saying you can't handle it, but in the unfortunate event that there were complications with you or your LO this time, I think it would be good for you to be familiar with the hospital you would both be taken to. Not all hospitals are like the ones you dealt with the first time around. Many hospitals now encourage rooming in so you are always near your LO, and have LCs on staff to help with breastfeeding. A tour might help eliminate any fears or stress in the event of a transfer.

H&H 9 months to you!