Near the end of last year I wrote a post about my journey to a VBAC. I listed things I want to accomplish before even getting pregnant and I listed some of my fears that I need to overcome.
We have “officially” decided to start TTC (trying to conceive) this July. Hopefully it only takes a couple months and we’ll have a beautiful 2012 Spring baby! I mean, Ryan was conceived on the first try so that’s not a totally unrealistic plan. I put officially in quotes because July is still 5 months away and sometimes life happens. Who knows.
If I stay on a regular cycle, July 27th is the golden day and would give us a mid-April baby.
So I’ve got 5 months. Five months to tackle my to-do list and overcome my fears. Thankfully I’ve already started. Let’s look at that list:
Journey to a VBAC:
–Find a midwife and establish a relationship
–Check with my insurance about homebirths
–Talk to the OB that cut me… or write her a letter… or, you know, ram my car into her house (…kidding, ha. ha.)
–READ. Become even more knowledgeable on birth, c-sections, VBACs and homebirths. No one will take advantage of me again.
–Find my support team (including a doula)
–Take a birthing class – and not the crap offered at the hospitals here, but somewhere like Birthing Babes
–Buy the home study Hypnobabies course
–Have Steve read (re-read) the Bradley Method book
–Get in shape (not lose weight, just get FIT – maybe start running again)
–Overcome my fear.
The ones in bold are the ones I’ve been working on. Getting in shape: I signed up for a 17-week Zumba class! I’m taking it with my mom. It’s only once a week, but it gets me out of the house and it gets me moving. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be – I can’t wait for the weather to get warm so I can run outside – but it’s something.
And the Hypnobabies course? An amazing and wonderfully kind woman read my original to-do post and offered to mail me her Hypnobabies kit that she never used. It arrived yesterday. When I opened it and started looking through the books and CDs, I started to cry. I felt like… this was it. I suddenly felt like I had even just a shred of confidence about this whole birth/VBAC thing. I know it doesn’t work for everyone, but I feel like this is what’s going to save me, this is what’s going to get me through it. THANK YOU so so so much to Laura from And Two Became Three, you have no idea what you’ve done for me!
I also got Ina May’s book for Christmas – but haven’t started to read it yet.… I will!
So how crazy do you think I am for planning this far in advance? 
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I love love the to-do-list! I’m glad you are making progress-doesn’t it feel great to get things checked off?!?!
I love you and I admire you
Rach
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ummmm why isn’t hire a doula crossed off?!
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Not crazy at all, and actually, when it came down to it, that’s how long it took me to plan for this one. I didn’t realize it at the time, because it took so long to actually conceive (something I was NOT planning on) but I started doing my hypnobabies stuff all the way back last January, and even bought a few baby items. As it turns out, we didn’t get pregnant until August, but I’m glad I had all that extra time to think about what I wanted.
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Yay! Glad you got the material and that you’re excited about it. Good luck with the rest of the list!
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You’re doing great! What an exciting time for you as you prepare your next journey!
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Perhaps I am in the minority here, but I’d like to express that what you are doing seems highly selfish. Please do not attempt a home birth after cesarean. I’ve seen so many babies and mothers suffer for the “chance at a normal birth.”
There are plenty of hospitals that would welcome your natural birth wishes. Perhaps using a midwife in a hospital setting would aid this. A similar mentality is had with natural birth advocates that has instigated the problems we now have with vaccinated children. Bill Gates agrees, it’s selfish and moronic. Think of your baby before proceeding further with your plans.
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Mommy Boots Reply:
February 5th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Okay, I’m definitely on Team “Go Vaccines!” but I think I speak for everyone here when I say… WTF does Bill Gates have to do with anything? Talk about unrelated. Geez. And I applaud Emily for educating herself. I know that she will do what’s right for her & her next baby no matter what!
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That’s un-vaccinated.
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I think you are doing great. You are informing yourself and that is what is important. You can do it!
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Riiiight, Bill Gates that wants to reduce the world population, and states that we can do so with vaccinations. I’m sure he has our children’s best interest at heart. http://www.naturalnews.com/029911_vaccines_Bill_Gates.html
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Ms. Mather, it sounds like you are grossly uneducated on the safety of VBAC. In fact, my midwife, a CNM that has been practicing for almost 30 years had a primary c-section, and went on the birth 3 babies, all VBAC at home. It is not a selfish choice by any means, and with a trained medical professional it is JUST AS safe as birthing at the hospital.
And you lost me when you cited Bill Gates. LMAO
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I think it is awesome to plan ahead. You are amazing and getting informed.
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Bill Gates???
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It is YOUR decision and you will make the right one when the time comes! You are a responsible Mother who will get pre-natal care and take care of yourself and your baby. You certainly do not seem to be the type of person to make hasty decisions, and if something comes up during the pregnancy to make a home birth seem too risky you’ll do what is right for the both of you.
I wish you luck in your TTC journey and hope that a VBAC at home WILL work out for you!
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Ooooh, Good luck! I hoped for VBAC with my daugher but it just didn’t happen.
I like your blog, in fact, I liked you on Facebook and now follow via GFC!
I am hoping to have a giveaway soon from Thirsties Cloth Diapers. They agreed to sponsor me, they just want me to have a minimum of 200 followers (via GFC). Will you come follow me?
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OMG why must people post negative comments on someone’s personal blog?!? I just don’t see the point. Practice the old adage, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
ANYWAY!! I love this Emily. I can’t really relate, but I admire your bravery. And you are absolutely not crazy for planning this far in advance! Okay, totally different situation (I mean, really TOTALLY different) but I’m already thinking of how I’m going to combine a 1 year old and 5 year old birthday party, 5 months from now! hahaha What can I say, I’m a planner! And you want to make sure you’re mind is really, truly made up before the “big day,” whatever it might be, because you can’t change things after it happens! We wish you guys luck and can’t wait for the big annoucement
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I think it is AWESOME you are planning so far in advance. That is great and you will be so prepared and ready for your VBAC.
How cool you got a Hypnobabies Home Study from someone. That is great.
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