What I'd Do Differently

(I started this blog post several months ago, so it was even more comical at the time.)

The other day I told Danny, "The next time we get pregnant I am going to do things a little differently."

He looked at me with a look that said, "You've been pregnant for two minutes. What do you have to do differently?"

Well, let me tell you - because that's what you do on a blog. You tell other people how they should do things based on how you do/would do things!

So, being six months wiser about pregnancy than I was . . . well, six months ago, here's my two cents.

I would rejoice earlier. 
When we first found out we were pregnant, and almost through the entire first trimester, I was terrified to think about anything "baby-related" for fear that something would happen and I would be horribly broken-hearted. That's dumb. That's not walking in faith that God's plan is best for my life. That's missing out. Next time I'd choose to experience the highest highs even while risking the depths of despair.


I would start off reading ONLY birthing books.  
I got baby name books, baby bargian/review books, breastfeeding books, sleep books and birthing books from the library right from the start. Well, first things first - I have to get this kid out of me - so I wish I would have streamlined and prioritized the reading list a little bit.


I'll have an entire blog post dedicated to resources and books I've found invaluable. It's coming.

I would interview several Bradley Birthing Instructors

The next thing I would have done differently is contact a few local Bradley instructors and asked to sit in on a class to observe their teaching style and methods. I didn't know this was an option until I read it in a birthing book - if only I'd read that first instead of reading reviews on various organic hooded towels.

I would have chosen my doctor differently

After choosing a Bradley instructor we liked and felt we could learn from, I'd ask that instructor for local doctor recommendations. Bradley instructors know and can recommend doctors/hospitals/midwives who are natural-childbirth-friendly. It didn't cross my mind that most likely Bradley instructors have come in contact with all kinds of doctors all over the metroplex (or at least they've heard about those doctors from their students!)!

For various reasons (some medical) that I'd be more than happy to discuss via phone/email, I felt that I needed to stick with my current ob/gyn. He was familiar; he knew my medical history. And besides, I didn't know who else I'd switch to - other than someone closer to Dallas than a doctor who offices out of Plano Presbyterian Hospital.

We are still asking lots of questions of my current doctor, but I think it would have been smarter of us to get a few "natural-birth-friendly" doctor recommendations and interview them before we found ourselves committed to one practice. I like our doctor, and I trust him (really, I trust Danny to communicate/stand up to him), but I think I would have more confidence in our natural birthing goal being supported if we had done a little more research. (And yes, I know it's NEVER too late to switch - but I don't do well with change. Throw my third trimester hormones in the mix - and let's just say, stability is good right now.)

And, there you have it - just a few of the things I would have done and probably will do differently next time.