Preparing for Labor: Birth Plan

I found my birth plan from Leon's birth.  It's so funny!  I wanted a non-intervention/natural childbirth (and I had one).  My birth plan is so in depth and uses all these suggestions and commentary that I don't even think I understood.  The funniest part was the induction section:

'If induction becomes necessary, we ask that non-chemical methods (walking, breast stimulation, castor oil, and if mucus plug is intact and her water has not broken, sexual intercourse) be tried before chemical methods.  If those methods do not work, we would like to try a cervical cream before pitocin."

Seriously, sex!  LOL!  Sex and breast stimulation were the last things on my mind when I was in labor.   What was I going to do with the castor oil?   What is castor oil?  I think I must of lifted that from some natural website or a baby site.

The truth is birth plans probably are not necessary.  Except to make a first time mom feel like she's in control.  The Dr read it quickly with Leon but I don't think he even thought about it.  Once I said "no drugs" they put "no drugs" on the board outside my door and let me deal with the pain on my own. 

I made a play list, lavender rice socks (you heat them in the microwave and use them for pain management), yoga ball, movies to watch, chamomile tea with honey, massage oil etc. The only thing I ended up using was the yoga ball (just for a few bounces though) and the chamomile tea (I smuggled that into the hospital...it's supposed to bring on contractions; I started guzzling it when they told me I wasn't effaced or dilated and since my water broke over 8 hours ago I panicked that they were going to give me pitocin, then an epidural, and then a C-section).   I did walk a lot and squat and even walked up and down steps (next day when I mentioned that to the nurse she told me that was dangerous and not allowed..opps!).  I also took a shower with Jeff and I think that helped (no sex, lol, just warm water).

So this time, I plan on smuggling in some chamomile tea, bringing a ball, and my fully loaded Ipad (with poor girl eventually gets rich man Victorian period romance movies).  And I'm hoping for another drug free pregnancy with assistance from either my mom or husband (cause not likely I'll have both of them this time) and  I'm happy with that.