Labour and Delivery: It Probably Won’t Go According to Plan (And That’s Fine)

There was a time in our pregnancies when all we did was send birthing videos back and forth to each other.

We were both entering our third trimesters, and we were freaking out. As usual, we opted to confront our fears with facts, and went crazy doing labour and delivery research to determine the best possible way to give birth. We both decided that having a “natural” birth in a hospital was the way to go.

When D-Day arrived, we felt prepared AF. We did breathing exercises. We visualized our bodies opening like mystical portals to the unknown. We assumed that, after just a few hours, we’d be in the throes of uneventful, predictable, (dare we say) blissful vaginal births.

Oh, the naïveté!

We both ended up on operating tables due to last-minute, emergency circumstances, and our babies were born via C-section.

Our deliveries were nothing like the ones we’d envisioned. But when all was said and done, we still ended up with cute, pink, crying babies in our arms. The hardest part was coming to terms with the fact that, no matter how hard we had tried and hoped and planned, in the end, it was all out of our control.

That’s what we want you to keep in mind when you’re thinking about giving birth. When it comes to your labour and delivery, not everything will go exactly according to plan, and that’s okay. No matter what’s in store for you, that baby is coming out, one way or another. And whatever way that may be, remember: You can do this. Women are strong as fuck. You are strong as fuck! Strut into that hospital/birth centre/tub in the middle of your living room feeling fierce and empowered.

Now is not the time to worry. Now is the time to breathe, go with the flow, listen to your body, trust your intuition, and heed the advice of your chosen medical professional, who (by the way) has dedicated their life to learning about the very task you’re about to undertake. Rest easy, Mama. You’re in good hands.

You’ve already come so far. The finish line is in sight. Don’t worry about the exact way that you’ll be crossing it. Just do whatever it takes to get to the other side.

We’ll be cheering for you the whole time and waiting to celebrate with a lot of sushi and sake.