Written

Unlike any other pregnancy, this time we wrote a birth plan.  It's thoughtfully detailed and has been distributed to the midwives, doctors and nurses involved in Allegra's birth.  The hospital assigned us a social worker to coordinate meetings with specialists to answer questions, discuss contingencies and review our plans.  It covers decisions like how often we want the baby's heartbeat monitored (intermittently) to who holds the baby first (Mitch) to what we want done to keep Allegra comfortable.

Basically, we hope to keep the birth as natural as possible, but if the heartbeat is lost during labor then an epidural will be administered. Although the birth plan has been distributed and studied, we can make changes as the need arises.

No matter how many times a woman gives birth or how well-laid the preparations, there's still a fear of delivery that develops toward the end of pregnancy.  Usually such anxiety is abated by excitement to meet the baby.  This time the fear is multiplied since the outcome is uncertain, thereby dampening enthusiasm for the end of a pregnancy and its sweet result.