Part I: Labor and Birth-Plan Basics  5

Chapter 1: Creating a Birth Plan: What It’s All About 7

Chapter 2: The Ins and Outs of Labor and Delivery 17

Part II: Choosing Your Birth Team, Birth Place, and Guests  39

Chapter 3: OB-GYN, Family Practitioners, Midwives, Oh My! 41

Chapter 4: Leaving Home for a Hospital or Birth Center 53

Chapter 5: Home Sweet Home Birth 65

Chapter 6: Including Family and Friends in Your Birth Plan 79

Part III: Planning Childbirth Options for a Normal Birth  89

Chapter 7: Getting an Education 91

Chapter 8: Natural Methods for Soothing Your Mind and Body 103

Chapter 9: Movement and Positions for Labor and Birth 127

Chapter 10: Nourishing Your Laboring Body 151

Part IV: Knowing Your Options for Interventions and Medications  161

Chapter 11: Ouch! It Hurts! Medications for Pain 163

Chapter 12: Tuning In: Monitoring Labor and the Baby 177

Chapter 13: Helping the Baby Out: Interventions for Vaginal Birth 189

Chapter 14: Cesarean Section: Yes, You Have Options 205

Part V: It’s All About the Baby  225

Chapter 15: Welcoming Your Baby to the World 227

Chapter 16: Making Decisions about Shots, Drops, Snips, and Newborn Tests 239

Chapter 17: Nourishing Your Baby 247

Part VI: Putting Your Plan in Writing and into Action 265

Chapter 18: Writing Your Birth Plan 267

Chapter 19: Advocating for Your Plan and Working with Your Team 287

Chapter 20: Allowing for Flexibility in Your Birth Plan and Recovery 299

Part VII: The Part of Tens  313

Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Creating a Workable Birth Plan 315

Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Preserve Birth Memories 319

Index  323