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I wouldn't try to have an unmedicated vaginal birth at a hospital again. The staff was clear they didn't expect me to succeed and the triage nurse called my attempt stupid. Somehow I managed to let that roll off my back at the time but it really irks me now.

It probably sounds strange but I don't know if I would do a home birth/birth center unmedicated or a hospital birth with a more lax attitude about interventions. Just not "natural" at a hospital again.

Next time I'd like to not put on so much weight. I'd like to look into having a midwife instead of an OB. I had no problems with my OB.

Also I'd introduce the bottle earlier so I can actually get a break. Almost 5 months and he won't take one.

@Dandelion: I would do the exact same thing in your situation! Sending you lots of healthy pregnancy dust!

In my case I would love to avoid induction and if possible have my unmediated water birth next time BUT I am also WAY more chill about getting the epidural. I will do my best but I did love the relief of it and in my case it helped me progress I think so in more if my hoyty toyty natural birth high horse. I'd also like to have breast feeding go as smoothly as it did with Tor. He is 11 months and we are still going strong with minimal incidence. Next time I will allow family at the birth (what a drama and fuss there was over that) and they can also help with Tor while we are managing a new baby. Oh and I wil also see my EDD as a very rough estimate and call it my birth week. I was mental when that day arrived. I'd love to put on less weight (50lbs) and be more active this time but I'm not gonna drive myself crazy either because my son came out so healthy and strong.

I don't know.

All of things that I'd like to do differently are things that I had no real control over. Constantly sick and not putting on any weight, and SCH that never bled but caused me constant pain whenever I moved, back labor, two failed epidurals and a massive pp hemorrhage upon delivery.

We may or may not be TG. I'd probably make a better effort to be in better shape going in/be more active. I'd be a better advocate for myself in the delivery room (or have someone else be a better advocate for me--when my first epi stopped working the nurse on duty sort of blew me off, telling me that feeling pressure was normal--but it wasn't pressure, it was the full-force of every flippin back contraction...).

@grizz: Hmm, that would be validating. When I went to the recovery wing several nurses came in and said "oh, you were the one with the hard labor." Also felt pretty... good. Good is not the right word. But it helped.

@FutureMrsMcK: the advocate is a just! That's why I'm so glad (in the end) that my mom was there because she gets things done. My husband is more of a "trust the system" type of guy, but my mom would just march down to the nurses station and tell them what I needed it, how I needed it, and would politely ask them to get on it right then.

If it went exactly the same, I'd be perfectly happy. I loved my OB and hope he delivers us again, the epidural was great, and I had an excellent hospital experience. I hope to have the baby avoid jaundice next time (unavoidable- different blood types, plus a big bruise on the head), but even that turned out to be a positive experience.