When all my friends started having kids I started researching, too, Hayley! I figure it's a huge life experience, why not research it *before* I have a real deadline. LOL
Personally, I know I'm going to lean toward drug-free, un-induced labor if at all possible because the cascade of interventions that can happen, especially those that tie you to the bed, sound super unpleasant to me.
Location will be determined closer to "go time" - I'd like a homebirth but may look into birth center birth because I do like the advantages of "hospital adjacent" if something happens. I know DH would prefer hospital, but it would have to be a VERY mom and baby friendly hospital (with a C-sec rate way lower than the US average of 30+%) for me to feel comfortable with that for an uncomplicated pregnancy. I'll def be using a midwife unless there's risk factors that require an OB.
One of the things I KNOW I'll be doing to reduce my desire/need for meds in birth is taking a good birth class, not sure what method, but so far I've looked into Hypnobabies, the Bradley Method, and several others. It seems like a class geared toward sharing info *and* emphacizing options for coping would be a great foundation - I hear of so many people who don't do *any* preparation that it boggles my mind, but I know I'm a research freak.
Because I want to set myself up for success as much as possible, I'm working on overhauling my diet and improving my fitness before I even get pregnant - I've been told that having a baby is like running a marathon and the fitter you are the better, so I'm running with that (pun intended lol).
I know that there is always the possibility of problems and events that may change ones options for birthing (a friend of mine wanted to go drug free but her daughter decided to arrive 6 weeks early, so obviously all of those plans went out the window, and there's nothing wrong with that - she has a wonderful, healthy daughter now
), but being informed about alllll the options out there is really important in my opinion.
Here are some of my fav resources and blogs on drug-free birth:
Books/DVDs (I found both books at the local library!)
DVD: "The Business of Being Born" - documentary on birth in america. About 90 minutes in length and I found it very informative. Available on netflix streaming.
Book: "BabyCatcher" - great, relatively easy read about the life of a midwife. I found it incredibly educational while also being entertaining.
Book: "Pushed" - book on modern american maternity care. Lots of great research-based info, but could be a bit startling for someone who is looking at birth in the near future because it does point out the flaws in the system.
Websites
http://wonderfullymadebelliesandbabies.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-not-to-read_4036.html - "What *Not* To Read When You're Expecting" (various reading suggestions based on your current feelings about birth)
http://www.yourbirthright.com/ - source of *free* telecourses on various pregnancy/birth topics.
http://www.pregnancybirthandbabies.c...th_stories.htm - positive birth stories of all kinds.
http://www.hypnobirthing.clairebushell.co.uk/ - info on the HypnoBirthing method.
http://bringbirthhome.com/ - extensive site on all things homebirth.
Blogs
http://atyourcervix.blogspot.com/ - L&D nurse's perspective on birth.
http://www.scienceandsensibility.org/?p=663#more-663 - research-based blog from Lamaze International
http://www.theunnecesarean.com/ - blog striving to reduce unneccesary ceseareans by educating consumers; also publishes c-section rates for states in the US.
http://thefeministbreeder.com/ - much more extreme blog than what I usually gravitate toward, but I do find it very interesting and she has a great VBAC story IIRC.
http://obnurse35yrs.wordpress.com/ - another L&D nurse's perspective.
http://enjoybirth.wordpress.com/ - hypnobabies instructor, mother, etc. blogging about all things birth.
http://rixarixa.blogspot.com/ - one of my fav blogs, but I don't know exactly why...LOL. The author did a dissertation on unassisted child birth, so a bit more extreme natural birth than my own preferences, but I find it fascinating.
http://nursingbirth.com/ - a fairly slow blog written by a nurse. The "Don't Let This Happen to You" series is what started my odyssey into birth education, but can be a bit overwhelming in and of itself, though I found it quite educational.
http://birthingbeautifulideas.com/ - doula authored blog.
http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/ - The name says it all!
http://momstinfoilhat.wordpress.com/ - mom in medical school. A bit more snarky than some of the other blogs, but the perspective she has is very interesting.