When Tim Santor gave birth to her daughter four years ago, she thought she had done enough to be prepared for the birthing experience. Although that's what she thought, it's not how she felt when all was said and done. And the one thing she would go back and do differently, given the chance, is to make sure she learned more about what to expect, even when the unexpected came up.

"I think the biggest mistake I made was not doing enough research," says Santor, a resident of Albuquerque, N.M. "If I had done my homework, I would have been informed enough to stand my ground and say no when my doctor pushed me into having an unnecessary C-section. I think doctors choose that route far too often, because it's faster and more convenient for them."

Santor is not alone. Many women follow up their birth experience with moments of realization about what they wish they could have done differently. There is no way to know exactly how a birth will go, so planning for the unexpected can be a bit daunting. However, being the most prepared you can about the possibilities that can arise and how you want them handled can make a world of difference.

Like the saying goes, hindsight often has 20/20 vision. It's easy to see what we would have done differently after something has happened. But that's because we have gone through the experience and know the outcome. It's not always so easy to see the path when we are in the heat of the moment, or bearing down in the delivery room.

For Sara Tanner, a mom from DeLand, Fla., her one regret about her birthing experience is not making sure she would have a doctor there that she knew. For most women who are pregnant, they get used to seeing the same doctor throughout their pregnancy, and assume that this is the person who will handle their delivery. Over the course of nine months of frequent visits during pregnancy, you build a sense of comfort with the doctor. You also feel that he or she knows your birthing preferences, and that you are in good hands. But for Tanner, when it came time to deliver, she was sent to a hospital where her familiar doctor was absent, putting her in the position of pretty much being surrounded by strangers.

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