In her final column, Canadian chanteuse Chantal Kreviazuk, 34, who is expecting her third son with hubby Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace on July 15th, chats about her plans for the delivery of her next baby. With the birth increasingly imminent (she is already 1 cm dilated and the doctor felt the baby's head last week), Chantal shares her thoughts on suffering pain and the way in which she wants to welcome her next son. The LA-based singer/songwriter is also mom to Rowan Michael, 4 ½, and Lucca Jon, 3.

For many reasons, I am going to be open to a completely uninterrupted natural birth this time. As I type this, I am, I believe, potentially starting some labor. The nights have been presenting a lot of good "ripening" for me, and preparing my body for the big event. In the past, my births were not intervened until I was about 7 cm dilated.

Coming from a really hospital-oriented background (I was in a motor vehicle accident at the age of 19, which sentenced me to a lot of pain/trauma and post-operative care), I felt really comfortable with the whole idea of entrusting any health issues to the doctors and the medical profession, as a result of the duration of time spent in hospitals, how much I was helped subsequent to my accident, and post-op care, which seemed never ending. I have also had an ovary removed -- needless to say, between all of the hospital stays, my births, etc, I am quite happy in the hospital, with spinals and pain relief, etc.

Click below for more images and the rest of Chantal's column.

A part of me has felt for a long time, regarding birth, that I have "suffered enough" due to my accident and all, and that the opportunity to have a civilized pain-free birthing experience was something that one should engage in, consider a privilege if not for the sole reason that we CAN have this!!! Wouldn't women all over the world without access to this progress and modernization be baffled by us refusing it?

This birth and place in time for me is different. While I don't want to make marriages with fictitious futures, or put up any disclaimers, the attitude that seems to have overtaken me this time 'round is profoundly different. It is my third baby, and I want the experience to be exclusive to him, receiving him into this world. It would be easy to be pretty casual going into my third birth.

Going in alone makes it rather special. Without intervention, a saline drip and epidural etc, things like engorgement and bouncing back in general, but more specifically healing in my lower back will be much easier, so I am told. In the past, due to my back trauma/history, the spinal caused a real setback for me.

I am pretty overwhelmed with the healing process after the babies come, even though my births themselves are really fast and simple. I feel very open to experiencing what the recovery will be like without any intervention. The other main drive I have for being with this birth, present for it 100 percent, is for the experience in itself; being in awe of my body and what it was meant to do, realizing the dream that is being a woman, and truly seeing the physical, spiritual manifestation of motherhood/womanhood; differentiating between pain, and fear; submitting to the experience; knowing that the process is perfect and that it works and leads to a beautiful and complete end/beginning.

My birth plan is to stay at home until I have to really concentrate, and then I will go to the hospital. I am not yet ready for a home birth. I am still way into the hospital. But, my health care providers and the hospital I am going to are open to every woman's birth plan. I love to be alone when in labor, not spoken to or touched, so when it is time, my doctor can help me through the end, but otherwise, I am quite prepared to be in my own little world, not unlike a cat who goes off to a private spot to have her kittens.

I know what pain is. Labor is intense, but it is not orthopedic or dying pain. This I do know. I intend on observing my experience, and embracing it, not conquering it or distracting it, or fighting it. It is what it is.

Photos by Tessa Emery of Tessa Emery Photography for exclusive use on the Celebrity Baby Blog courtesy of Chantal Kreviazuk. Use elsewhere is prohibited. Photos shot in Toronto, Canada at 35 weeks pregnant.

Did your ideas about birth change with subsequent children? Please share your birth stories or experiences if you wish.