Vital to have birth plan?

[Ngala]

Hi All,

I just seem to be full of so many questions these days and posting them everywhere!

I know that I am still weeks and weeks away from the birth of my daughter but I am just thinking about birth and birth plans that everyone seems to be talking about.

As it is going to be my first birth experience, I just dont know what to really expect. Do I ask for drugs or do I not ask for drugs, I cant seem to find an answer to this because I have never experienced those sorts of pains.

I am the sort of person that just goes with the flow and I think that is the same sort of approach I will be taking in labour too because I dont know any better. But I really would like to have a good birth experience!

What advise would you give a first timer? Did you go in not having any expectations for your first or did you go in with a plan? I would especially love to hear from the upcoming first timers and the first timers that have given birth to their baby already.

Thanks!

[Pandora]

Hi there,

Whether or not to have a birth plan depends on what you want.
Have you got strong ideas/feelings on things like

when and who cuts/cmaps the umbilical cord
if you do or don't want a managed third stage (to deliver the placenta)
if you have to be induced, do you have a spefic order you want things done etc
whether you want to have drugs, and which ones

I went in with a birth plan, but also very aware that circumstances may change and mean that it was not all adhered to.

WRT drugs, mine said something like 'please don't offer me drugs, I will ask if I want them' and I specifically did not want pethidine at all, so I included that.

[Trillian]

I always went into the whole process without a written plan, but I knew what I did and didn't want to happen kwim? I am a 'go with the flow' person too and knew what my options were for pain relief (gas and pethidine only - no epidurals or spinal blocks at my hospital!) and would decide at the time if I wanted them. If you want certain things to happen like the cord clamping etc, it is very handy to have that written down as it may get forgotten in the excitement and staff changeovers etc. Lucky for me, both Dh and I are the kind of people who will ask heaps of Q's and not be afraid to question what is happening.

And no, it isn't too early to start thinking about what you'd like - there is a plan Kelly has made up on the main site that she gives to clients as a starting point.

[Ngala]

Ray - They are some very good questions! I have heard that it better to let the cord to stop pulsing before it is cut, so i think I would like this as I want what is best for my baby. As for who cuts the cord? I would love DP to do it, but I am really unsure of how he will handle to whole labour as he does not like hospitals, blood and all the gross stuff.

I will probably need to look in to inducement before I can make an decisions on that one. And I will need to look in to all the different drugs as well. I would consider the epidural but I dont want it too early but then I know that if you get past a certain stage then you cant get it.

I like how you put down that you will ask for drugs if you need them. I guess the last thing you need is someone forcing you to take the drugs.

I think that I am just so unsure about a birth plan because I dont know what the hospital offers yet. I would like to know if a shower/bath will be available, if I can walk around, use a fitball etc. I dont know much about the fitball but have heard that it is good, so must research that!

Sherie - I think I have had a brief look over that plan before. But I guess up until now I havent really thought about the whole labour bit. I think I am more worried about the baby after it all So you were happy with your 'go with the flow' plan? I am a fairly shy person and dont normally speak my mind and am just afraid that if I dont go in with some sort of plan then I will not get out the most out of it.

[Trillian]

Veronica, find out as much as you can from your hospital first, what their policies are on post dates births, active birth etc, and then come up with what you'd like to have in your plan. As for the cord cutting, they usually always ask who is cutting the cord, so you could put it in there that DP might, but ask him at the time and he can decide then kwim?

[Rachel]

Hi there - I have just had my first 5 weeks ago. I didn't go in with a written birth plan as I wanted to go with the flow. Same as you I didn't know what it was going to be like and what I could and couldn't cope with so I kept an open mind. I didn't go in saying I didn't or did want drugs - as it turned out I tried the gas which made me feel sick and out of it so I only used it briefly and then didn't have anything else, this is just how it went. The best advice I can give is to be informed. Know your options, know your hospital policy on certain things, know the benefits and risks of drugs and intervention, and let your partner know what you are thinking. You may not be able to make rationale decisions during your labour but if your partner knows your wishes then he can do it for you. I believe keeping an open mind and going with the flow is the best thing. As for cutting the cord etc we knew that DH was to do that so we let the midwife know when we arrived and she passed it on at handover to the other midwives. As for managing the third stage, it was hospital policy that it had to be managed so I found out the advantages to it being managed and asked lots of questions about that so that I was comfortable with that (by the time the injection was given the cord had stopped pulsating anyway). So, i don't think a written birth plan is necessary, you will work out what you want and don't want at the time. good luck with your upcoming birth - it will be here before you know it.

[Karina]

I didnt have a specific plan but there were certain things I did and didnt want. I made sure DH was aware so he could advocate.. I just did lots of research so I could work out my preferences. I also asked the hospital my questions about pain relief options, what facilities are in the delivey rooms, if they encourage active labour... things like that. We were given lots of info also at our antenatal classes.

[Beach Mama]

Hi Veronica,
Maybe check with your hospital - I asked the midwives what would help them as they would be helping me! They advised that i write down anything that I definately DO want. Im going to make sort of a poster!! of things I want my DH and staff to try before drugs eg, TENS, bath, shower, massage, fitball etc.
I also have things i know i dont want but know that i might have to - epidural and c/s for example but as the midwife said they wont do anything without permission first but i might still have it written down to remind us and them!
I also really want to just go with the flow - Im very no drugs, (maybe gas later on) now, but well aware i might get there and just change my mind!
Rambling on but hope it helps!

[Pandora]

I would love DP to do it, but I am really unsure of how he will handle to whole labour as he does not like hospitals, blood and all the gross stuff.

My DH is the same. Actually prior to the birth, he would faint at the sight of blood, but at the birht of our son he tells me 'I just didn't look at that stuff, and focused on the other end!'


Find out as much as you can about the hospital and what they do/don't offer. No-one told me that our hospital had a bath, until I was in active labour -- the consulting OBs (not mine, just had midwives) apparently don't like their patients using it. Cos I only had midwives though, I lept at the change and didn't get out for 3 hours! My mum kept adding hot water for me!

If you want them, they don't have things like a fitball, beand bag, etc, ask whether you can bring in your own?

[BellyBelly]

Birth Plans - Are They Worth Writing?