Elective c-section and birth plan?

[ElleJay]

I'm going to be going for an elective c-section early Jan and although it's 3 months away, I wanted to ask...
Have you had an elective c-section and written out a birth plan?

There are things I would like the midwives to do before and after little miss is born and while I'm in hossy, but dunno if I can write them down and call them my 'requests' or call it a 'birth plan'.

Cheers for any responses

[~~Snoogans~~]

Morning Dark

I had an *elective*...with barely 24 hrs notice lol ... my only birth plan was *get her out safe and sound or I will hunt you down and hurt you!* ... I am also going in for another *elective* in a couple of weeks, and again, I just want bubs out safely. I do want her put straight on me as long as she is okay to do that!

Good luck with your upcoming Csection! xx

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I am fairly certain i have seen a well thoughts out one on the boards hun, just can't remember who wrote it.
I think it's fair to go in with a 'birth plan' detailing things you want done - ie. skin to skin contact ASAP, being able to have her attemp the breast as soon as your allowed etc etc.
Making notes like you want DH to have skin to skin with her if you can't, things like that.

Go for it

[Traveller]

It's absolutely fine to have a birth plan for your CS. In some hospitals things like keeping the baby with you at all times, including when you are being stitched up and in recovery, are not routine. It's also perfectly acceptable to have requests for things like the music playing as your child enters the world, or simple things like how you want to be addressed and if you want your partner involved in trimming the umbilical cord.

The best thing to do is write down your requests and discuss them with your midwife or OB at your next appointment. I'm sure they will be happy to accommodate you assuming your requests don't compromise safety.

[Beach Mama]

There are definitely a few great ones around. I didn't have a specific one but I did have a section that outlined if I did have a c/s (which I did!) what I wanted. Mainly things to do with if the baby wasn't with me, DH was to be with baby the whole time (unless it was a super emergency) that I wanted bub with me in surgery (they tried to tell me it was too cold and he couldn't stay, but someone rugged him up and he stayed!) that I wanted to hold/feed in recovery - chose not to, and that I wanted to do baby led feeding/breast crawl. It is worth thinking about different scenarios, asking what the hospital says, and then telling them what you want. oxoxox

[Liviam]

Nothing wrong with doing a birth plan at all hun. This is your birth experience regardless and the midwife is there to make it the best birth possible for you. If there are certain things that they can do to make it the most enjoyable birth then absolutely let them know.
Do you have an appt at the hospital/with a midwife were you are birthing where you can discuss and get information on how they do elective c/s? Might give you some ideas on things you like/want and don't like/want. Also a great opportunity to go over your birth plan prior to your c/s so if you have somethings you specifically want which isn't normal for that hospital it can give you and the hospital time to work out options that work for you.

[ElleJay]

Thankyou all

My next appt is my 36wk appt with the midwives on the 28th of December, so I'll write them down and present it then
Just a couple of things I've got is that I'd like bubba with me through the whole of me being in recovery, that DH gets to hold and present her to me (if possible), and if it's possible, only to have DH, DS, MIL, FIL and GFIL (oh and BIL) be the only visitors at least until 4pm (if it's a morning c-section) so I've got time to enjoy my bubby girl

There's some more but DS decided that 6am was a great time to wake up and I've had all of 4 hours sleep cause of finishing work late and finishing the organization of DSs birthday party. I hope the ones that I have written can be done cause they're the most important.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - even though I should be cleaning

[Beach Mama]

I would think that if all goes well they are all really doable hun - I know with mine that DH was with both kids while they had their cord cut and he cut it for them (even though it was cut off from me ITMS!) and then he carried them from the little table thing over to me. I will see if I can find the ones people are talking about on here because there are some good things on there that are worth thinking about.

[Beach Mama]

Found THIS thread hun, it has all types together but you will find most people who write a birth plan include a c/s plan on there as well so it may help!!

[LionsandBears]

This is just a copy/paste from DS1's birth story. At one stage we'd agreed to a c/s, so our IM wrote down a birth plan and made a few copies:

This included things like mine being the first non-gloved hand to hold the baby, for me never to be alone, that DH would go with the baby and J would stay with me, that there’d be no formula given, only breastmilk. J mentioned that a baby coming at 35 weeks would probably need some sort of extra care, but it didn’t really register. She started hand expressing me to get colostrum for baby’s first feeds. We did this a couple of times throughout the day.

If we ever have a c/s, I'd include the baby staying with me in theatre and recovery, if possible. They can lower the sheet so you see bub being lifted out. Also, I'd like the cord to remain unclamped and uncut until the placenta has been lifted out and the cord stops pulsing. I have read of a lotus birth via c/s so I know it's possible.

I think it's good to have a plan. It only needs to be 1 page and in bullet points. Even if you can't have everything you want, it gives you a basis to start negotation.

[~mamaspice~]

I had a Birth plan for my second CS. Quite a comprehensive one actually. And the outcome was a really positive experience Will see if I can find it and post.

[kitten80]

I had a birth plan for my csection - it was only brief but had the things that mattered to me. I had to have some sort of positive control over what happened in a difficult circumstance (failed vbac attempt).