Planning for something you have no idea about and inevitably the plans seem to go out the window.
What would be interesting to know, is if there is anyone out there whose birth actually slightly matched the birth plan.
My wasn't even close!!
I'll do one this time too, but I have more idea of what to expect this time. Last time I think I was basing my birth plan on births I had seen on A Country Practice - where they don't even sweat and no one seems to have to come in with a mop afterwards.
mine did.
I guess it depends on how you view a birth plan, and why you are writing it.
I dont go in with any expectation that it will go according to my plan, which is why my plan is 2 pages long, as it cater for a lot of different events.
However there are things in there that Im not prepared to negotiate on, like which part of my arm the cannula is placed into if I need to have a drip, or requesting double stitching if I need a c/s.
I see it more as, assuming all things are equal this is what my preferences are.
i think birth plans are a good way for you as the birthing mother to put into words the way you would like to welcome your baby. and from this your partner and care provider can also see this. just because you front up saying: 'i want a natural birth if possible, but am not opposed to intervention if necessary' is not really giving much of an idea to yourself, your partner/support person and your care provider how you would like yourself and your baby to be treated through this process. it is true that things do not go to plan, but if the people in the room have at least some idea of your wishes then they can at least ATTEMPT to keep it as close as possible or think of new ways to approach it.
one simple example is that i demand to have skin to skin contact with my baby. this is not a 'well duh, who wouldnt concept', i needed my people to know this so that they didnt whisk her away to be weighed, washed and wrapped. i also wanted my care provider (and DH) to know that in the event of a c/s that if i was not able to provide that skin to skin, then at least my DH would be able to ITMS.
[Last time I think I was basing my birth plan on births I had seen on A Country Practice - where they don't even sweat and no one seems to have to come in with a mop afterwards.]
ha ha, evie.
neither my ob nor midwife has not even mentioned a birthing plan but i thought i might just write a few points that mean a lot to me such as, skin to skin contact immediately afterwards, and for DH and bub to remain with me in recovery in the event of a c-section, but i'm going in there with a very open mind due to the fact that i haven't been through birth before and yes you don't ever know whats going to happen.
Mine is not a plan, but a list of preferences. I acknowledge that some parts of labour I will have no control over! Having hard and fast ideas about how it must happen could be hard if circumstances change during labour, it could lead to disappointment and frustration, right at the time you need to focus! It is better (in my humble opinion) to be educated and have preferences, to give yourself the flexibility to deal with what happens in the manner that suits you best.
They might be a bit too personal to share, but if they aren't it would be great if some of you ladies were able to post your birth plans. As a first time mum I have preferences for how I would like my labor/birth to go, but no idea where to start when it comes to putting together a birth plan. It would be wonderful to see how others have treated it.
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