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I know it's early days yet, but I am wondering if people had birth plans for their first bubs?
I am going public, at a medium sized country hospital... I am pretty sure 99.9% sure that I don't want an epidural... so also just wondering what pain relief worked, and what all you experienced mummy's think...
If you feel comfy, can you post what your birth plans are/were, and what baby it was for???
Thanks heaps!!
Here's what I give all my clients, I don't think I have had anyone not use it ;) They customise it to how they want, but it's ideal because it's SSS - short, sharp and shiny. Also I call it Birth Preferences or Birth Intentions, because it's not a set plan then is it? ;) No-one can go on at you that they are not worth it cos it never goes to plan anyway... ;)
:
Birth Preferences
Our full names: Sarah Smith & Joe Bloggs
We like to be called Sarah and Joe
Our Birth Attendant’s name is Kelly Zantey
Other notes: We will be HypnoBirthing
We’re hoping for a natural childbirth without unnecessary intervention or the use of drugs. We have asked a Birth Attendant to be present at the birth to help us work towards this. We appreciate your support with our birth preferences.
This plan represents our preferences; however we recognise that in the event of unforseen difficulties it may need to be re-negotiated. In this eventuality please discuss all procedure options with us and our Birth Attendant.
ACTIVE BIRTH
I would prefer the freedom to choose positions, use the shower or bath and walk around in labour as desired.
I would like intermittent external fetal monitoring unless continuous monitoring is medically necessary.
I’d prefer not to be offered drugs, I am aware of the options for pain relief and will ask for it if needed.
As long the baby and I are fine, I would prefer to be free of time limits and not have my labour augmented.
To have an episiotomy only if medically necessary. Please allow time for the perineum to stretch naturally.
CAESAREAN
If a caesarean becomes necessary I wish my partner to be with me if possible or alternately my Birth Attendant. Unless prevented by medical emergency, I would like to have immediate contact with our baby.
I would like the opportunity to try to breastfeed our baby in recovery.
BIRTH AND SOON AFTER
Ideally I’d like my partner to ‘catch’ our baby
I would like my partner to cut the cord
Presuming our baby is well I would prefer:
To hold our baby immediately after the birth. All newborn procedures (weighing and measuring) to wait until I have had time to bond with and breastfeed our baby.
I’m comfortable with having a routine Syntocinon injection to help deliver the placenta, however I prefer you to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it is cut and clamped.
I’d like our baby to have vitamin K as an oral dose.
We’d like to defer Hep B injections until baby’s first vaccinations at 2 months.
With Nicholas and even with Declan I never actually wrote up a birth plan, I just told DH that no matter what I didn't want an epidural at all.
What Kelly has written up is a fantastic way of writing up a birth plan.
Hi, I went with a public hospital which didn't encourage birth plans as they felt it led to false expectations of what would happen if things didn't go to plan. I went against this though and wrote out my birth plan only to have it ignored by the midwives. I've learnt alot from my own mistakes and you need to make it clear to your midwives that you have a birth plan and you want it followed but at the same time keep in the back of your mind that not all births go to plan and that you may need to make some changes. Make sure that what ever you decide is right for you that your support person knows what you want and don't want and is able to speak up for you if you can't. I hope that everything goes well for you and that you have a great birthing experience.
Best wishes
Sharon
Thanks guys...
I will do one after our ante natal classes...
Thanks Kelly, I will definatley use that when making my decisions...
I wrote a birth plan which I never ended up giving to the hospital. Really for me, it was very thereputic and allowed me to consider what I'd do in certain situations and also what I wanted/didnt want during birth to my DH & sister who were my labour support.
My hospital didn't encourage birth plans, but didn't discourage them either if you know what I mean? I guess they were willing to consider them, but most ladies don't really bother.
Like I said, for me it was really just a good chance to sit down and note what my hopes were, but also to accept that things may not go the way I chose, but how would I feel if this happened?
I wrote a birthplan a gave it to everyone who was going to be present. In the end it went out the window. Bub was posterior and presenting wrong.I ended up sampling all of their drug supply!!Epidural didn't work for me, only numbed my left side!DOH!And I ended up having an emergency c/s.Go in with an open mind and sometimes things happen bewond your control and always remember they are working for you!!DOn't get bullied by the midwives and docs.
I suggest you wait until your ante natal class as they will go thru all the options. I planned to go drug free if possilbe but certainly wasn't going to be a hero about it. By the time we got to the hospital I was 9cm which ruled out the epidural, however I did end up using gas and after forceps had an emergency ceasar which they then gave me a spinal for. So I suggest goes with what works for you at the time and this may change as each stage progresses.
Great wording for the birth plan, Kelly. I wrote one very similar, but as someone else said, it was more so that I had it in my head. I think I was a bit stoic about the way I wanted things to go, so I was really disappointed that things didn't go according to plan (Charlie was posterior and I ended up having an epidural). I reckon the most important thing is to have someone being an advocate for you - as long as they know your preferences and any specific requirements you might have then they can be your spokesperson. Ideally this should be someone that is strong enough to 'stand up' to the midwife if he/she turns out to be less than what you wanted and ignores your wishes. For example, I was SO against having pethidine, and DH was really good at not giving in to the midwife when she wanted me to have it instead of an epidural. Because he was able to 'fight' for me (I can't think of a better way of wording it, but you know what I mean) I was able to get what I wanted and needed.
Sorry, I babbled on a bit, but I hope I was helpful!
Hi Mel,
Re drug free pain relief ... have you considered the TENS machine as an option or has it been suggested to you? I had hired one of those as I was intending originally to have a vaginal birth (I ended up having a c section but never mind!) It was highly recommended to me by many people who have used it in labour before, including some here on BB.
Regards,
Mel
Mel - I didn't have a birth plan as such. DH knew I didn't want pain relief, and was a great support throughout. He even went and told the midwife to stop suggesting I try something. She kept on saying there's nothing wrong with needing something to help you through. Bah. What I needed was her support! hehe. Actually that's not true.. DH provided all the support I needed :)
I told DH that even if I was asking for pain relief (which I didn't btw) that he was to remind me that we didn't want drugs because we wanted a bright alert baby with no complications at the end of it. I also asked him to remind me of the stages of the labour to help visualise where the baby was at and what my body was doing.
The only pain relief I used was a heatpack, which did help a bit, just under my belly. And I was up on my feet for most of the 1st stage until I got a bit too wobbly during transition.
Other details in the birth plan we found weren't necessary, as we learnt at our classes that our hospital pretty much did things the way we wanted already.. like the baby never leaving, can breastfeed straight away.. DH could catch the baby if he wanted (which he didn't want to do), DH cut the cord.
Definitely have your partner ready to be your spokesman and things should work out in a way that you'll be happy with :)
Tulip - of course you can say no :) It's not medically required and often unless you specifically say no, they will just do it in most hospitals.
I delivered the placenta without it :) And if my uterus had have worked a little stronger to stop the bleeding (but we think this may have something to do with the c/s... not a bad thing just something we encountered) I wouldn't have needed it at all, but as it turned out (how ironic) I needed it after I'd delivered the placenta... funny hey!
*hugs*
Cailin
As you mentioned yourself, it's just a hospital timesaver / process speederupperer. I always prefer not to have anything i don't really need.