Birth Choices Feedback Please

Okay, I am going to put it out there for feedback :redface: I am totally nervous about this but I had to highlight my choices in my birth plan in a point form with my reasonings behind my choices and everyone involved in this VBAC need to sign it. I just need to know whether it sounds clear, if there are mistakes (like misinformation that makes me sound stupid :lol:) or if you think I am missing something that I may have forgotten. TIA :redface:

 No routine cannula
-I have a phobia of needles and feel it will be a distraction in labour.
-I am aware that in an emergency situation (ie blood transfusion) I will need to have one inserted and I consent to that. I just don?t want one inserted ?just in case?.
-When it comes to the risk of infection to the baby or myself, our temperatures can be checked for the first 24 hours after the birth to ensure there is no infection.

 I would prefer intermittent monitoring by doppler.

-I plan to have an active labour
-Constant monitoring is likely to increase my risk of having another c/s
-EFM?s are not completely accurate with detecting foetal distress; dopplers are found to be more effective.
-I understand that if I have an epidural, I will need to be hooked up to an EFM and I consent to it in that circumstance.


 Allow baby to clear own mucus naturally rather than routine suctioning

-As I want the cord to not be clamped after the birth, it is unnecessary to suction as the baby will still be receiving oxygen from the placenta.

 Allow cord to stop pulsating completely before any clamping, cutting or administration of medications to myself.

-I want my baby to be born into the world with as little disturbance as possible. Immediate clamping of the cord is unnecessary and has no benefit to myself or the baby.
-The baby needs time for its body to adjust to receiving oxygen via the lungs rather than the placenta.

 Physiological 3rd stage

-A woman?s body is meant to naturally birth the placenta, an injection to help me birth it is unnecessary.
-I would like the opportunity to birth it myself for up to 45 minutes. If I have not had the urge to push after 30 minutes I am happy to have the pitocin then.
-I understand if I am haemorrhaging the injection is necessary and I consent to in in that circumstance.

 Oral Vitamin K instead of the injection
-I want to make sure my baby has minimal upsetting procedures as possible.

depends on the hospital and the midwives on at the time I reckon ....

I had a totally natural birth recently - in my plan I had I was happy to have the pit for the placenta. However, cos everything else was totally natural - the midwives let me bide time to see if placenta delivered - I was on the edge of having the needle but it eventually came out after an hour! They were very pro-natural.

I think everything else sounds perfectly reasonable.

I do have a couple of comments for thought - you don't need to explain in the plan why you want something - just that you would like it done - or not done eg cord clamping - I don't think you need to say cos in your opinion no need for it etc .....

Just food for thought, or for the bin :)

Good luck

Thanks Sami, the hospital is not pro natural, not even the hospital midwives, only the team of midwives that I see. I need to have the reasoning behind my choices because the midwife team has people on their backs trying to get them shut down and they are looking for every reason, so I need to show that these are choices I have made on my own and researched on my own without any influence from them. It is very sad that it is coming to this but I am willing to do anything to protect this team of 3 very good midwives.

OMG that is sad :( - I hope you get the birth you are after :pray:

I was reeealllly lucky with the midwives I got - I also had a doula and that helped - have you thought of a doula perhaps???

Geez, my plan went absolutely out the window (except for a few things ... um, and not several) ... I gave birth to my 1st & only baby at 40years of age ... 39minutes after arriving at the hospital :rolleyes:

I loved the idea of the cord not being clamped for sometime as it gave me time to get ready in adjusting to the idea of the cord being cut after ... it was kinda of like it was my last physical connection to being pregnant & especially the pregnancy journey that my baby & i share for such a long 9mths ... i felt a bit sad BUT it would have saddened me more if i didn't have 'that time to adjust to the idea'.

By the way, i still don't know why BUT sitting on the toilet whilst in labour felt damn great :dance:

In my plan i didn't want to be on back giving birth (wanted to be on all fours or kneeling over bed) ... Yep, you guessed it i ended up feeling more comfortable on my back giving birth. If this does happen for you ??? ... my only advice is put in your plan that someone put the side bed rails up. It was awful having nothing but the sides of a soft mattress to grip hard on to.

I was absolutely amazed what my body could do without drugs (well, i was going so quick i had no time to ask for any drugs if i changed my mind and wanted) ... but then i not the best person to give advice as my birth was so fast.

To anyone that tells me my birth was easy ... i ask them "Were you there" ??

No birth no matter how long or short is no picnic ... it's still hard work for us all ... and we should be PROUD of what WE woman are lucky to experience in having our bodies do what men are not fortunate to experience :clap:

Straight after my birth i seriously felt like i was WONDERWOMAN and could do absolutely anything ... It is the most POWERFUL feeling in the world :dance:

Little Miss Sunshine may your birth day be the second sunniest day that you have ever had (in already having NOAH your 1st bub) :D

My words to any new Mum's that might read my post is " Have faith in your body as it's the most powerful tool you own" ;)

Hugs from Lorelle xox

Looks good lovely and it is great to get it all set in your head and also if you need to fight for what you want.

A few extras that I had on mine that you might or might not want to add!

VE's - I would be upright or on my side for these and did not want routine 4 hourly VE's unless there was a dame good medical reason. Lying on my back was torture.

Prefer to tear than episiotomy.

I will eat/drink as I feel the need to (as many places won't let you "in case" you need a c/s).

I was happy to have EFM BUT would take it off when I felt I wanted to get in the shower etc......

Obviously I didn't get the chance to see this all through but it might help! :D

Hi there,

looks great. I have deleted some things ..... the hospital doesn't really need to know why you want / don't want certain things. We don't have to justify your food choices when we go to a restaurant :D

 No routine cannula
-I am aware that in an emergency situation (ie blood transfusion) I will need to have one inserted and I consent to that.
-When it comes to the risk of infection to the baby or myself, our temperatures can be checked for the first 24 hours after the birth to ensure there is no infection.

 I consent to intermittent monitoring by doppler. I will not have electronic monitoring unless fetal distress is detected by doppler (or wherever you want to say here)

-I plan to have an active labour
-Constant monitoring is likely to increase my risk of having another c/s
-I understand that if I have an epidural, I will need to be hooked up to a CTG and I consent to it in that circumstance.

 Allow baby to clear own mucus naturally rather than routine suctioning

-I want delayed cord clamping after the birth. Allow the cord to stop pulsating completely before any clamping, cutting or administration of medications to myself.

-I want my baby to be born into the world with as little disturbance as possible. Immediate clamping of the cord is unnecessary and has no benefit to myself or the baby.

 Physiological 3rd stage

-I would like the opportunity to birth it myself for up to 45 minutes. If I have not had the urge to push after 30 minutes I am happy to have the syntocinon then. (Do you want to wait 60 mins until having the injection?)
-I understand if I am haemorrhaging the injection is necessary and I consent to in in that circumstance.

 Oral Vitamin K instead of the injection


Other things to consider - episiotomy vs tear, length of first and second stage before they intervene, vaginal examinations - yes, no, frequency, number of support people etc. Have you considered having a private midwife or doula with you for your hospital birth? Or even a homebirth? Home VBAC success rates are much higher than hospital VBAC rates .... Good luck in whatever you decide.

Thanks girls :hug:

I have a doula, I sorted that one out pretty much as soon as I found out I was pregnant.

60 minutes for the pitocin might be more desirable so I will change that :lol:

Episiotomy preference I better put down, saw one on youtube, I nearly got sick, what saveragy :o

I was going to stay at home as long as possible anyway. I would love a homebirth but unfortunatly I don't have the funds for a private midwife and not sure there is one in my area. Although if I have a successful VBAC this time, I will quite possibly attempt a medically unassisted homebirth with my doula present if she is willing.

I better add VE's too, there seems to be a bit I have forgotten about. I was told to keep it to one sheet of paper so I better reduce the font size :lol:

Is there any straight-forward info on length of labour and the effects on a uterine scar. I would need to know how long for each stage would be classified as 'safe'. I am scared to put down a time though as it would probably be something that ends up being a distraction to me. Nothing worse than watching the clock :s