Birth Plan?

Who agrees with a birth plan?

Who disagrees with a birth plan?

What are your reasons? I am just interested to know both sides.

Hey Bindy

I love what a birhtplan can do for self confidence...empowering the woman and promoting communication between woman, birth partner and health care providers...gets you into the head space of labor birth and baby ;)

xx yogababy

I'm trying to write up my birth plan as we speak as i dont want to have to make decisions on the spot and as it will be all written down for them to read they shouldnt need to ask me unless it's not covered in my birth plan.

I don't really agree or disagree - I guess it depends on your situation.

I haven't written out a birth plan, but I've thought through all the issues & discussed them with DH, so he knows what I want (re. pain relief, positioning etc). Don't want to go into the birth with very definite plans, because I want to be flexible - depending on how I am feeling & bubs is doing.

It may be different if you have an OB who you see each time & can discuss options with - I am going through the public system & see different midwives at the clinic (and will see someone completely different for the birth) - so there isn't an opportunity to make plans beforehand with my practitioner.

not to keen on birth plans but thats just me..

if you are set on something and it doesnt go to your birth plan it can lead to disapointment..
i found this with my friend she was in tears after the birth cause a c/section was NOT in her birth plan and felt like she had failed!!

i didnt have a birth plan!!

Hey Bindy,

I wrote up a birth plan when i was pregnant with my first child but don't think i ever saw it again ........personally i don't think writing a birth plan helps at all other then to let your birthing wishes be known to others around you.
Honestly when your in labour the last thing on my mind was my written birth plan the one and only thing on my mind was to get this baby out of me as soon as physically possible.....i didn't care how i just wanted bubs out iykwim.
I also think writing a birth plan is something that might sound like the best thing at the time of writing but that's not to say that's how things are going to go on D-Day....things happen and they can sometimes be beyond our control so i think you when the time comes you just have to go with the flow and do what 'you' feel is the best at the time....

I think it's good to have a plan - when I was labouring I was on a whole other planet and found it hard to communicate with the midwives (which is strange for me!!) and so it wouldve been helpful! (I didn't have one) It was hard for me to stick to what I wanted (no drugs) when I was offered pethidene etc - I guess I just felt more pressure or something iykwim?? Anyway it was all ok cos DH was there to speak for me when I couldn't and all went "to plan"!!
Hope this helps lol!!

I found it was great, although i had mine titled 'birth intentions' rather than a plan, as that way i knew it was flexible, and so did the nurses.

It was great because it meant the nurses, both for DS and DD could read up before they came in, they could pretty much straight away tell the type of birth i was going for, and hence what kind of support i needed.

I tried to cover everything, from pain relief to my preferences in case i needed a c-section. I also had my wishes in there for after the birth.

The midwife with DD said how great it was, that she could tell i had thought things through, and how clear it made it for them.

Kelly has a great link to one that we used as our template, but we changed things that we wanted that wasn't on there - it is here - https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ad.php?t=15596

Hi there Bindy,

A birth plan is all about communication. It will ensure that everyone involved knows what your wishes are for the safe delivery of your baby. However, it is imperative I believe to keep an open mind and to remember that not everything always goes to plan. My midwife at the Birth Centre knows my wishes via my birth plan and our previous discussions as do my DP and sister who will be supporting me and they all know that if a C-section is absolutely required etc that that is what has to be done. I have done everything in my power to hopefully have a completely natural and active birth experience, but I am not going to jeopardise my baby or myself if more drastic measures are required to deliver safely.

Just jot down a few things like positions, pain relief options, whether or not you want the cord to stop pulsating before it is cut etc and various other things that you have no doubt thought about ok. It may go completely out the window when you are in the thick of it but at least you spent a little time considering your options. Good luck, Nicole

I am totally for them... not so much a plan as you can't 'plan' a labour, but more a guide to your wishes... I used Kelly's on the main site as a guide, however forgot to take it to the hospital... and was stuck as I wasn't really thinking about what I had written...

This time I will be taking a copy to my next appointment... I will have 2 copies in my bag too. I have changed mine slightly having been through it once, I want much more guidance from the midwife, as in I want them to suggest pain reflief like positions, bath, fitball etc. Last time As great as she was I wasn't guided... I will be putting in there that I want them to hold off giving me an epi if I ask for one, as long as possible by sugesstion other means.... If my midwife reads it I am sure that she will better know how to handle me, and what I want...

Not sure if you wanted that sort of answer but I think that having it written down will help. DH and I even practiced positions etc before DD birth, but once there it went out of both our heads!!!

Birth Plans - Are They Worth It?

One of the best ways to help with the birth plan going according to plan is getting a strong advocate for your wishes like a doula or private midwife, and of course, choose care and location of birth in line with what you want. For example, if you absolutely want to avoid a c/s stay out of private hospitals - many of which have 40-50%+ c/s rates!!! So many people cant understand why they dont get the birth they want but they make misguided choices in terms of care.

I'm viewing writing my birth plan as a Uni assignment... for me it's about the study and research behind it as much as it's about what is written in it at the end.

It's not that I 'expect' everything to go to plan as such but I will be aware of the intervention options and what path I would prefer to take if they come up- it's about being informed and communicating my beliefs to those around me.

I have written up a birth intentions based on what Kelly has put up on here and just modified to my liking. I took a lot of care and consideration and much research before putting it together.
Yesterday I showed it to the midwife at my appt and she said it was great, along with the usual "you know it may not all go according to plan and we dont want you to be dissapointed" all of which I knew. I am using it as a guide to what I would LIKE to happen in a given situation. When I showed it to my GP/OB who will be attending he pretty much poopooed it to my face and I was a tad upset. He didnt agree with somethings in it and I dont know if he will follow my requests if he is attending at that time... I will have to speak with him more next week at my appt.

i think there is nothing wrong with birth plans but i advise not to be too strict with them.
I had high hopes of being with my husband, tens and and gas only in tow, but progressed too quickly in labour that i was thrown in a ambulance to the hospital (which was a 90 minute drive) on my own (no husband) with no pain relief, no gas , not even able to move off a stretcher and she was delivered within 10 minutes on the labour ward ....
luckily i went into it all relaxed and 'play it by ear' so i wasnt dissappointed, but i have read some girls birth plans that are so strict on how they want every second to play out and honestly it will only lead to dissapointment...

be educated, be open and i think that is the best plan you could have for a positive delivery!

I think it also depends where you are birthing. My birth plan the first time around was pretty well ignored because I had an OB and was in a private hospital - this time I was in a birth centre with midwives and it was followed to the letter.

I think it's really important to think about stuff beforehand and have a clear idea about your preferences. I didn't write mine down - it was all in my head which was enough for me, but if I had written it down it would have been "I want to get as far as I can without drugs. Let me do my thing - leave me alone and if I want drugs I'll ask for them." Which is what happened. Apart from that, I wasn't fussed about episiotomies, 3rd stage, cord pulsating etc. etc. So mine was pretty simple.

I really prefer the term "birth preferences" because "plan" is such a divisive term - you will get too many people saying "oh, it never goes according to plan so what's the point of having one" and others who say "well, if you don't have a plan, you won't get what you want."

Personally, I think it's way more important to plan your pain management techniques - I recommend Juju Sundin's Birth Skills.

I think they're really important for lots of reasons. Even if you don't take it with you the process of doing it is valuable in itself.

1. The process of writing it forces you to think about the birth and prioritise what's important to you
2. The process of writing it initiates conversation with your partner about what you want and how he can help you in labour ("hey honey, I was working on my birthplan today and I was thinking...such and such" - it gets you talking which is always a good thing.)
3. If you're going private and seeing the same OB who will be at the birth you can show it to them beforehand - it's a fantastic way to suss out your OB's true feelings about what you want BEFORE you're in labour and in a position where it's hard to negotiate.
4. Because it is a written document it must be put on your file as part of the hospital record keeping protocol - making it more likely that it will be taken seriously.
5. It gives you input and a measure of control that is taken from you in hospital if they can see you will just submit to protocols and procedure without question.

One thing I would say about them though is to make sure you understand what you're asking for and why. As an example, say you're going in for an induction with the drip but you have on your birthplan "I want a natural 3rd stage of labour". These two things aren't compatible and it says to the hospital staff that you haven't done your research properly and you don't really know what you want. I think this is a big reason alot of birthplans fall over, people don't research their options enough.

This has been really interesting. It just goes to show you that everyone is different. I myself have not done a birth plan (mainly to avoid disappointment if something does not go right) but it's really good I agree to have some preferences in place.

Thanks girls for your input.

xx

Yeah but you have to remember that a birth plan/intentions/preferences covers all scenarios, its not all about saying I am having a natural birth with no drugs. Its about saying, 'if an induction is necessary, my preferences are this... if a c/s then this....'

Some Obs see that as an intrusion to their 'power' and some think it's all going to fold anyway as that's what they see often... mine laughed at my first one too. But stand firm, you are the paying customer... they are an advisor but you are the decider and you need to research your plan so you know why what you have chosen has merit.

Take a look at my plan... its designed well, flexible but firm I think.

Kelly, I agree with you.

Thank goodness I have such a good OB!

Hi Bindy. I'm relying on Tony to relay what it is I want and dont want on the day. He is pretty clued up as we have spoken about it a lot.

Hi Gorgeous gal, that's good I think! As long as they are in the know!

On birth plans ...

in my case I have written a birth plan. However there is flexibility written into my plan, which I think is important. It's impossible to know exactly how the birth is going to go, so having flexibility is essential imo as it's not ideal to set oneself up for disappointment.

In my case having a plan was about me as much as it was my partner. By discussing the plan with my partner it has included him in the process and empowered him when it comes time to welcome our little bundle of joy into the world. Particularly when it comes time for decision-making.

I've found the process of writing a birth plan really helpful too because of the research involved.

Just my 2c.

The hospital i go to has a birth plan in the info that you get, i have filled it in twice and both times it has sat in the front pocket of the bag. DF knows what i want, or i ask him, with the major things like in the event of a emerg c/s he knows what to do, he asks me if i want any pain releif (most of the time its from him rubbing my aching back!!) Also the midwives that are at wollongong hosp are excellent, they listen to your needs/wants. Make neccesary comments/advice. The midwife i had with Jett was excellent, i actually gave birth with a heat pack on my back!! Hehehehe.
Goodluck and make sure you discuss with your DP/F/H What your intentions are!!