Birth Plan - How important ?

[FoghornLeghorn]

DC3 was due on Monday and I haven't done one ......
I did do one with DD's but tbh, I didn't feel like the midwife took a great deal of notice of it, everything that happened was because I'd either asked for it (pain elief wise) or that was the way nature intended so it all seemed a bit pointless.

Should I do one ? The only 2 things I am specific about are that I was the baby delivered straight onto me and I want DH to tell me whether we have a girl or a boy .... other than that I'm quite happy to take things as they come

[LullyMummaOfOne]

Hi, TBH i would do one. If you make sure your DH tells the MW about the 2 important things then im sure you will be fine.

AS this will be your 3rd in sure you know what to expect and what they can offer you,.

i didnt have one with my DS and i really enjoyed my labour, i just went with the flow.

Good luck, i hope you dont have too much of a wait!

[LullyMummaOfOne]

Sorry that was meant to say WOULDNT do one! Not to self... read posts before hitting the post message button!!

[CountessDracula]

on the birth plan page in my notes I wrote

have a baby

I think that is as far as you can plan

surely you can tell them at the time re wanting the baby delivered onto you and dh saying whether is boy or girl!

[Jackstini]

Do a small one & put just those 2 things in the birthplan to make sure they happen.
Good luck!

[MrsTittleMouse]

If there is something that is really important to you, then it's well worth having it in writing I think. Probably more useful than a huge essay detailing every possible aspect, as it's more likely to be actually read.
I wish I had written everything down last time. I didn't on the advice of my CMW, but then when things went wrong nobody believed that I had thought things through sensibly and treated me as though I was just delirious with pain and to be ignored.

[PortAndLemon]

Maybe write down those two things, but I wouldn't bother beyond that.

[VictorianSqualor]

I did one with my last birth but there were quite a few Big Things (it was going to be a VBAC so things like active birth, no cfm, venflon allowed etc) I wanted to make sure happened. I had one for a CS too which they noted and listened to, they also followed them pretty much to the letter.

One was baby being straight on me, another DP sexing the baby, and also DP cutting the cord (Well, he 'trimmed' it). If you just write in big letter 'DH to sex baby' and 'Baby to be delivered straight to me' I'm sure it will be adhered to, but it's possible you could forget in the middle of it all to mention that you don't want them to sex the baby and a well-meaning midwife shouting 'It's a girl/boy!'

[becklespeckle]

I never wrote one although had some ideas of how I wanted things to be.

When I was taken to Central Delivery to have my waters broken I met a lovely MW who asked me what I wanted and wrote it down herself. Some of it went out of the window but she stuck to as much as we could. The chat we had before things really got going gave her a clue to how things might go (SPD + likelyhood of large baby) so she had the Paediatrics on standby which was lucky as they were needed to help her when she was born.

Because of that I would say it is far better to speak to the MW in charge of your delivery on the day and let them take the lead!

Good luck BTW, hope LO doesn't keep you waiting too long!

[FoghornLeghorn]

Yes, the midwives have asked me on both occassions what I wanted regarding sexing the baby and skin to skin ..... I don't think I am going to bother.

I am completely with you CD, there is nothing more I can plan for other than having a healthy baby at the end of it, other than that I'm happy to go with the flow and see what happens

[lauraloola]

I had a detailed one ready to go but when the midwife asked me for it I said I just wanted to go with the flow. They asked me all the right questions anyway - Do you want dc delivered onto you, what pain relief etc. I found it much nicer then having it all done 'to plan'. Good luck x