Writing a birth plan.

[Penguinandminipenguin]

I've read the midwife is meant to go over this with you, but she doesn't want to see me anymore as I'm consultant led and it's not really something he's been willing to discuss with me.

So I'm going to sit down with dh tonight and write some of our initial thoughts down, but I just wondered what sort of things you're meant to include?

TIA

[nottheOP]

I would be quite vague, so where you give your indication on preferred pain relief, just say that you want to assess at the time, unless you have any major preferences.

In all honesty, every birth is so different, it is very hard to plan anything and you're risking setting yourself up for a fall.

I think I put in there about wanting the injection to make the placenta come away faster and vit k for DS. Now I would put in there that I don't want any cheerleadering from an army of midwives (DS arrived at the shift change, it was like flipping birthday party). As quiet as possible!

[Lunastarfish]

The NHS and NCT both have good pages on writing a birth plan. (Googke birth plans). I used them as a template.

Briefly, you should set out what type of birth you want (I.e water birth), what pain relief you want (if any), whether you want placentas delivery to be natural or managed, how you'd like to feed your baby, whether you want skin to skin, who is your birthing partner(s), who's cutting the cord and any other important info for example of you are allergic to anything.

[OhEmGeee]

Delivery of placenta, Vitamin K, feeding, skin to skin and delayed cord clamping are all things to look into. What type of birth you would prefer, but also be open to options as it can't really be planned. Keep an open mind.

[LumpyCustard69]

Include whether or not you want trainees involved with your birth!!

[Lonz]

^ You have a choice about that? (They didn't ask me!)

Encouragement from midwives might be good to include and positions you'll like to birth in with support from midwives.
I just wanted no intervention, my son put straight on to me and delayed cord clamping so I could cut it, and natural delivery of the placenta- all things I didn't get.

[PiercedMrsL]

My midwife advised me to keep mine as relaxed as possible because if things change then I won't feel like I'm "not sticking to the plan" in all honesty because I've not done this before I feel like this is the best option for me anyway!

[kuolo]

That seems a bit unfair, I'm also consultant led but see my midwife as normal, I get that there's not much point doubling up routine appointments but I'd still ask the midwife to do a birth plan as like you say it's their thing not the consultant's and you shouldn't be missing out just because you're consultant-led. After all the midwife will be the one coming to see you after the birth, so they're not completely uninvolved.
There is a sheet in your green folder under intrapartum care that gives some guidance on birth planning - the main options we specified were around vitamin k (injection, oral or not at all), skin to skin for 30 mins after birth, delayed (or not) cord cutting (and who you want to cut it), and injection or natural delivery of placenta.

[Penguinandminipenguin]

Thanks for all the replies - lots of things here that I hadn't even considered! All I know for certain is I can't have an epidural so I hadn't thought about much else - and consultant has been unwilling to discuss birth options as we "are still in the monitoring period".

What is Vitamin K please? I've not been told anything about that.

[OhEmGeee]

From the Nct website. Babies have it after north by injection or orally.

www.nct.org.uk/parenting/vitamin-k

We chose the injection both times, DC slept through it. The oral dose is more than once and you have to make sure you get it all in so we chose the injections as it's quick and easy.

[lexyloub]

Generally who you want in the delivery room with you,if you want baby to have vit k drops or injection, what you'd ideally like for pain relief or if there's a position you'd like to try and deliver in. Bear in mind them last 2 things can quite possibly go out the window once labour starts.
Say if you want Baby putting straight onto your chest or if you want baby cleaned up a bit 1st. If your dh wants to cut the cord put that in too. Also put in if you'd like to ff or bf. They offer an injection after delivery to help the after birth deliver put on if you're happy to have that or if you'd rather it come out naturally.
Until you're actually there in the birthing room it's hard to predict what pain relief you'll want if any at all.

[lexyloub]

Personally I'd opt for the vit k injection it's done straight away none of my babies bothered by it with the drops you have to monitor if they vomit them back up

[Penguinandminipenguin]

I'd never even heard of vitamin K so need to do my research on that one! Thanks for the link Ohemgeee

[Runningupthathill82]

Just keep an open mind. Think of it as a wish-list rather than a plan.

[applecore0317]

Thats a shame that your midwife isn't seeing you anymore. I was consultant led but carried on with my midwife appointments as she was better for questions about pregnancy in general and the birth.

My plan was very vague as I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. Mine just said No to Pethadine, yes to the vitamin K Injection and yes to a managed third stage, I wanted to get the placenta out as quickly as possible so that I could focus on my baby :) I also said water birth is possible.

I was lucky in that I got all of my few wishes and all went very smoothly, all my NCT friends however apart from one weren't able to stick to their plans because of either being induced or needing an emergency section.

[frangipani13]

If you don't know the sex yet you might want to specify who announces this (like the dad for example) and that you want him to have skin to skin aswell. I'm including in mine that I don't mind student midwives being present and I want a quiet environment. You also have a choice over vaginal examinations too assuming everything is progressing well and you don't require too much medical intervention. Just remember that you have choices over everything that happens to your body.

[Emerlily]

My midwife recommended a birth plan class (only 1 hour) at my local children's centre. She hasn't gone through anything else with me other than to keep it simple as there's a chance I may need a caesarean as I'm having a big baby!

[Penguinandminipenguin]

Apple It is a shame :( I've not had the same midwife throughout which has been annoying as well, and I last saw her at 30 weeks (36+5 now) and she said there's no need to see her anymore. Frustrating as I'm a FTM so feel it would be helpful to see her to discuss things about the birth etc as consultant refuses to discuss birthing options etc. Still...good to have MN to get some advise :)

Thanks everyone