Or is this birth plan okay?

[1997r2017]

Basically, i dont want an extra long birth plan as i feel it will be ignored, also i know that forceps/venthouse could be needed but i feel like they are more likely to avoid then if i just say no.
Is there anything ive forgotten?
Please excuse my writing xxxx

however if you have a managed third stage you can't have delayed cord clamping as as soon as you've had the injection you have to have the cord cut.
I had delayed clamping and the injection. Gave birth in water and stayed in there cuddling the baby until the cord had stopped pulsating - about 20 mins. Got out, had injection, delivered placenta.

Seems to cover most bases, although if you'd prefer a section to other interventions I would specifically write that down.

Agreed. Otherwise absolutely fine. I'm a few days post-delivery and my plan was very similar to yours. I ended up with a bit more intervention than I'd have liked, for (like everyone!) reasons beyond my control, so I endorse what PP said about seeing the birth plan as an explanation of what you'd like in the optimal circumstances.

Best of luck

I wouldn't write off student midwives. In my first labour she was the only one who showed me an iota of compassion and actually gave me the final push to deliver after 48 hours of labour.
For my second all I put was that if I was too out of it to consent that any decisions were to be directed at DH who was fully aware of my preferences.

People who are saying you might end up needed forceps if its too late etc are wrong. I wrote i would not consent to forceps/venthouse/episostomy and was to have a section instead. There is such a thing as human rights and you can refuse whatever you want. I was told i would need rotational forceps at 9cm and i flat out said no and the did a section. These types kielland forceps are now illegal in many countries as they do more harm than good. Cant believe many women just accecpt what happens happens. You have rights. Demand them.

I echo others that it's a good birth plan and just try to be flexible.

However please do not dismiss student midwives. They have to learn somehow and observing isn't sufficient. A student midwife delivered my baby and she was fantastic. She had more time for me and she made me feel so calm.

Thanks CatchingBabies, that's helpful.

Re "too late for c-section", then, why are a few people on this thread referring to failed forceps followed by c-section?

Apologies in advance, what I am going to say next is going to upset some people here, but please OP AVOID writing "I do not consent to xyz" on your birth plan. Nobody has a crystal ball. I really, really wanted to avoid forceps as the risk of incontinence would have meant not only a very unpleasant recovery path but also the end of my career. However, I made it 100% clear to my obstetrician that it was a preference and not a "I do not consent." In fact I consented to everything required to deliver my child safely. The most common reason for having to resort to forceps is to avoid the scenario where the baby gets stuck and loses oxygen supply to the brain, as others have said, it's too late for a c-section as the baby is too far down. Failure to intervene quickly (with forceps, or whatever else is needed) can result in devastatingly severe and permanent brain injury. This is the risk you would be accepting by refusing to consent to forceps/etc. Contrary to what a lot of antenatal classes seem to be teaching in my neck of the woods, interventions at birth are only on an "if required" basis - nobody does them just because the felt like it.

Is it high forceps you dont want? I dont understand why women in the uk are so blase about them? C section is miles better for your pelvic floor. Still a lot of sheeple attitudes on on this thread.

Bollocks ' no one does one for their second kid's. The birth plan for my second birth was very clear about how I was going to be cared for and as a result I suffered considerably less trauma and none of the post partum mental health issues I did after DD birth. OP, how about transferring your plan onto the birth plan template you can print off the NHS website? It will give the midwife a familiar format to read and clarify your preferences. Wishing you the best.

Pengwwyn, with respect, I suggest you read this section on birth plans, interventions in labour and what constitues consent: https://books.google.ie/books?id=ps3sBctFZugC&pg=PA680&lpg=PA680&dq=changed+mind+about+consent+for+epidural&source=bl&ots=j9s53HYnDo&sig=H7sywJJ_gRarSpVNB6aHeFWnrDY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiXucH9g5rWAhWmqFQKHc-0DVQQ6AEISTAF#v=onepage&q=changed%20mind%20about%20consent%20for%20epidural&f=false
It is an ongoing ethical and legal dilemma when women are encouraged to write "I do not consent to X" and some even go on to add "even if I change my mind" and then labour goes in a direction opposite to the one desired. As you will probably know and/or have seen from previous posts, some labours leave women totally worn out and not knowing head nor tail anymore. There have been legal cases where the very concept whether consent was in fact "informed" in the height of labour. Hence my advice about not being categorical in refusal in the birth plan.

I had a c-section and they still pulled him out with forceps

Op, please don't be disheartened by all the people saying no one reads the plan, that wasn't my experience at all.

I ended up with an episiotomy and on my back, but this was only after everything else I had wanted had been attempted. The midwife even said "I know you don't want to be on your back, but are you willing to try to see if it helps" she had read it and she was respectful of my wishes and explained why it may help. I also did it drug free and at no point was I even offered anything.

Your labour is yours and if that plan makes you feel more in control then absolutely do it. I'm glad I did.

I hope it goes as you'd like but if you have to deviate a bit, at least you'll know you tried.

This is interesting. I'm due with first in November and wasnt going to right a birth plan but then was thinking maybe I should.

Nice to see that as per usual there are plenty of posters on here patronising the OP for it... even though she was TOLD to write one... And may I also point out that everyone was a first time mum once. Not helpful to speak to her like that in my opinion!

Can someone please explain to me...
What is a vit k injection for and whybwoukdnt you have it?
What is this about delayed cord cutting or not?

Thank you!

I'd also like to advocate for the student midwives! Mine were amazing!!!

I had birth plan with first, nothing happened the way I expected or thought I wanted. So in the end I learnt to just go with what happens...

instead of your piece of paper (i found it quite hard to read) there is this template on the NHS website

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/birth-plan.aspx

which i found useful when i was pregnant. All the people on here saying 'forget it, they don't listen to it, etc etc' well obviously if things are going wrong, they will consult with you about what to do. but i put one in my maternity notes and the midwife read it and said it was useful to get my overall feeling about the birth. good luck!

No one is saying you can't have a c section if forceps fail, but in my case she was too far down the birth canal and going to c section would have taken too long and could have resulted in brain damage.
I also had no forcepson my birth plan. We aren't being smug, we're just saying be prepared to have to make decisions against the plan

OP, don't listen to people saying don't bother with a birth plan.

My plans got MORE strident with every birth, not less. It is important you feel in control of your knowledge of what is happening and the behaviour of the staff. My first birth the midwife was coming to the end of her shift, tired, overworked, and a dismissive cow tbh. She managed the third stage very badly. HCPs aren't infallible and they might need a reminder that you've done your research and you aren't just a piece of meat to be hauled about.

Dismissive patronising attitudes towards a labouring mother have no place at a birth. You will most likely have choices, where I live the c-section rate for first time mothers is around 30% I think, so it is more likely than not you will have a vaginal birth and there is no harm in planning for the most likely outcome.

People saying they wouldn't do an episiotomy unless necessary - bollocks. Some HCPs will do whatever speeds up labour as it's more convenient for them. 'Necessary' is not the same as 'more convenient for hospital staff' in my books. Blind trust might have worked for some here but they have been lucky.

I had one both times (I also preferred an epidural to pethidine - I did have an epidural first time due to a very long labour but didn't need either second time). I also included my views on students (happy to be present, not to stitch me though!), that my husband should go with baby if we needed separating and that I didn't want the baby to be given formula unless necessary.

My midwives read it both times and referred to it. Although I changed midwife during pushing with my first and she wanted to do an episiotomy- I said no (baby not in any distress) and that was the right decision. She hadn't read my birth preferences!

To go against the grain:
My birth plan was hugely respected by the midwives!
They read it when I came in and did their best to support my wishes.
Things like breastfeeding, delayed cord clamping and skin to skin happen after the birth and its key the midwife knows your plan once baby is here.
I think your plan is totally fine. You can discuss it and amend it with you midwife when you see them.
Good luck with everything, you will be fine

i had ventouse and it was so easy - no way would I have preferred the recovery of a C section!
I think by that stage the baby is almost out, they're not going to give you a C section.
I also said active labour but the pain was so bad I just wanted to lay down.
Just go with it - you will just have the birth you have I'm afraid. If it's your first baby especially, these things rarely go to pla

My birth plan was basically:
Gas and air.
Mum and partner in the room.
No epidural
Skin to skin contact straight away.
Pretty much what everyone would want to have, an ideal birth.
What I got:
Put on drip as contractions slowed.
Epidural.
After pushing for 90 minutes had epistomy and forceps.
Crash section (still with forceps hanging out of me) under general.

Second birth plan was pretty much along the lines of: do what you can to make sure both baby and me are safe and as pain free as possible.

Hopefully you get the birth you want, just don't have your heart set on it all incase it doesn't go to plan.