birth plan

[elliejjtiny]

I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant with DC5. I've got my midwife appointment on Friday and she has asked me to write a C-section birth plan and a vbac birth plan and we will go through them both then. I think I've got the vbac one sorted but really struggling with the C-section one, probably because I don't want a C-section. DC's 1-3 were natural births and DC4 was a section. I found it really traumatic and dreading having to do that again. Any ideas about what to put on the C-section plan?

I'm aiming for VBAC, but am very mindful that I was unprepared for a CS (EMCS) last time so I'm thinking about a CS plan too.

I'm thinking: screen to be lowered at delivery so I can see baby; husband to reveal sex of baby; skin to skin in theatre if possible (didn't have this last time); choice of music on in theatre.

Is this what your midwife maybe means? I've not discussed my CS plan yet but have a consultant appointment again in 2 weeks.

Thanks. I've already put skin to skin down. I'm not sure about the screen thing. I found not being able to see or feel anything below my breasts really frightening last time so was thinking of asking for no screen at all so I can at least see that my legs are still there. However seeing them cut me open may be worse! The ipod docking thing was broken when DS4 was born so we had the radio on (I remember the anaesthetist saying that he always waits until the surgeon has her hands in someones womb and then changes the station!) but I'll ask the midwife if it's working again.

Re the screen - with me, not being able to see or feel the baby being born was a bit weird, so to see baby emerging or being raised up is important to me. But I was a bit freaked out at the knowledge I was being cut open though, so I don't want to see anything! But to have the screen slightly lower than totally obscuring everybody in the room at the moment of birth may be a good compromise for me.

Re the music - the iPod Dock was broken at our hospital too but they had a CD player, so I'm going to have a CD burned too. It's the distraction/relaxation of favourite, familiar music that I would like.

The screen is necessary for sterility so you can't go without it. I had a CS and had a v different experience. I found it v calm and even fun. I didn't want the screen lowered because I had no wish to see myself cut up. I also did skin to skin in theatre and breastfed soon after. The music and skin to skin etc is all possible, not having a screen at all won't be possible.
(To give you the context, DH is a medic and he was given special permission to watch the CS rather than hold my hand and I was happy for him to watch it and tell me later. But he was also told to stay on the other side of the screen and peep over for reasons of sterility).

Thanks. I've got a load of photos of my C-section that DH took and he and the anaesthetist took turns in giving me a running commentary. I wasn't offered skin to skin and I didn't ask because I was shaking so much and was worried I'd drop him. He was taken over to be weighed, measured etc then wrapped up and given to DH. DH was sat just behind my head so he could hold my hand but if I wanted to see him or DS I had to twist my neck round and even then I couldn't see much. Just as they were stitching up the last layer the midwife came over and said DS was struggling to breathe and needed to go to NICU. It was another 5 hours before I could see him again.

Sorry, had to stop and feed DS4, put him to bed etc.

I've read about how C-sections can be positive and nice and I really want a nice one next time if I can't have a vbac but I can't work out how I can have a nice one instead of an awful one like last time.