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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Essential things to put on birth plan?

22 replies

lillamyy1 · 04/04/2015 12:30

PFB due in a week and so far my plan is just a couple of brief notes, as I didn't see the point of making a really detailed one in case it all goes out the window for some reason. But I'm wondering if there's anything that's really important to put on there? Any suggestions greatly appreciated

OP posts:

BlueBananas · 04/04/2015 12:32

Just don't bother, you can't plan a birth, midwives will talk to you & ask you questions at the time, I've never known a midwife ask for a birth plan or read one atall

TarkaTheOtter · 04/04/2015 12:33

There are some things it is worth thinking about in advance and a birth plan can help you do that but I found the midwives asked me even though I had a birth plan so not vital to write it down.
Off the top of my head you will be asked about:
Vitamin K injections for baby
Injection to speed delivery of placenta

comeagainforbigfudge · 04/04/2015 12:34

I filled that bit in on my notes as the nurse I spoke with seemed rather stressed about my plan of just going with the flow!

I have no grand plan other than "get baby out as safe as possible for all concerned please"

Not helpful in the slightest, sorry!

Anaffaquine · 04/04/2015 12:36

Both my plans would have been utterly pointless the midwives will ask things at the time like whether your birth partner wants to cut the cord, how you want to find out if it is a boy or girl, if you want the vitamin k injection for baby, the injection for placenta etc.
Just expect the unexpected and good luck with your little one!

AnythingNotEverything · 04/04/2015 12:39

I think a set of preference can help set the tone and help the MW suggest things. Do you want to stay active? Would you rather tear naturally or be cut? Do you want music playing or the lights turned down low?

You're right that you can't plan for things exactly, but you can still have preferences, even if you know you might not get a choice on the day.

halestone · 04/04/2015 12:49

Put whatever you wish or leave it blank, the choice is yours. The only thing i put was that i wished Dp to tell me the sex and no-one else.

The only thing i would say though is be prepared for change.

PrimroseEverdeen · 04/04/2015 13:30

A had a very loose brief plan as I just wanted to go with the flow and to be honest, not one person looked at it the whole time I was in hospital.

Original poster

lillamyy1 · 04/04/2015 13:44

Thanks all. I've made a few more notes and put them into a logical order.

OP posts:

ELish1988 · 04/04/2015 18:36

I made a birth plan and it was useless. Nothing went according to plan at all, mainly because I was induced. I don't even think it was looked at to be honest. Main important things are the vitamin k for the little one, but they will ask you this before hand.

Allstoppedup · 04/04/2015 18:42

The only things I was bothered about was my DS being delivered onto my chest (if possible) and I wanted vit K and delayed cord clamping. Again providing he was healthy and this was possible. My birth plan remained in my hospital bag the whole time and never saw the light of day and nothing really went to plan as such.

I still mentioned the above during Labour though and DP was aware of them too.

This time I'm planning a home birth but am pretty laid back about it - it will go how it goes!

Sounds like you have the right attitude. Good luck!

strawberry01 · 04/04/2015 19:09

I wrote that

I would like to try with just gas and air plus analgesia for as long as I could manage
I would like to avoid assisted delivery eg forceps as much as possible
I would be keen on a water birth
I wanted to try and be mobile during the labour
I was really scared of tearing and getting stitches
I would like to have the room have as little people in as possible and to have the lights dimmed
I wanted the baby to get the jag and for me to get the one that helps the placenta come (forget the names sorry)

I had to be monitored my full labour so couldn't be mobile, had lots of doctors coming in and out, baby was in distress, I needed a drip so was even more limited in movement but I managed with only gas & air and didn't need any stitches. As soon as I went into labour I knew straight away that there was no chance I was getting into a birthing pool I just didn't feel like it at all so even if offered I wouldn't have accepted.

I felt like my labour went well because I was in the mindset of "whatever happens happens and if I can manage and need epidural or we end up in emergency c-section or if I need forceps or tear a little etc then that's fine as long as baby is ok"

gargalesis · 05/04/2015 10:10

I wrote a birth plan and forgot to take it to the hospital with me.

But it didn't matter anyway because the first midwife I encountered asked me what my wishes were, and she relayed it all to the next midwife at the shift change, and so on (I was in labour for a few shift changes!). When it all went a bit pear shaped and I needed a ventouse delivery the doctor asked what I wanted, and we had a discussion about what he could and couldn't accommodate (ie I wanted delayed cord clamping and immediate skin to skin, he apologised and said they'd have to cut the cord straight away but I'd definitely have the skin to skin).

I'd say write a birth plan but don't get too hung up on the details. Just making sure you're well informed about all the options and having a discussion with your partner about it all is probably the best thing you can do.

Acorncat · 05/04/2015 10:12

I just had that I wanted immediate skin to skin and delayed cord clamping (which were done as standard anyway). Also vit k injection and natural placenta removal. I'm not sure they actually read it, everything was just discussed inbetween contractions. I changed my mind about the placenta injection anyway after a very long pushing stage - I had read that you can't have delayed cord clamping if you have the injection but that's not true, I had the injection about 15 mins after he was born. Unless you have very strong opinions on things I'm not sure there's much point. I wanted to put that I didn't want pain relief but didn't want them to think I was an idiot so I just said no thanks when they offered.

gargalesis · 05/04/2015 10:14

I should add that I'd been terrified of an instrumental delivery and wanted it to be as 'natural' as possible, but at that point everything went out the window and all I wanted was to meet my baby.

mysparkleismissing · 05/04/2015 11:19

be prepared for it to change - I agree with this definitely.

I put on my notes that a student midwife was welcome and she was amazing.

Original poster

lillamyy1 · 05/04/2015 15:09

Thanks everyone. Mine's ended up being relatively detailed now, as I found a list of questions to consider about different scenarios, e.g. if the baby has to go to special care while I'm being stitched etc would i rather DP was with me or the baby, that kind of thing. I'm totally aware that it might all go out the window but glad I've done a bit of research and written it all down because I'm not very good at making decisions on the spot!

OP posts:

Cirsium · 05/04/2015 15:24

I wasn't aware of midwife reading my plan but looking back at the way they did things they had and respected my decisions about examinations, suggesting but not pushing pain relief, finding out the sex (lovely DD), cord cutting, etc.

My plan was more about how I felt about giving birth and any worries I had. I stated in various places that I was very flexible about what actually happened. Just as well as having hoped for spontaneous, mobile labour and birthing pool in the MLU, I ended up being induced, confined to the bed with monitoring and SPD and gladly accepting diamorphine. The lovely midwives did hold the doctors off to let me deliver without intervention though.

Misslgl88 · 06/04/2015 15:57

I've put in Id like a water birth, delayed chord clamping, to be left to bond with baby afterwards, what pain relief And that I want Oh to tell me what gender we have, I have wrote this twice!

JiltedJohnsJulie · 06/04/2015 16:08

Have a think about asking for the cord to be cut only when it's stopped pulsating. The baby will receive a lot more iron that way

LBOCS · 06/04/2015 16:09

I don't think I wrote a birth plan (I was induced a bit earlier than we expected I would be), but I just chatted to the midwives about what I wanted when I was in labour - by that point as I was high risk we knew I wasn't going to get the water birth I had fancied, but I was able to tell them that I wanted delayed cord clamping and after that I would be happy to have the injection to deliver the placenta, I was happy for DD to have the vitamin K injection, I wanted to be discharged ASAP after delivery, I was intending to breastfeed, I wanted her delivered onto my chest, etc.

It wasn't the birth I had imagined but they did do everything they could to accommodate my preferences, so I felt like it was a generally positive experience.

JaneAustenisshockinglyFugly · 06/04/2015 20:27

PFB is due next month. I have been reading loads as I want to be well informed. Have a detailed plan - but also been told by older DSis to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Anxious!!!

Original poster

lillamyy1 · 06/04/2015 22:24

Yes I'm getting anxious now. I wasn't anxious for ages, but there are just so many unknown directions it can take. I'm not too scared for how I'll cope, it's more that I just want the best, safest and calmest birth for baby and I'm worried he'll get distressed or something bad might happen

OP posts:

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