Birthplan

[Onestep2]

My MW has asked me to write down a birth plan for my next appointmenr and im unsure what to write down. this is what ive wrote so far.

1. Would like a water birth with gas and air.

2 If water birth is not an option then would like to progress with labour and attempt a nautural vaginal brith with gas and air

1. if throughout labour i change my mind i would like to request and recieve an epidural. I am not opposed to any pain relief.
2. should any complications arise i consent to medical intervention including an emergancy c section.

Is this what she means? do i need to include anything else?

any suggestions?

Things like

How do you feel about pethadine

Do you want your partner to cut the cord

Who do you want to tell you the gender (if you don't know yet)

Do you want skin to skin or do you want them to dress your baby before holding

Other things to think of are delayed cord clamping and vitamin K.

Thanks ladies.

i had no idea how much you that to include lol

and all this planning knowing fine well that all the best plans can go to absolute shit when it comes to labour. lol

Looks fab also may be worth adding things like whether you would be happy to have students look after you, I think I went along the lines of ‘I am very happy to have well supported students involved in my car but no locum staff please’ (the student we ended up having was wonderful and sat with my husband and new born whilst I was in theatre so the midwife could stay with me so that was fab! I was also advised to put at the top any regular meds/allergies and something like my birth partner is my husband (name) and I am happy for them to advocate on my behalf.

I found a good template on line - maybe Google birth plan template.
You're so right it can all go to shit though, I found my birth plan the other day whilst tidying - no one but me has ever laid eyes on it!

I think birth plans are important for two things:
1)If there are any interventions that you definitely do or do not want e.g. epidural etc.
2)To allow you to think about options at each stage and express a preference, including for what might happen if things don't go to plan.

Most women (not all) would probably prefer a birth to be as natural as possible with minimal intervention, so that almost goes without saying. Things that haven't already been mentioned are if you have a strong feeling about delivery of the placenta (wait for it to come naturally vs having the injection), vitamin K for the baby, how you plan to feed baby, what would you like to happen if the baby needs to go to special care - your partner to go with baby or stay with you?

I'm generally of the opinion that the shorter the better, as long as it answers the important questions!

thanks guys. i googled birth plan and got a NHS template of things to consider. i had absolutly Noooooooo idea there was so much to think about.

Yeah. Keep it simple. Only write it down if you feel strongly about it, otherwise I wouldn't bother mentioning it.
The best bit of advice I was given was to think of it as "birth preferences" not birthplan.

Mine went along the lines of:

• codeine allergy. NO OPIOIDS.
• students welcome
• use pool for pain relief and birth if possible
• remain active
• delayed cord clamping
• physiological 3rd stage if possible

Just because I hadn't mentioned G&A doesn't mean it wasn't offered, but they knew they types of things to suggest to me (getting me a birthing ball / the pool ready).