Birthing plan?

[charlottreb13]

So my midwife told me at around 36 week she would come visit me at home to discuss my birthing plan. This is my first baby so I've never done this before. Could someone explain what a birthing plan is. I understand is like do I want to give birth at home or in a hospital but what other question and options will I be given. (Uk based) x

It'll be things like preferences for pain relief, birthing positions and anything else you'd like such as low lighting, who will cut the umbilical cord, delayed cord clamping etc. Basically everything that happens during labour you can have a preference on. Some people dont like to have one and just see how it goes but I'll be doing one just to lay out how I'd like things to go in an ideal scenario. You can also have a bit of a backup plan, what you'd like to happen if forceps or c section is needed.

It is just a starting point as no one can predict how it'll go on the day.

It's basically a set of preferences

Pain relief -water/gas and air/epidural etc
Who will be there -partner/mother/best friend
Delayed cord clamping
Does dad want to cut cord
The injection to speed up placenta delivery yes/no
Vit k injection for baby
Any major preferences from you such as you don't know the sex and you'd like to look yourself rather than be told.

Ps both my babies didn't give the midwife any chance to read the plan!

Oh ok! So I'm not really to bothered. Guess I'd like to give birth in the hospital and my mum as a birthing partner. Maybe some pain relief. How many people are you aloud in the room with you when your giving birth. I deffo want my mum there. I would love to have my boyfriend there but if it's abit to overwhelming for him that's ok too I understand. Along as I have my mum lol I'm only 19 so my mum is my angel atm haha

You can have two- so you could have them both.
I didn’t really bother with a birthing plan other than I wanted to deliver in the Midwife Led Unit. I wasn’t anti having an epidural if it came to that.
The only thing I wrote was “NO WATER BIRTH” because I’m funny about water temperature...DD was born in the pool! So, I guess my advice is don’t be to set in what you want and just go with it!

It might be a good idea to find out what options there are for you. You should have a choice between midwife lead or obstetrician lead and hospital or home birth depending on if you have any health conditions.

You would also have some say in your pain management options, but there are some which you can't have at home and some which you'd need a Doctor present so would Need to be in hospital (like an epidural).

This is your time to have your say and to find out your options. It's also a good time to consider your back ups. For instance, some people wouldn't want pethidine no matter what pain they were in, but would be happy to have an epidural, whereas others would rather have the pethidine than the epidural.
It's a good idea to have a contingency though, because you might not cope with the pain the way you thought you would. You also might discover that you cannot have your intended pain method, because things have progressed more quickly for instance.

It's also worth considering at what point you would want to be induced or for what reasons, and whether you would want to
Try 1-2 sweeps, or multiple ones, or none. Although generally you don't have that much say because there are a maximum number of days that are safe to go over.

They will help you through, being flexible is really good, be guided by your body and needs. They will note your mums connection to you and boyfriends name and connection so everyone knows, I think you nominate your next of kin too in case if emergencies. She will talk through everything so you know what to expect and aren't scared. As you are young having your mum there is good, mine was far more use as a birthing partner than dh was!