I'm writing my birth plan, anyone care to help?

[TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor]

I have some wonderful links that I have been given from other posters and have decided to start on my birth plan.

I'm kind of stuck on what to write WRT induction.

I am a VBA2Cer and just wondered what my options are if I go overdue.

anyone?

My birth plan is fairly simple - the overarching summary is that at the end of the day I want to give birth to a healthy happy baby - this is the most important thing.

Other than that I've stated I'm flexible about pain relief (i.e. will see how it goes), and I'd like to be kept informed of everything that's going on - I'm an intelligent human being, please treat me like one, even if I am effing and jeffing!

VS - Re: induction. On mine i've put that I don't want to be induced if possible. I've explained that I am willing to go in for regular monitoring if need be and as long as the baby is not in distress I don't want an induction.

I never saw the point of them myself unless you want to do something really bizarre like anoint the placenta with holy water on delivery or summat..
Who knows how it will all go?

whatever you do, do it in bullet points, not an essay

tbh I think it may be of limited use re induction - I always saw my birthplan as being there to make my wishes clear when I couldn't do it myself, so if I wasn't in labour it would stay in the bag till I was, iyswim...

hi have you seen this link? www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=article&r=true&o=28991 about induction.

I've done it. In bulletin points with a little bit in italic at the end explaining I dont expect it to be followed completely and that the ultimate goal is for baby to be delivered safely.

Re:induction, I've said I don't want to be induced unless there is a threat to my baby.

Moondog, I think I felt the need to do it, not just for me personally, but because with my 2 previous sections I didn't feel at all listened to or prepared, this way I know what I want, as do my birthing partners and my midwives.

Me23 thanks for the link.

wish you the best, well done for going for vbac2, hope it is everything you wish for

Have you got the tommys guide to being pregnant? It's got an example birth plan in that and it looks very reasonable. I read one on the internet that went on for about 3 pages, I kid you not. Tommy's guide is short and simple.

i can help, when the DCs are in bed
what you should aim for is a birth preference plan for

spontanoues labour

induction

and a c.s should it come to that
so you retain feelings of it being your birth

Some may disagree but don't bother. Be flexible, things don't always go to plan. My 1st turned out to be an undetected footling breech, and I gave birth naturally, no pain relief and at 36wks. My second is due in 1 1/2wks and is also a footling breech. But as now bigger than 1st have opted for a c-section due to the risks now being higher. I don't have a choice with the 2nd, but I didn't think I'd ever give birth without drugs and plenty of them. It's surprising how you and your body seem to cope.

i would agree and not bother with a birth plan, as long as you have a general idea what kind of birth you are after works well...eg what kind of pain relief, a natural 3rd stage or injection to help placenta out...i just went with the flow as at the end of the day i had no idea what labour felt like or how painful it was! as for being induced i went 16 days over due and still no sign of her! so i went in to be induced in the end as i held out as long as i could and felt i was maybe risking her health anylonger than this as the placenta may have deteriorated.

Sorry I agree with Smine...........you have to keep an open mind. I wrote a birth plan for the first ds and it all went to pot and then I did not bother with one for the second ds as that would of gone to pot too as I had an emergency c section! I feel that midwives will look and take notice of the points on birth plan but at end of the day you just want the baby delivered safely and so do they, so because it is a unique experience for everyone you just don't know what will happen to even begin to write one. Anyway that is just my opinion...GOOD LUCK with the impending birth x

You're on the right track writing a birth plan for a VBAC, there's quite a few things that you need to decide your approach to - I've just done mine (the third time I've used the same one, just revised for each birth) and i've always said that if i go over - I'll consider induction post 42 weeks as long as my bishop's score is very very favourable, otherwise I'll go straight to CS, given the evidence for not aggressively inducing VBACS. Other than that, I don't do timetables and will not go on the 1cm an hour pathway (decline 4 hrly VE's - if they don't know how dilated you are -the clock can't start ticking )
Mine have been planned homebirths (waiting for No3 at the mo, not long to go)so venflons and ctg's have never come into the picture - but again, no evidence they improve outcomes(can actually make a repeat CS more likely) so I'd respectfully decline if in hospital - other stuff, follow your lights and common sense

i disagree with that smine miarosemum and hunty, a very different thing to go for a vb after 2cs. (if i have read that jargontastic thingy in op right).

wish i'd had the nous to write a proper birth plan, as in what is likely to happen and what would my choice be in response to that. not ooh i would like a floaty birth with no pain but no pain relief either which was all i was led to do by the stupid waste of time preparation classes. but rather no you will not shove your arms up me to see why i'm not labour and if you put me on a drip i'll have an epidural thanks.

and i am pretty ignorant about this but ttlivs i thought induction after 2 cs an utter nono?

I do have an open mind, my birth plan covers all eventualities, but having suffered birth trauma with my first and then still not been happy with my second it's something I felt I needed to do, so no matter what way it goes, I have already thoguht aboutit iyswim.

fishie, the consultant is fine with it actually, I was really surprised, apparently the risks of rupture don't increase too much from 1 cs to 2 cs's, or even 3.

Tiny Tim, I'm not sure I'd bother either. I earnestly wrote my birth plan and took it with me to the hospital, made sure the midwife knew I had it, etc etc. In the end nothing went according to plan - had an emergency CS and was off my head on drugs and too confused to stick to any plan... No-one in the hospital seemed remotely interested, to be honest, and I had five different midwives tend to me during the labour.

But then that's just my experience.

Soprana, anotehr thing about my birth plan for me anyway, is that my dp and his mum are going to be my birthing partners. His mum will make sure that as much as they possibly can they stick to my birth plan, I think it's important to point out that I am not expecting a fluffy birth, but I do want some of my preferences adhered to.

that's interesting, perhaps it depends on how you scar and react to it?

i think you need some expert advice, lulu will be back i hope. (i can tell you what i'd put but that isn't helpful at all)

Your right TT and Fishie -no way should you be going for a VBA2C without having considered everything - We've even discussed what we would do if LO had to go to special care, what if baby was 'flat' what if I ended up with a CS under GA -as well as the wishes for labour - my labour stuff, is 'fluffy' but with good reason - I can't tolerate anything they'd give me at home, and if I was in hospital , I wouldn't have an epidural,because of issues with masking symtoms of rupture and because of problems with my back and pelvis. So my pain relief is being at home

TinyTim, fwiw, I think writing a birth plan for a VBA2C is an excellent idea, especially if you have suffered trauma from a previous birth.

The Birth Trauma Association has some tips for writing a birth plan, if that's any use to you.

Are there any specific things we can help you with? Re: induction, you have the option for expectant management and really they should not be considering inducing you anyway if you are VBA2C.

Thats the thing snaf, my consultant has said they are happy to induce with oxytocin? but that's it, and I wasn't sure how I go about refusing it. So farI think I just said that unless my baby is compromised I will not agree to induction or cs.

A written list of Birth Preferences which covers most options is VITAL for VBAC!

I've always liked this link from which these points refer to induction:

• Spontaneous commencement of labour.
• No induction - oxytocin/syntocinin/prostaglandins (misoprostol).
• Absolutely no prostoglandin gel, I have a previous caesarean scar.
• No induction or artificial augumentation to labour as I have had a caesarean section previously.
• If I am overdue, then I will not consent to induction unless my baby is compromised.
• If I am overdue, then I will have regular CTG to ensure baby is OK.
• If I am overdue, then I will have tests to ensure my placenta is working sufficiently.

Any of these, as well as the rest on that link can be picked and chosen from, depending on your Birth Preferences.

My motto: Just say 'no' to induction! (unless there are very good medical reasons!)

That's the one I used as a guide mainly KLAW, you gave me the link on the VBAC thread I think.