Birth plan for second pregnancy

[Hoonette]

Does anyone have any tips for writing a birth plan second time around?

(Do the midwives even read them, or are they just a way of making us think we have any say in how our labours go?! Sorry, too cynical...)

I don't want to write a list of all the things that went wrong with the first birth, but at the same time I'd like the midwives to be informed of some it. But it all ends up seeming really negative.

For instance: Do not deliver me on my back just because this makes your life easier. Especially if I am begging you to help me give birth in any other position. You will give me SPD and condemn me to months of pain.

See, I just can't get the tone right...

My midwife read my plan I'm sure but I also made DH get on top of it so that he could execute / make decisions on my behalf. Definitely worth it from that point of view.
I had a sentence at the very top of my plan to say that I trusted them all implicitly and that I was very grateful in advance for all their experience and support and sorry that I wouldn't be able to express that to them at the time..... (just to excuse the tone of the rest of the plan)

If it was me, I would bullet point in very short sentences to make it easier for them to read and for e.g, say 'I do not want to labour on my back under any circumstances'; I wish any examinations to be conducted while I'm standing or on all fours (you can always change your mind at the time if you're happy to flip on to your back for the 2 mins it takes).....

At the end of my 1st plan, I had a short bullet pointed paragraph at the bottom called 'My Concerns' and the midwife definitely referred to that during the labour.

I did a one-sheet of A4 birth plan with 3 columns - one of "yes" things (e.g. keeping mobile, TENS, birthing pool, vit k), one column of "maybe- but rather not" - Gas & Air and one column of "no" (lying on my back, pethidine, everyone talking at once)

kept all bullet points and lots of pretty colours so easy to read. No idea if it would have been useful as labour was so quick we never opened my labour bag until after DS was born! mind you I did get everything I wanted including delivering on all fours - the MW even did a VE with me on all fours - so it is possible

good luck

I written birth plans, as much to help me get my thoughts straight and let DP know what I wanted to happen.

I think if you take it from a positive stand-point it will help.

"I am confident in my ability to give birth. I would like to move around, I would like to give birth upright etc etc.

Last time this happened, this time I would like to do it this way "

"In an idea world this is what I want And if not, then I want to do X,Y,Z".

Best case scenario: they follow it to the letter, worst case - they don't read it.

It will also act as a point of reference for your birthing partner, who can relay the information to the MWs if you are too busy licking the walls.

As long as they know that where it says "I'll have a wiff of gas and air please" and you are screaming for "a f*ing epidural NOW", you get what you want. What you really, really want!

Thanks, that's really helpful. Especially like the My Concerns idea because then I can keep the rest of it practical rather than rambling.

Will hunt out the coloured pens!

Yes, midwives do read them and take them seriously. But less is more: the more prescriptive they become, the more chances of disappointment. Just put things you feel strongly about.

Most things are:

Free to roam around
Labour or birth in water
Monitoring
Suggest lots of positions please
Syntometrine yes or no
Vitamin K yes or no
Partner cuts cord

Mine just said under no circumstances give me an episiotomy.

Here's a good site you just do a few clicks and you are ready to go.
pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/baby/Birth-plan-creator-241.htm

I had a look, MKG, but I think it's possibly more suitable to an American birth?

A lot of the things wouldn't perhaps be relevant to an English midwife-led unit

But it's definitely given me some things think about.

As the midwifes thought it was amusing to read and laugh at my birth plan whilst I was in hospital (as everything went so wrong )

I am not bothering with one this time, if I am forced into hospital at least I can avoid that crap.

I have done a little table for mine, it is only one sheet. There is one section for "enviromnent and birth", "monitoring and augmentation of labour, "pain relief", "episiotomies, C section etc", "post birth" and "special circumstances". I have put bullet points in each box. I have talked DH through it and will do so with IMW too. DH plans to actually hang it one the door so that everybody coming in can see it and abide by it

I have done a little table for mine, it is only one sheet. There is one section for "enviromnent and birth", "monitoring and augmentation of labour, "pain relief", "episiotomies, C section etc", "post birth" and "special circumstances". I have put bullet points in each box. I have talked DH through it and will do so with IMW too. DH plans to actually hang it one the door so that everybody coming in can see it and abide by it