Did you have a birth plan? Was it at all useful?

[aliceemma]

If you had a birth plan was it useful?
Did the hospital take any notice or did you get carried along on their advice?
What did you have on your plan that was useful?

I wrote a bit of an extreme birth plan (including a bullet point briefing for quick reference ) We did have a good giggle about it with the midwife after the birth. BUT it was useful, as there were a few things I wanted to have, if possible, that perhaps weren't standard. For example, I wanted a natural 3rd stage and got it - no way would I have remembered to tell them this before it was too late otherwise!

It was also good for DP to get a good understanding of things before we went in, so that if he had been asked to make any decisions he would have been able to do so knowing what my wishes would be.

I had a very good midwife for my birth, the one I had when I got to the labour suite was awful and I doubt even glanced at the birth plan, so i guess that helped. I think she understood what I had hoped for my birth, so even when I was crying and wouldnt move from the bed because I wanted to go home she could say the right things to encourage me, as she knew I had done my research, if that makes sense?!

This time I will make another one, albeit much shorter!

i had one, a very detailed one, redrafted several times hehe.

no-one at the hospital was remotely interested in reading it/hearing anything of what was in it. noone ever asked me what i wanted.

its only use was as an exercise in helping me decide what i wanted so i wasn't umming and ahhing and having to think when they said things like 'i'm going to break your waters now'

I wrote mine before we drove to hospital after my waters broke. Stuck it into my antenatal notes but not sure anyone ever has read it. That does not matter as it was completely useless - the birth went not according to the plan from the very beginning and I just found myself going with the flow...

I did however voice my preferences while in labour - when I look back they seem silly and funny at times (such as: 'I don't want to be put on a drip to re-start the contractions, I'd like to sleep a little instead' (said after ~ 24hrs in labour and 2 sleepless nights) or 'instead of spinal and instrumental delivery - could you put me to sleep (general anaesthesia) and go straight for C-section?).
With the hindsight I am glad my 'preferences' were gently dismissed as I was obviously too tired in the end to think straight!

I did. and no it wasnt useful. It was looked at briefly - my preference for no students was questioned and I was too overwhelmed so say anything other then 'well ok then its fine' (as it happened it was)
Then everything went pear shaped and plan completely out of the window.

Births 1 & 2 - yes, detailed, never looked at

Birth 3 - didn't bother, but was asked by MW at hosp if I'd written one! SAid no, only thing I want to mention is I want skin-to-skin ASAP after birth.

I ended up with an emergency CS under GA and the lovely LOVELY MW had just wrapped baby in a blanket until I came round, so I could have my skin-to-skin [sob]

I had a detailed birth plan for my home birth and the midwives were very impressed and grateful for it as they said it explained exactly what I wanted and it demonstrated that I'd given a lot of thought to my birth.

They followed almost to the letter (I wanted a natural 3rd stage but after an hour went for the injection so I could get stitched up and cleaned up and cuddle dd properly!)

I will do exactly the same again.

Never heard of one for ds1. Wrote one for ds2. No one even looked at it.
= WASTE OF TIME.