Birth plan, first timer - is this ok?!

[FloweryBoots]

Hi Guys. Anyone care to have a glance at my first stab at a birth plan and tell me what think? I had no idea where to start till I read a few others on here! This is our first kiddy and all being well the birth will be at the MLU.

Birth partner
Rob (husband)

I would like Rob to remain with me at all times. He will probably prefer to be at my head. If he doesn?t want to see what is going on with the birth itself please respect this, he is unlikely to regret this. Please remind him he will be a huge support just being there, even if he feels he is not actively doing anything.

Labour
I would like to be encouraged to keep mobile and active for as long as possible and to try different positions to help with pain. Please encourage me to be upright, kneeling or on all fours and to avoid lying down.

At a suitable stage I would like to use a birthing pool to help with pain and to give birth in the pool if possible. If the birthing pool slows labour please encourage me to be mobile again to keep things going.

I would prefer to avoid having my waters broken unless it is really necessary.

Pain relief
I am happy to try gas and air.

I would like to be encouraged to try to avoid pethidine for as long as possible but would like this to be available if I feel I need it or if I am getting very tired and look like having a long way still to go.

Monitoring
We would prefer not to have continuous internal monitoring unless there is a real need for it but will be guided by the midwife.

Birth
My intention is to give birth in the pool but I am keeping an open mind. I would prefer to be encouraged not to end up lying down if I am not in the pool.

After the birth
Please do not clamp the cord until it has stopped pulsing. This is very important to me.
Neither Rob nor I want to cut the cord ? please do this for us.

I would prefer to see if I can deliver the placenta naturally at first. Please suggest positions which may help if appropriate.

If the placenta is not delivered after 20 ? 30 minutes, or blood loss seems to be extensive please offer the injection.

I would like immediate skin to skin contact with our baby, I am happy for the baby to be passed to me without being cleaned first.

I would like to breast feed as soon as possible after the birth. Breast feeding is very important to me.

If for any reason our baby needs special attention after birth I would like to do all we can to breast feed, via expressing breast milk if necessary. I would like to avoid any formulae milk being given unless absolutely necessary and only by our consent.

We are happy for our baby to be given Vitamin K by injection.

Other
I would like to be able to go home as soon as possible after the birth assuming all is fine.

We are happy for students to be present.

Looks good . There are a few things that I felt weren't clear or thought you might want to consider:

• what do you mean by continuous internal monitoring? Are you talking about a foetal scalp clip? What do you think about CFM with a belt system? Would you accept CFM if it meant you had to stay still on a bed or would you rather have frequent intermittent monitoring with a hand held sonicaid? What questions would you want answered at the time CFM were recommended?

• what do you think about internal exams? Are you happy to have them whenever requested? Do you want them kept to a bare minimum? Do you want the reasoning for each one explained first? Are there some things you'll accept them for and others you wouldn't ("apparent lack of progress" and "4hours since the last so need to check dilation" would be respective examples of where my boundaries would lie).

• how much input are you happy for students to have? Are you happy for them to be present but not hands on? Are you happy for them to be taking a lead under supervision? If so, how much supervision? Or somewhere in between?

Hope that helps

Monitoring - often not available in MLUs

Internals - do you want, or only if medically necessary

Partner at head end - sorry, in an active mobile birth not really any such thing - its up to him to position himself were is appropriate.

My DD (DC1) and DS2 (DC3) were both delivered whilst I was upright and DH saw it all, no avoiding it (unless he shut his eyes!). With DS1 I was in the pool and he saw nothing.

re: cutting cord; With my DD and my DS2 the cord was cut so the baby could have external oxygen. With DD this was absolutely essential, she was not breathing and had apgar of 4 and needed resuc. With DS2 I don't think they should have cut it he was just a little blue with apgar of 8. They asked, I wasn't in state to respond and DH decided to leave it up to them as he didn't want to be responsible etc

The formula bit probably isn't necessary as they wouldn't even suggest it for at least 12-24 hours post birth.

Also recommend you rent a tens machine. You can use it at home and on the way to hospital.

I'd be a bit more specific about the students. Are you happy for one to come in and "catch" right at the end, or is a student's presence contingent upon them being present for a good chunk of the labour?

Do you want to find out the gender for yourself?

The monitoring stuff is a bit confusing like another poster said.