Can I do a birth plan??

[HelenEmjay]

My birth plan went to hell with my first (as it sometimes does!) as i only wanted gas and air at most, and ended up with everything! - a really long labour followed by an emergency c-section! so i figured with my second who was born by elective c-section there wouldnt be any point in a birth plan, but i am due for my third section in about 2-3 weeks and have heard quite a few people who have made a birth plan even though they are having a c-section, should i bother doing one and if so what could you possibly write in it? is it possible to request things like the baby being put on your chest? - i cant imagine it is?? im a bit confused? xxxx

i think you can request it. speak to your midwife about it next time. i know of one women who lifted the baby from her womb when she has a c-section.

Ooh im not sure i could do that ! she sounds very brave! i dont see my midwife again i dont think (not sure why?) xxx

Crikey misdee!
Never understood the birthplan thing myself. How can you plan something when you don't know how it will unfold?

It's not a plan as in "this is how my birth will go", it's a plan as in "these are the things I would like to happen, should things be progressing normally, these are the things I would like to happen if there's an emergency, and if all hell breaks loose, please don't amputate my leg by mistake"

lol hunkermunker! i know pretty much whats going to happen, its an elective c-section, but its little things like lowering that little screen they put up a little so you can see them being born, and skin to skin contact afterwards??? just wandered if anyone else did a birth plan??? xxx

my friend is expecting in jan and has to have an elective section, but she is still doing a birth plan, she wants to be told the sex by her dh as opposed to the medical staff etc. they will still want to know what your wishes are after the section, ie how do you plan to feed baby etc.

HelenEmjay, definitely think about what you would like to happen - I've heard people request only necessary staff in the operating theatre for a c-section, for instance. And things like feeding afterwards - if you want to breastfeed, then put in your birthplan that you'd like help with the first feed, etc. And if you don't know the sex of the baby, perhaps you or DH or both would like to discover this without it being called out?

And which leg you'd like amputated in an emergency, things like that.

hee hee hee! i might have to sit and write one i think?? i suppose it would be nice for dp to tell me the sex of the baby and not the staff, as we dont know what we are having, hmmmmmm - i will have to think about this!