What's your birth plan?

[LaRagazzaInglese]

I'm not sure I totally understand this, as you can't really plan what will happen at birth, is it just notifying relevant hospital staff of your preferences?
Lots of people say it's important as you need to be in control as much as possible, some say that their birth plans totally went out the window!
So what sort of things can you write in a birth plan?

Im curious too!

I think it is mainly to give the staff and MW at hospital an idea of what you would like if things are normal. Of course, if there are complications then it is likely that what you planned is out of question as I don't think any of us plan on having complications!

They mainly want to know things like; pain releif: do you want epidurals or not at all. Does your partner want to cut the umbelical cord. Do you want to breastfeed as soon as your baby is out etc.

I haven't done mine yet but this is what I understand from my last meeting with MW.

Hope this helps :)

I'm pg with DC4. I have never written a birth plan.

My aim is to have a baby and both of us to stay as healthy as possible.

I'm under MLC and have found that they have pretty much left me to get on with it. I will be aiming to move about as much as possible, using a birthing ball if I want it, having gas and air.

If anything goes wrong I am willing a have a c/section.

I personally believe that birth is one of the situations that I can't control, (babies don't read your birth plan!) and although I am a huge control freak in other aspects of my life, birth is a time when I have to let go, as it would distress me more if things weren't going as I planned.

If you do want something written down I would keep it to general preferences rather than specific instructions.

My Birthing plan is to get the little man out asap!!!

I was by a nurse that to have a rough plan of the birth but not to plan and focus on it to much as when the plan does start to go out the window it can throw people, and they start to panic if everything isnt going the way they wanted! and it can make matters worse!

You should include things such as delivery positions, how you would like baby monitored during labour, pain relief and how you want to feed!

If you just google sample birth plans you will get an idea!

*(told) by a nurse

My birth plan which was followed to the letter without any prompting...

If available I would like to use the birthing pool for both labouring, and giving birth.
If birthing pool is not available then I would prefer one of the newer rooms, with a bath ? if it is
possible to transfer me to a birth pool at a later stage that would be appreciated J

General ethos:
I would like my birth to be as natural as possible with NO MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS,
unless directly required to save the life of myself or baby, or save either of us from injury.

As a first time mum, I would appreciate any advice or assistance you can give me in line with the
ethos above. Please discuss with myself and my partner any changes or interventions you feel are
necessary, and keep us fully informed throughout the process.

People present during birth:
I would like my partner to be present. I would rather not have students/other observers present.
However, I may feel less reserved on the day so feel free to ask!

NO internal examinations unless there is a particular medical reason. NICE guidelines state that
vaginal examinations should be ?offered?, not that they should be done. I have serious issues/
concerns around this sort of procedure and genuinely fear that the stress it would cause me would
adversely impact upon my labour. If other indications suggest that labour is proceeding normally
and safely, then I see no need to ascertain how dilated I am.

Pain relief: If labour proceeds normally please do not offer me pain relief with the exception of
Entinox.

I do not wish an actively managed third stage
I do not wish the cord to be clamped until it has stopped pulsing.
I plan to have a natural (physiological) third stage, and to allow the placenta to turn up in its own
time. Please do not administer any drugs unless you feel there is a real need. I would appreciate
your advice to help me deliver the placenta naturally.
Please do not pull on the cord or use fundal pressure unless there is a specific indication to do
so.

Post birth:
Please check baby for tongue tie and perform frenulotomy if required.

If there is a problem which requires me to be separated from baby after the birth I would like
my partner to accompany baby at all times.

A lot of my birth plan was similar to ItsAllGoingToBeFine 's, the natural third stage (except I gave up after an hour because I was too knackered!), letting the cord finish pulsing, not being offered pain relief but waiting for me to ask, avoiding epidural unless completely necessary.

I didn't write anything about internal examinations, I didn't think of it. I had to ask for internal examinations in the end!

I also put in that I wanted immediate skin-to-skin contact so that I could establish breastfeeding right away and that I wanted DH to tell me the sex of the baby.

Seeing as my last birth was a c-section and I may be able to deliver vaginally this time, my birth plan is this:

If it hurts give me drugs
If it still hurts give me more drugs
If I need extra help thats fine
If I need a c-section thats fine
If I need some more drugs can you please give me some more
If I need an epidural, don't delay
And finally
GET THE BABY OUT

:)

My birth plan reads:
Entonox
Anti-sickness jab
Leave cord to pulse before clamping
Natural third stage
Skin to skin and breastfeeding

That's it.

My birth plan read, go to hospital, have baby, come home

birthing pool if available.
i wish to use a tens amchine.
i hope not to use any other pain relief but will see how it goes.
skin to skin after birth to establish bf

Some of thse plans have been very helpful for me as a first timer. confusion around the pulsing cord before cutting?

My plan was to "not die".

As it turned out I had the exact opposite to what I'd planned - i.e., emcs, extended hospital stay vs. homebirth. We did both live however. :)

ursulabear: if you let the cord stop pulsing all of the blood in the cord goes into the baby, if you don't it doesn't.

My birth plan was very simple, had emergency c section the 1st time and was so disapointed that everything I had planned didn't work out that I didn't want high expectations this time...
I didn't write a birth plan, the midwife just asked me which drugs I like? would I like a bath? do I want to give the baby vit k? Wasn't asked about skin to skin (would have wanted to anyway) the midwife just tucked her down my gown anyway.