How long is your birth plan?

[snowangels1]

Just wondering. I've just done my draft one to show mw and it's 2 A4 sides (so one piece of A4 paper). For me, this was quite an achievement to get it so short, but DH thinks it should be 1 A4 page max. Is mine overly long? It doesn't cover everything, just the stuff I want specifics done with (eg pain relief etc) as I'm happy for them to do what they feel is best in the areas I haven't mentioned. It's bullet pointed and divided by titles so is quite easy to follow/read. Will Mws take one look at 2 sides of A4 and sigh re: the length or is this completely average/normal?

I do have some specifics re: current complications/previous issues that I want to give leroy or mine would be like yours. :)

Mine was one and half side of A4, but I'd typed it on the computer and printed it out so the text was slightly bigger than handwritten writing.

I was very fortunate and both midwifes sat down with a cup of tea and read it thoroughly. They then asked for a copy to keep as an example birth plan to show during ante-natal classes they run!

I really don't think it matters how long it is, the main thing is that you feel satisfied that it's all down

Mine was 2 sides of A4, and I was very specific as to what I did and didn't want.

It didn't make it out of my bag in the end.

Oh I had a beautiful birth plan, about 1and 1/2 pages A4. Of course it all went tits up when my waters broke early, the midwife led unit washed their hands off me and I had to be induced. I was thinking about framing it and hanging it up in the toilet for comedy reading afterwards.
[ not traumatised by birth at all emoticon ]

Of course I'm not saying you shouldn't have a plan. I would try to make it one page A4, bullet points.My main midwife would have actually read my plan but I had a couple of others I'm fairly sure would have ignored it.Make it as easy for them as possible and make your DH read it until he can quote it backwards.

Interesting comments. I'm already thinking my birth plan might all be useless after seemingly now having late onset GD and getting a scary letter through the post today all about how chances are I will need insulin injections (and possibly other interventions I hadn't really planned for) during labour

Mine was 1800 words

Went unread btw

Get baby out safely.

Do not expect me to get onto the bed and lie on my back, I will squat thank you (don't write this one down though)

Do not bring forceps near me, send me for a CS.

Go home same day.

To be fair, birth plan for DC1 was 1 side of A4 and went completely unread. I think it?s worth putting the thought in though rather that turning up unprepared with how to deal with pain and the boredom if it takes a while.

Letter seems a scary way of telling you about injections etc...have you a MW appointment soon so you can put some fears to rest? I'm sure that part will all be fine.

one page front and back. Makes for boring reading but I don't want one of those stories where the doctor/midwife went ahead and did somethign to me with out asking and then tried to get permission after the fact.

i am very clear about whats on and what's not on

thanks elsie saw mw today (coincidence and luckily) who has stopped me freaking out about GD interventions.

Mine was 1 side of A4 with one sentence on each of the following:
birth partner / student midwives?
birthing pool
pain relief (in order of preference)
positions would like to try during labour
how would prefer baby to be monitored
which interventions I would be happy with if necessary
what I'd like to happen after birth (clean baby? hand to me?)
who to cut umbilical cord and when
happy to be injected for delivery of placenta?
Plans for feeding baby after birth
notes for putting on first nappy

Also put down that as I hadn't done this before I was happy to go with the midwife's advice. And under each heading I put my preferences in order... as you never know how it will go

At the minute mine is non existant. Don't know where I am cos its transverse, so they won't discuss options until 36 weeks (am 28 wks tommorrow). If its a normal delivery though, will be short and to the point. Don't want trainee's (v bad experiance), as much pain med as possible should I need it ;) would like hubby to cut the cord, happy with vit k and I would like to go home as soon as possible. I used to put as soon as 6 hours were up, but haven't managed under 2 days yet :(

Anything else they can consult me at the time. Just remember that they have to be flexible as some people write hard and fast rules then get hysterical if anything deviates and think they have failed.

bear in mind though that if they are busy as usually are ( I have rarely seen my mw in hospital apart from checks every so often until the end as the whole world are usually in the other rooms lol) That they will probably pay more attention to a short and to the point list than a very long list. Make the points by all means, just try and make them more specific x

I think it is worth writing one just so you work through how you might feel about things/choices you can make. It certainly helped me, DH and my midwife to know where I would like to be headed (and in my case there were specific issues with a previous traumatic birth which had to be addressed). If everything changes direction dramatically, then nothing is lost. Mine was two sides of A4 with bulleted points in sections and the very important points in bold.