Do you typically go over a birth plan with the midwife before labour?

[ardenbird]

I had kind of imagined that at some point in these 30+ weeks I'd get to go through those empty birth-plan pages in my notes with my MW and have her explain all the choices and options and such. Yet I'm wondering if this is something I need to schedule special?

At my last appointment, which was with the hospital MW's as I was seeing the consultant, I asked when I'd do this, and they said in the early stages of your labour. I thought that was a bit late. I'd like time to google things and talk to people, etc., before deciding on whether I want things like Vitamin K or physiological third stage -- those being the things I know about, and I don't know what other things there might be! And what if labour progresses faster than expected and there isn't time?

But I don't want to just do it all on my own -- I'd like to get a MW's point of view. Someone I can ask what is standard practice where we are, and things like that.

I'm wondering if perhaps because I'm under shared care, I'm missing a typical pattern of interaction with the MW. I'm not even sure I'll get to see my community MW again before the birth -- weeks 28 and 32 were with the consultant and so are weeks 36 and 38, and they told me I need to see someone in week 34: my MW actually only meets every other week, and they happen to be my odd-numbered weeks, so the hospital MWs told me to see the GP instead as I needed to be seen every two weeks. (Before, when appts were 4 weeks apart, I'd go 3 or 5 weeks between and no one seemed to mind).

I'm wondering if I should schedule a MW appointment in week 35 in addition, just so that I can get to see her! But then I feel "greedy" and like I'm taking her time when I shouldn't be.

If all goes well, I will deliver in the MLU; the consultant is only on hand because I have a chronic condition no one knows how it will interact with labour -- so hopefully he won't be involved at all, despite how much I'm seeing him!

I did mine at 36 weeks, I had already clipped some notes onto the page so we discussed my choices. You may have to bring it up yourself though, as if you have nothing written in your notes and don't ask, she might assume you are going with the flow.

I filled in my birth plan section of my notes myself this time (dc2) and then asked the midwife about a few things I wasn't sure about. I did NCT antenatal classes first time around which helped me decide on my birth plan that time.

I have given birth 3 times (children are 6,5.and 17 months). Never written a birth plan and never been asked if I had one.

I don't remember being offered the opportunity. I did my "research" by attending NCT classes, reading the couple of pregnancy books I had, speaking to friends & reading on MN. I did a very brief birth plan which I went through with the MW when I went down to the delivery suite. No one had looked at it when I was on the ante natal ward (where I was for about 24 hours being induced before things really kicked off). The top bullet point of my birth plan was that I wanted to be kept informed & told of my options at all stages and I felt that the MW did do this. I'd done enough research, thought about it enough & discussed it with DP so felt that I was able to make an educated decision in the circumstances whenever one had to be made.
Whilst you could discuss it with your MW, that would only be her opinion and, personally, I'd prefer to get a range of views.

I guess I need to be more forceful about it then -- I suspect the community MW might have been more inclined to start a discussion when I brought it up, but the hospital MWs probably see the people when they come in in labour, so that's when it happens for them.

I guess it was things like I followed this link from another thread:
www.nhs.uk/Planners/pregnancycareplanner/Pages/BirthPlan.aspx

And it says things "Your midwife will be able to tell you what?s available." So I had hoped there was a time this could happen! I don't want to be all planning on a birthing pool and then find out we don't have any. I should think that info should be able to be gotten somehow.

I wonder if I should just bring notes and insist on talking about it with the hospital MWs or if I should make an extra appt with my community MW. If I'd known I wouldn't see her again after week 24 (well, 23), I'd have mentioned it then!

Does your hospital offer ante natal classes or a tour of the labour ward? They would probably be able to give you the necessary information and/or you'd be able to see for yourself. Do you know anyone who has given birth in the hospital you'll be going to? They'd be able to tell you about practical stuff like whether you should take your own pillows, towels, nappies etc.
Otherwise, have you checked out your hospital's website? That might give you some info. For example, mine says that there are something like 10 delivery rooms, 2 of which have a birthing pool.

I think you'd want to know what your options are before going into hospital. Depending on the area, your community MW might not know much about the individual hospital. Where I live, we have a choice of 4 hospitals. My community MW worked in one of them 10 years ago so has (presumably) out-of-date info about that one, gave birth in another so knows quite a lot about that one but has never visited the one I'm booked into, which surprised me. I only know this as I did ask her something practical about the hospital.

Ive been to the birth centre and asked all the practical questions like birth pools and snacks there to get an understanding of whats possible. Im seeing midwife next week at 36+5 for a double length appt to go ovee birth plan. Im expecting much of it will be me telling / uswriting what i know i want and possibly a few discussions on things we haven't thought of. I wasn't expecting it but am quite looking forward to it..

I'm at 38 weeks now n the issue has never been raised. Looked at a few templates online and researched what I was unsure of and stuck my own in the front of my notes. Tbh it's pointless even me going through it as I never see the same mw and chances are it'll be a different one at the birth too