How do you write a birth plan for a planned c-section?

[Naisy]

Not that I want to rival Tolstoy! But what are things I should consider on a c-section birth plan?

My partner and I have our 36 week appointment on Thursday and have been told we'll discuss / decide the birth plan then.

I have only just heard about delayed cord clamping, but am not sure if you can have this with a c-section? Also are there things about my OH and his role we should be thinking about?

No idea where to start so any thoughts or experiences welcome!

I'm not sure but in same boat - interested to see what people say! :) Bumping!

Well I guess it's all the things where you have an option...

Do you want to be told the sex or find out yourself if you don't already know.

Do you want to hold the baby for a few secs first or just have them whip it away for the rub down/ checks and then given back to you.

Do u want skin to skin?

Do u want to hold baby first or your partner?

Do u want to try to BF in recovery or wait til you are on the ward.

Stuff like that I guess.

Good luck with it all.

Bumping, as I am also due a planned section and wondering about delayed cord clamping? Anyone know?

For your birth plan OP, normally you would just specify things like whether you want to be told the sex of the baby or find out yourselves, whether or not to have the baby cleaned, who your birth partner will be, whether you want the vit k injection done, how you plan to feed the baby, stuff like that.

It depends on whether you think it's important. I didn't have one.
I'd already signed the Vit K consent and knew the sex.
They brought my son round to me and touched him to my cheek before taking him for checks (although I didn't remember this at the time, husband told me later).
They asked me how I was feeding him after we were settled in the room.
Husband got told where to stand and what to do by the anaesthetist and midwife! :o
I wasn't bothered about any other details.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1554640-How-do-you-write-a-birth-plan-for-a-planned-c-sectionTheres a thread on childbirth covering this too! Mines pretty detailed but its my second baby and I'm fairly determined that somethings will be MY way this time! You can ask for lots of things, the NCT has a 'cut and paste' birthplam for c-sections which is very useful.

I had a c-sec after 18 hours of labour. I was stuck at 5 cm for more than 9 hours and even the synthetic drip didnt help. So i had the team of doctors come in to the delivery suite to explain what was happening. It was a no panic situation in my case. I was fine and so was the baby and his heart beat. But then no progress meant they had to go another way.

I had my birth plan written out and while i was on the delivery suite, the mid wives did look at it and discussed it with me. Discussed as in just cross checked and made sure what i wanted. I also had delayed cord clamping in my options. But once it was decided that i had to have a c sec, i dont think anyone looked at the birth plan. The midwives were present in the OT but were not involved in what was happening during the operation. I guess once they cut you up, they will have to consider a lot of things like making sure your blood loss is minimum, the placenta is completely removed and the uterus cleaned etc. So delayed cord clamping might be an overhead with all this. After all however routine it may be, it is a major abdominal surgery.

I was no longer in a frame of mind where i could ask for it. And they didnt do it. Somehow after the long labour and then going for an operation, i was no longer mentally very active. I would say let your partner know exactly what you want and let him be your voice. Because you never know how you will be feeling at that time. Even if its not possible, it wouldnt hurt to remind them.

Also, i could not have held the baby on my own. Thats just because i was lying flat and right from under my chest was the screen. So in my case, they showed us the baby and took him for the basic checks. Within a minute he was back. I gave him a kiss and he was handed over to my husband. My husband was there all the while clicking snaps while he was being checked and weighed.

CONTD.
I was moved to recovery with my baby straight after they were done sewing me up. I fed him in recovery within 45 mins of his birth. The recovery is very much like the post natal ward with curtains dividing the room. So there is no issue with feeding in recovery if privacy is your concern. My husband was with me here too and helped me with the first feed.

Anything else you would like to know? Though i have detailed it so much, i may have missed something you ladies are looking for.

Saw consultant today (last appt pre-CS) and asked do I need to do a birthplan. He said, "Your birthplan is ELCS." He was actually quite funny :o Don't think he's a great fan of birthplans as he said some women get very upset and disappointed with not getting the birth they want when all the med staff want is a healthy mum and healthy baby at the end of it all.

He's probably a bit of a dinosaur in some ways but I like him :)

I'm really not convinced you need one! We just talked to the people doing it and asked for anything we felt strongly about ie music as we took a cd. There are not many variables really and can all be covered in a conversation. It was a really good experience we found. Good luck!