What are you putting in your birth plan?

[makeitabetterplace]

I'm 29 weeks and starting to think about the birth plan. It's my first and I really haven't got much idea what to put or even if there is much point putting anything.

Currently I'm thinking that I'd like to have a water birth if possible, I would like gas and air and an epidural if I can't cope . Not keen on pethidine or any drug that will mess with my head.

I will have a doula with me and will be trying to do the hypnobirthing I've been practising - do I need to mention that?

I don't want to be induced and would rather have a caesarean (please don't make this post about this, I've done my research and I'm adamant on this if I am allowed a choice.)

I didn't want forceps or ventouse but presumably I don't get any say on this?

Delayed cord clamping sounds sensible and I want the baby on me as soon as she comes out.

Is there anything else I should be thinking of? Is any of this pointless even saying? I'm very aware that I don't know what will happen and the midwives and doctors know more than me and will do what they need to do. I'm just not sure what should be said.

What are you doing?

I didn't bother writing one first time round, and doubt I'll bother this time either. I don't view giving birth as an "experience" and just want the baby to come out as safely as possible (for both of us!)

Totally what Harrowgreen said. You'll be more than capable of saying what you want and if you aren't something's gone wrong and they'll be doing whatever they need to to keep you both safe, totally regardless of what's on your plan!

I wrote a bullet point plan for my first. It only had 6 points on it, only one of which I got (skin to skin immediately after birth), not a single other point was considered (water birth, active labour, delayed cord clamping) Got none of it and I think that was part of what made the experience more traumatic.

Needless to say won't bother writing one this time! Though I love the idea of writing 'just look after my bits' in big letters across the page, I might steal that!!!

Never had one first time round (baby came before I'd written one)

Second time round I think mine will say:

1 - If labour starts naturally and baby is right way up I will use gas and air/pool if available, but if induced and/or baby is back to back I want an epidural

2 - Please don't talk to me during contractions more than you need to

3 - If baby gets stuck at crowning please do an episiotomy

4 - No high forceps (c section instead) unless baby's life/health in danger

Who knows if it will be followed...

We did one last time but didn't take it too seriously. Then we got to the delivery room and the lovely midwife asked for mine. I ummed and ahhed and we sort of just rattled off what I wanted:

Water birth (didn't get because Id needed induced)
Minimal monitoring (DDs heart rate shot up in initial monitoring so that went out the window)
Forceps over vontouse (I'm of the understanding that if the baby is at the stage of needing this, you're too late for a c section as its already in the birth canal)
Gas and air only (got)
Tell me before all internals (midwife was shocked at this as it was a given to her but I'd read horror stories here...)
Delayed cord clamping (got)
Immediate skin to skin (got)
Help with initial breastfeeding (got)

This time id have a similar plan but the overall goal is to 'get baby out safe'. Anything else I'm okay with.

Not to give birth on my back and don't let me die from blood loss -both these happened last time!

I honestly don't think you can really have a plan as you just don't know what's going to happen!

(Obv I didn't die but nearly!)

It's worth checking out that where you plan to give birth can accommodate your birth plan, for instance in the hospitals around here you can only have a water birth on a midwife lead unit and you can't have an epidural on a midwife lead unit.

Also my local hospital stopped using forceps and allowing the father to cut the cord.

I don't just make a point of writing it down I make it clear to any midwife or Dr approaching me You will not touch any part of my body or do any procedure without my expressed permission. You don't not have presumed consent.

I'm so glad I found this thread, I wasn't sure what to put in my plan and this has helped. For example, I'm happy to have students observing/examining. And I have an unusual one - I want to make sure my husband has permission to read my notes/ECG as he knows a lot about delivery rooms. Can I say that I prefer ventouse to forceps? Or are they used in different scenarios? Is there any benefit to delaying washing the bay - is it good for it to retain the vernix for an hour or two?

I really disagree with those saying that you'll be in enough control to say what you want unless things have gone badly wrong. I can get very flustered around medical staff and forget what I want to say or just struggle to say it. For that reason my preferences will be written down, but I'm sensible enough to know that it might not go to plan.

dayspring I think ventouse and forceps are most effective at different times in the baby's journey - do you know about the "Twist" that they do to go from face to one side to face down? I think the forceps can assist the paediatrician in turning the baby, whereas Ventouse just gives a straight Pull. IANAD though :)
(www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/ventouse-forceps-delivery.aspx#close)
Washing - at the antenatal courses I've been on, delaying washing until day 2 has been suggested as a way to help the baby's skin adapt to the open air (vernix is an excellent moisturiser - it's stopped it getting all wrinkly after 9 months in liquid).

I agree with coastergirl. You never know how the pain will be or how the labour will progress. At the very least I'd want to have discussed a plan with my partner who can make decisions on my behalf and then communicate this as early as possible to my midwife.

Thirding coastergirl and weeblueberry. Especially is you are hypnobirthing, you might not want to come out of your mindful meditation to voice preferences in the event of a changeover etc. I think the key is to approach it as best-case preferences (as stated above) and ensure the birthing partner(s) understands and is on board with everything, and knows where the hard copy is.

Another here agreeing with coaster.

I had a very straight forward labour. No problems or complications at all. But once I started using the pethidine and G+A I was so out of it I could barely stay awake between contractions. I was making little to no sense whilst talking and spent the majority of my labour in my own little world. According to DP I was babbling complete nonsense.

I was in no way capable of expressing my own wishes.