Making a birth plan

[NicciLovesSundays]

For those of you who made a birth plan - when does this happen? Did you do this on your own/in a group/with your midwife?

Im doing the Getting Ready for Baby programme - 6 weeks of combined antenatal checks and group sessions with community midwives and I dont think there is anything specific on the topic list about creating the plan.

I done my plan with my MW during a home visit during one of my last appointments, maybe 36 weeks.

I sort of did it on my own and ran it past my midwife. I knew I wanted a water birth, I knew I wanted music and I knew who I wanted to be there.
It never panned out that way unfortunately but hey, the best laid plans and all that

My birth plan was: Get dd out safely without causing me too much pain/injury.

I wanted to avoid intervention (forceps/csection) but at the end of the day dd was more important and if it was deemed necessary I didn’t want to be hindered by a birth plan.

Babies don’t read your birth plan, and have their own ideas. Of course you can write preferences etc, but don’t get hooked on an idea of a certain birth. Go with the flow and what your body and baby are doing.

I never got the chance to do one with my midwife, but had discussed general preferences with DH and a few things I definitely did/didn't want. There's a template somewhere on the NHS website with things you might want to consider. Most important advice is to remember it's not set in stone!

My birth plan was: Get DD (darling daughter) out safely without causing me too much pain/injury.

Think we could all be happy with that @MustardScreams

Im pretty flexible about it all as I know often things need to change depending on the individual circumstances at the time.

I did mine with CMW but the MW at the hospital asked me lots of questions about what I wanted when I was in labour too, so don't worry about it too much unless you have very specific feelings about what you want.

I was offered a water birth, asked if I wanted pain relief, etc - All of which id specified I didn't want, but it's nice to know the options were there if I'd changed my mind

With DS1 my midwife did mine with me around 34 weeks?

DS2 wasn't mentioned and I didn't bother.

I think if you look online you can find a lot of birth plan help and ideas

I did mine myself at home.

My midwife told me and my husband just to do it together without her. We did it around 32 weeks

I downloaded the NHS template (at the bottom of the page, here - www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/how-to-make-birth-plan/) and filled it in, will go through with my midwife closer to the time.

I agree with PPs comments about not getting your heart set on how your birth is going to go, but it cant hurt to outline your preferences... even "obvious" things like skin to skin, delayed cord clamping are worth including, but also things you may not have thought of like “ECG dots on mum’s back” in the case of surgery, so you can still have the baby on your chest afterwards. “Drip in left hand” if you’re right handed. “Delay measuring and weighing.” “Dimly lit first hour.” “No chatting.” “Do not wash baby.” and even “Skin to skin with dad if not possible with mum.” for worst case scenarios.

Hope this helps!

I’m using these this time
www.pinterandmartin.com/vbp

I have a plan A, every is perfect and plan C is my c section plan. Plan B will depends on what happens.

Mine currently reads:

All the drugs including epidural
Managed 3rd stage
Vitamin K injection
Skin to skin

We are discussing them in the NCT classes and midwife will look at it in an appointment, but I don't expect it to change much! I need to go through it with DH though to make sure he is on board to advocate.

My birth plan will involve a c-section in a private hospital. I’ve spoken to too many people with vaginal injuries and incontinence. I’m not too push to push - I’m too tight to push.

I was also present at a very traumatic birth a few years ago where it was very dangerous and a lot of blood loss.

I had a friend lose a child in childbirth because the midwives encouraged a natural birth and then the baby was deprived of oxygen in the birth canal.

I’m not going through that.

I’ll have the surgery and recovery period and not leave the house for a few months while my scar heals.

There’s no way in hell I’m going to risk a fistula or a lifetime of incontinence pushing my baby out.

@PugPupsMum

I like the no chatting.

At the birth I was present for the midwife and the nurse were very unprofessional with their gossiping and chatting at between 2 to 5am. Another nurse also kept walking in to check on progress which was none of her business. She was just bored and wanted to see what was going on.

I very rapidly grew tired of all the “it’s a miracle” comments and excused myself as I had a board meeting in a few hours. My friend told the nurses I was autistic because they commented my behaviour was bizarre.

I’m not autistic, I found their behaviour incredibly unprofessional including a number of lazy things they did during the birth that they were publicly reprimanded by the obstetrician.

This was at a private hospital as well.

@Meccacos
You don't need to be housebound!
Everyone I know that had a planned section was pretty much back to normal well within a month. And certainly able to leave the house after a few days (just not driving themselves)

I'm likely to end up with a section and certainly don't plan to spend months in the house, I should be back to mucking out horses within 6 weeks. You don't have to go private either - they can be requested on the NHS too.

It is major surgery but not that major that you become unable to move (unless it goes wrong).

I think it's helpful to think of them as preferences rather than a "plan".

The Positive Birth Company has some really helpful stuff, and recommends putting your preferences for a range of scenarios. E.g., my first choice is a pool at the birth centre, but if I need to be transferred for a section then I still want skin to skin and delayed cord clamping if possible, and if I'm very ill/unconscious I want the baby to have skin to skin with my DH if possible, etc.

Even really simple things like where you want to give birth (home, birth centre, hospital) and who you will have with you count as good things to write down.

I also found the NHS templates really helpful - they had questions I hadn't thought about at all, like if you'll allow students in the room.

Also important to remember that you don't have to be examined every time they offer - it's completely up to you when and if you have an internal exam (e.g. you can say you'll only have one if you request it yourself, for example).

My midwife said there are lots of ways for them to judge progress, including just observing you, so you don't need to be disturbed.

My midwife will discuss birth plan with me next week when I'll be 36 weeks :)

@Meccacos The comments in your first post have really frightened and upset me. You should consider what you're writing before you post about things like that in a pregnancy thread. It wasn't even an answer to the OP's question about birth plans.

Thanks a lot!