Birth plans - how much detail did you put in yours?

[T0rt0ise]

So I've just filled in the NHS birth plan document so I can print it out and put it in my orange book. It seems pretty comprehensive just through completing the tick boxes but is there any details I should be adding to the comment boxes?
Taa
T0rt0ise

just realised how appalling the English in that post was, apologies!

When I did mine, I just added extra info if it wasn't covered or there was something I felt needed clarification from the tick box

I wrote a 4 page birth plan that got left in my suitcase. Not a single person looked at it and despite being briefed on it my mum and DH promptly forgot the lot. I ended up giving birth in exactly the way the plan said I didn’t want and at the end of the day the baby arrived safely although I had unforeseen complications that would have actually been more complex if I’d had the water birth like I had originally planned.

If I had the chance to write mine again, I would have just written a list of 5 things I would like to happen and 5 things I would like to avoid and leave it at that.

Only if you want to go into specific details. E.g. your birth partner's name/s and their relationship to you, or what aromatherapy oils you like. If you're happy with the generic outline, then that's more than fine.

I just put about the vitamin K injection, cutting of the cord and the injection for delivery of the placenta as I felt those were the only things likely to be in my control. No one looked at mine either, but I found it useful writing it to be honest as it made me learn a bit more about things. I went in open minded though.

Mine got left in my suitcase. Not a single person looked at it or asked for it. It was more for DH to know my wishes in case I wasn’t able to communicate them myself.

I didnt even fill mine out. I was asked at every key stage what my preferences were anyway so didnt really need one!

Delayed cord clamping
Yes to vitamin k
Absolutely no instrumental delivery in theatre unless baby is stuck, straight to section

I never wrote one, it had literally no affect on the birth as I was asked about what i wanted to happen at every key moment during the labour. In my experience they either dont look at them or the plan makes you more stressed as its unlikely to go as you had desired. If you've filled it in then you're doing better than me.

Same as some of the previous posters - I never bothered as always just consented you things as and when plus you're never know how you're going to feel eg I assumed I'd want skin to skin immediately but I didn't at all when it came to it.

Just remember it’s your preferred birth plan and sometimes baby doesn’t want to go along with it. Also, make sure you understand it, a friend of mine didn’t really understand the point of an episiotomy so requested not to have one, and then she tore quite badly.

I had one in my folder but I've no idea if it was even looked at by the midwives. I had complications and ended up having the birth I didn't want (but by that time I didn't care) so it was irrelevant anyway.

It's about thinking what is important to you and what you don't mind ditching. Have plan A, plan B, plan C.

E.g. in an ideal world you want a lovely calm pool birth with physiological 3rd stage, partner to cut cord and you too find out the sex.

In an emergency what do you want to keep? Do you want them to leave the cord long so your partner can trim it or does that not matter?

If baby needs resus do you want them to tell you the sex or still wait until you can see baby yourself and find out?

It isn't about keeping it all perfect, nor is it about over thinking what could go wrong, it is about thinking how your most important wishes can be respected.

Keep it simple as suggested. My birth plan was:

No pethidine (has a bad reaction previously)
Epidural if I asked for one
Managed placenta delivery
Baby to be passed for a cuddle if appropriate even if I ended up in theatre

My birth plan was looked at & adhered too. The midwife noted I didn’t want pethidine, I was given an epidural upon asking for one & when I did end up with forceps in theatre, baby was passed immediately too me for a cuddle before being whisked off for checks I had no complaints!

I wrote something about my diabetes care.
Epidural.
Want to hold her as soon as born

The shorter it is, the more chance you have that they read it. Just keep it very short and simple, just the most important stuff.

It's good to think about the common things like pain relief, who you want there, and the usual things they'll ask you like whether you want immediate skin-to-skin, who's to cut the cord, do you want baby to have the vit K injection, do you want the injection to deliver the placenta. If you've written it down, great, but they'll probably ask you again anyway. If there's anything you definitely DO/DON'T want, make that clear and make sure your birth partner knows. Don't get too into the nitty gritty as too many ideals only means more potential for disappointment.

I didn't bother writing one for DS2, but had discussed potential scenarios with DH and with the midwife as things went along.

Mine just simply said yes to delayed cord clamping, yes to vitamin k Injection and injection to speed up the delivery of the placenta.

No to pethadine and no to forceps (section instead) and that was it.

I was happy to go with the flow on other pain relief. I didn't want to get my hopes up and over insist then be disappointed when it didn't happen. Thankfully I managed to get onto MLU and it all went way better thank I expected.