I've read online that you should have a written birthing plan. Does anyone know what this is & why you need it? I read somewhere about someone mentioning it in the context of having it so that the nurses wouldn't just tell you what to do.
I'm pretty sure you can download one off of the bump, but from my experience WASTE OF TIME! Basically it is just a written paper expressing your wishes as far as medication/not, c-sec/vag, if you want birthing balls etc in the room, if you want an episiotomy or to tear natural, who to call in emergency.... most things that if they are really a big concern of yours you would have already expressed to your doctor. Also, IMO child birth can be planned as much as you want, but anything can happen -- so what's the point of trying to control it. Hope this helps.
A birth plan is more like an outline of your preferences and choices for labor, birth and postpartum. You won't necessarily do/have everything on your plan, but it is a starting point so that everyone is on the same page as far as what you hope to have/avoid during birth.
Many people like having one in their file, and while that can be nice it is much more important to discuss your wishes/preferences directly with your care provider prenatally, and your nurse and the on-call care provider during your labor and birth.
A tip I like to give people is to not make their birth plan like a list of demands (that's not going to get you anywhere), but a discussion of your preferences during a normal labor and birth and maybe also a section of preferences in the event of an unanticipated emergency.
DS1 6/07
DS2 (born at home) 7/09
DD1 (born at home) 1/12
Re: Birthing Plan?
A birth plan is more like an outline of your preferences and choices for labor, birth and postpartum. You won't necessarily do/have everything on your plan, but it is a starting point so that everyone is on the same page as far as what you hope to have/avoid during birth.
Many people like having one in their file, and while that can be nice it is much more important to discuss your wishes/preferences directly with your care provider prenatally, and your nurse and the on-call care provider during your labor and birth.
A tip I like to give people is to not make their birth plan like a list of demands (that's not going to get you anywhere), but a discussion of your preferences during a normal labor and birth and maybe also a section of preferences in the event of an unanticipated emergency.
DS2 (born at home) 7/09
DD1 (born at home) 1/12