Is a birth plan necessary? My thoughts :)

kikijbunny

Hey gals,

I saw someone comment in my update thread about how my birth experience reassures that a birth plan maybe isn't necessary, and while obviously things worked out pretty well for us, I wanted to add my two cents. Okay, maybe five cents (sorry this got long)!

It's true we never got a chance to go over our birth plan with our doctor, per se.  We had a draft of it in our bags, but a moment never presented itself such that we brought it out for discussion (and, come to think of it, no one asked us if we had one).  But, I think the fact that my husband and I spent some time thinking about what we wanted and writing it out (even if not finalized) helped us immensely in navigating all of the twists and turns we were faced with in our situation. 

Not much went according to plan (how could there be a plan when I was going into labor 6 weeks early??), but there were a few things that we at least tried to advocate for.  Example, they did not break my water when they first wanted to because I knew it was something I wasn't keen on.  Instead, through discussion we negotiated a compromise, they gave me time to see how gradual increases of pitocin would work.  And then, when my water didn't break naturally after several hours, we all agreed it was time to go.

One reason I wish we HAD had a chance to present our birth plan was surrounding cord clamping.  We really wanted to delay cord clamping if we could.  I had talked this over with my OBs and they had said that even in an early delivery we could see how the baby delivers and if there's not a crisis I could still get skin-to-skin contact and delayed clamping.  Well, none of my OBs were the ones on call over the weekend so I was delivered by one of their backups.  She never asked about the birth plan, and in the heat of things my husband and I forgot and then baby was delivered.  My husband told me that it wasn't until after they had clamped down on the cord that someone asked if my husband wanted to cut it.  By then it was too late to tell them to unclamp.  

In the end, obviously, our main goal was to get my baby into the world safely, and having accomplished that I'd say our birth experience was a success.  But there were still things that we wish had happened differently, and I wonder if they would have gone better had we had a chance to discuss our plan with the doctors who actually worked with us. 

So maybe you don't have to have a birth plan written out, but it certainly helps to have thought through what you want (and if there's stuff that matters a lot to you, be sure to tell the right people)!

Anyway, just thought I'd share... good luck everyone!

mcwhittaker

I'm sure a birth plan isn't necessary... but I agree it's good to have.

I gave mine to my OB's office 2 weeks ago, but they didn't even go over it with me. They did say it was pretty clear and easy to read.

I have a copy packed in my suitcase so we don't forget it in the mad rush to the hospital.

It's actually a pretty simple plan and it includes other important information such as current medication list, the date of my last Rhogam shot, OB's name, Peri's name, so on and so forth.

 Most of what I wanted is already hospital policy, so the whole thing is only about 3/4 of a page in it's entirety.

Plus i gave it this really spiffy layout/design with Microsoft Publisher so it would catch the eye of whoever was actually reading my chart LOL

Pearly609

I think having a plan is a good idea, I mean, this is you and your DH or SO's child being delivered; you do have a say in some things and being able to feel that you have some control over things helps.  SO would like to be as involved as possible in the birth.  He really wants me to have a home birth but understands why I don't.  So I would like to make this as much as an experience he see's as what I would like to see.  We're going over the birth plan tomorrow at the doctor's with the understanding that we have to also expect the unexpected.

stever

I agree. I didn't have a written birth plan, but the fact that DH and had discussed my preferences beforehand, and that the OB who delivered DS was MY OB and knew what kind of birth we were shooting for, made all the difference.

It meant that the only person crowing for me to get an epi was my dad - and we sent him out for coffee anyway

kikijbunny

stever:

I agree. I didn't have a written birth plan, but the fact that DH and had discussed my preferences beforehand, and that the OB who delivered DS was MY OB and knew what kind of birth we were shooting for, made all the difference.

It meant that the only person crowing for me to get an epi was my dad - and we sent him out for coffee anyway

I delivered at a hospital with something like a 95% epidural rate, and it was something I really didn't want to do.  DH mitigated for me, and in retrospect felt they really pressured me to get the epi when I was blindsided by the pain after they broke my water (it's great he was there because there's so much I don't remember about how it all went down)... I'm just glad there was no time because I might have given in.  I have to give them credit though... talks of the epi stopped the moment I told them (TMI alert) I felt I had to poop... err I mean push, lol.  They at least wanted to see if pushing would be effective and found I was fully dilated.

mcwhittaker

kikijbunny:

stever:

I agree. I didn't have a written birth plan, but the fact that DH and had discussed my preferences beforehand, and that the OB who delivered DS was MY OB and knew what kind of birth we were shooting for, made all the difference.

It meant that the only person crowing for me to get an epi was my dad - and we sent him out for coffee anyway

I delivered at a hospital with something like a 95% epidural rate, and it was something I really didn't want to do.  DH mitigated for me, and in retrospect felt they really pressured me to get the epi when I was blindsided by the pain after they broke my water (it's great he was there because there's so much I don't remember about how it all went down)... I'm just glad there was no time because I might have given in.  I have to give them credit though... talks of the epi stopped the moment I told them (TMI alert) I felt I had to poop... err I mean push, lol.  They at least wanted to see if pushing would be effective and found I was fully dilated.

Miss thing you are totally scaring the crap out of me. My biggest freaking fear now is that I won't be able to get my epidural because it will happen so fast.

I'm going to be one of those "walks into Labor and Delivery and says EPIDURAL NOW PLZ KK THX!!"

My other fear is that it will happen while hubby is at work and in the hour and a half it will take him to get to the hospital it will be too late..

 

bridgeybride

mcwhittaker:

kikijbunny:

stever:

I agree. I didn't have a written birth plan, but the fact that DH and had discussed my preferences beforehand, and that the OB who delivered DS was MY OB and knew what kind of birth we were shooting for, made all the difference.

It meant that the only person crowing for me to get an epi was my dad - and we sent him out for coffee anyway

I delivered at a hospital with something like a 95% epidural rate, and it was something I really didn't want to do.  DH mitigated for me, and in retrospect felt they really pressured me to get the epi when I was blindsided by the pain after they broke my water (it's great he was there because there's so much I don't remember about how it all went down)... I'm just glad there was no time because I might have given in.  I have to give them credit though... talks of the epi stopped the moment I told them (TMI alert) I felt I had to poop... err I mean push, lol.  They at least wanted to see if pushing would be effective and found I was fully dilated.

Miss thing you are totally scaring the crap out of me. My biggest freaking fear now is that I won't be able to get my epidural because it will happen so fast.

I'm going to be one of those "walks into Labor and Delivery and says EPIDURAL NOW PLZ KK THX!!"

My other fear is that it will happen while hubby is at work and in the hour and a half it will take him to get to the hospital it will be too late..

 

LOL!!!  They will give it to you.  I'm curious.. why don't people want epidurals?  I can't imagine putting myself through the pain or wanting to feel it.  I was able to push fine with the epi. 

The only lucky part of my L&D with my daughter was that my water broke at home at 2am, got to hospital 3:30am, waited till 7am minor tightness, no major contractions.. got pitocin at 8am, and then felt contractions for maybe 45 mins.. then got the epi at 9am.  My problem was that it popped out the wall twice!  Baby was born just before 3pm and numbness stopped.. So when I had alot of damage from delivery,.. the OB had to start stitching without it.. then I got an epi block.. which was like a C section and I had to wait in recovery and didn't get to see baby until 10pm.

McWhittaker.. your hubby won't miss it...it usually takes a person about 12 hours of all stages of labor for their first baby.. (I think it is the average.. and I was exactly that!).... you'll be okay.

kikijbunny

I pretty much just didn't want the extra drugs in my system. 

bridgeybride

kikijbunny:

I pretty much just didn't want the extra drugs in my system. 

Oh.. 

stever

bridgeybride:

kikijbunny:

I pretty much just didn't want the extra drugs in my system. 

Oh.. 

I'd love to say I went natural because of the drugs, health of the baby etc, but honestly it's because I'm squeamish and the thought of an epi freaked me out.

kikijbunny

stever:

bridgeybride:

kikijbunny:

I pretty much just didn't want the extra drugs in my system. 

Oh.. 

I'd love to say I went natural because of the drugs, health of the baby etc, but honestly it's because I'm squeamish and the thought of an epi freaked me out.

Heh, yeah I'll admit I am squeamish too... I was more anxious about having to go through the epidural procedure than about having to face the pain of contractions.  And then the potential for spinal headaches and a sluggish baby at birth just didn't seem worth it to me.  No lie, though, if my labor had lasted longer I might have ended up with an epi, but I think I would have been upset with myself if I had.

Punter2009

I had a birthplan as well and nothing went to plan. I wanted drug free labour in my plan. But as things started to go wrong i was wanting an epi. The OB booked it for me and I still never got it......Oh i wish I had.....Ill stop there I think. I am damn proud of myself though for doing it all on my own.

The birth plan is good though like others have said to get it straight in your mind what you do and dont want - all things going well.

I absolutely trust my OB 100% and his encouragement during the birth was priceless. Thats the main thing I think It made all the difference to my experience.

Mrs_M

Thanks kiki for your insight (and other ladies). We had a birth plan with DD, and our MD skipped reviewed it with us. Everything worked in our favor. Now we have a new hospital and the MD said don't write a birth plan. That scares me a bit because I want it my way. Anyhow still writing it for my DH, even though he knows what my wishes are, VBAC (hopefully) and I'll take an epi.

kristennd

Six weeks early wouldn't have done us any good, but I've been really impressed with how our hospital handles birth plans. At 34 weeks, my OB's office told me to schedule a tour and birth plan with the actual L&D Dept at the hospital. You sit down with one of the L&D nurses -- the people who will actually be there for most of it, unlike your doctor -- and go over all the general intake information like medical history and insurance and emergency contacts and then there was a 3-page checklist version of a birth plan that also goes in the file. It took over two hours because they went into lots of detail about their standard procedures and alternatives and such. That was reassuring. And you're actually sitting in one of the birthing/recovery rooms to do all this instead of just an office, so that was another neat opportunity.

kikijbunny

kristennd:

Six weeks early wouldn't have done us any good, but I've been really impressed with how our hospital handles birth plans. At 34 weeks, my OB's office told me to schedule a tour and birth plan with the actual L&D Dept at the hospital. You sit down with one of the L&D nurses -- the people who will actually be there for most of it, unlike your doctor -- and go over all the general intake information like medical history and insurance and emergency contacts and then there was a 3-page checklist version of a birth plan that also goes in the file. It took over two hours because they went into lots of detail about their standard procedures and alternatives and such. That was reassuring. And you're actually sitting in one of the birthing/recovery rooms to do all this instead of just an office, so that was another neat opportunity.

Heh, yeah, the irony of my situation was that my OB told me that at my 35 week appointment we would go over my birth plan.  I only made it to my 33 week appointment!  Turned out I didn't deliver with any of my doctors anyway, which was a bummer, because I had discussed stuff with them peace meal over the previous weeks so they at least had an idea of what I was interested in.

But your doctor/hospital set up sounds great kristennd!

mcwhittaker

That's the one thing I love about my hospital/doctor most... I have a 12 doctor OB practice, I've seen all 12 of them over the duration of my pregnancy.. and one of them is guaranteed to be on site at the hospital when I deliver. They are there 24x7

It seemed kind of silly to me to have an OB yet that not be the doctor that actually delivers your baby.

It was definitely one of the biggest decision points when I was trying to decide on Florida Hospital versus Winnie Palmer.  

fabfive

didn't have a birth plan with our twins...nothing went according to plan with that pregnancy and i trusted my dr to do what was best for them during delivery.  i was practically screaming for an epi!!!

we won't have a birth plan this time either. 

SFAug07

Our provider does a birth plan template for everybody and it was helpful. My birth went almost exactly as planned - only thing was we almost didn't get the epi in as I progressed so fast that by the time they got to it, I was already at 9 cm. My husband told them to hurry to get the epi now and I am really glad they did. Bliss.