? from 2nd Tri, re: birth plans

mom2binKC · September 2009

I am interested in the opinions over here, from women who have already been through it. On 2nd Tri, there was a discussion about the need for a birth plan, but it was pretty much all from first-time moms-to-be. Having been through it once, I see no need for a birth plan, because I know the standard practices of my OB and at the hospital where I'll deliver. Pretty much everything I would ask for is already standard practice. But I realize not every hospital's and OB's standard practices are in line with everyone person's preferences.

So, just out of curiosity, did you have a written birth plan? Were you glad you did, or did you find it unnecessary? Do you feel you would have a written birth plan for future deliveries?

katlizabeth · September 2009

I had one and was glad I did. I don't think that it changed much of what happened at the hospital, but it really prepared my husband and I for what was going to happen and any decisions we'd have to make.

dmogmo · September 2009

I didn't have one and honestly I think they are silly.

leslielou22 · September 2009

I think it depends on how big your hospital is. I'm from a small town and was the only patient giving birth in the maternity ward for 3 days. The nurses and doctors checked in on me and asked me my what I wanted all the time. If you are delivering at a bigger hospital that will be busier, it would probably be a good idea to have one just in case.

HockeyWife4Life · September 2009

I wrote out my birth preferences. Although I didn't print them out and give them to the nursing staff, it was nice to have them fresh in my head. I was able to think about things ahead of time which helped when I was actually in labor. Everything went pretty much according to my preferences.

mommy411 · September 2009

Nope never had time for it. My midwife already knew I wanted to go natural. When I went in preterm labor they tried to keep LO in as long as possible. However Ella couldn't wait.

MizMac · September 2009

We wrote one out as part of our Bradley Class, and I'm glad we did because I think it really helped my husband better understand decisions we might have to face at the hospital. That being said, we didn't bring it with us because like the OP said, everything that we wanted was standard practice with our midwives, so bringing it would have been redundant. I think if we had delivered in a different hospital with an OB practice instead of midwives I would have been happy to have the written plan, though.

monlyn9 · September 2009

I didn't have a written plan but I had discussed with my husband my desire to deliver without an epi. I had not discussed it with my doctor as there was no guarantee that he would be doing my delivery (turned out to be a different doctor from his group that was on call at the time). I also knew that questions about specific wishes would be asked by the nurses upon admission to the hospital. It turned out that since I delivered 22 minutes after arriving at the hospital, it didn't matter anyway.

water-fairy · September 2009

I didn't have one and didn't want one. My doctor and I were on the same page about 'playing it by ear'. I am totally satisfied with how things went.

borc0080 · September 2009

I didn't have a written birth plan. It's probably good that I didn't. I had to be induced due to pre-e, so literally none of my labor went according to the ideas I had in mind. The one thing that was important to me was to not have an epidural. I just made that clear to my doctor when she admitted me, and she was very supportive.

amp9089 · September 2009

Did not have one, didn't find it necessary for us. DH, doc, and I talked about what we wanted to happen but nothing written.

JCM · September 2009

I didn't have one and didn't need one. My OB was the one that delivered DD and I knew he would be ahead of time since he went into solo practice half way through my pregnancy. I also took a one day preparation for child birth class the hospital offered so I knew their standard procedures were exactly what I wanted.

heidismith · September 2009

I didnt have one and the only thing I knew for sure that I wanted was an epi!! haha

MattysGirl81 · September 2009

I didn't have one and didn't miss it. Maybe if I had a lot of specific things I wanted/didn't want it would have mattered, but I pretty much went with the flow.

Blackvelvet · September 2009

I had a plan and it was very helpful. I wanted to go natural no drugs, no IV's nothing my hospital doesn't usually have people do this. I wanted minimal monitoring, and to beable to walk. My hospital has lots of policies that I had to have waivers for so the plan was good so they could have the paperwork ready when I arrived.

jonsdeedee · September 2009

my birth plan was a vaginal birth with an epi and to breast feed immediately. I got the epi, before I was even in labor thanks to a plummeting platelet count, and ended up with a c-section and not even trying to bf for 4 days due to a magnesium drip.

Yeah, talk to your doctor about what you would like but be flexible during the actual event.

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? from 2nd Tri, re: birth plans

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