Share your birth plan!

vrj0522 · July 2014

I had a birth plan for DS that literally took me like 10 hours to put together because I did a ton of research and that just took quite a while. I now have a birth plan ready to go for this baby... mostly taken from DS' birth plan with a few adjustments (like taking out that we wanted baby circumcised). It would have been great back then to see a variety of birth plans all in the same place to help in building mine. So thinking of all those FTMs out there who still have a birth plan to prepare (and STMs who didn't have a birth plan then but want one this time around), please share your birth plan if you have one ready to go!

I know some people have shared theirs but it'd be nice to have them all in the same place for others to get some ideas of what they want to include in their own plan.

vrj0522 · July 2014

I just did the hospital tour this morning and took DS' birth plan with me to ask some questions (are liquids allowed during labor? How does the nursery work? Does baby room-in? Can DH stay during the night? When do lactation consultants come? Can I walk around during labor?) and these helped with taking some of the stuff out of my plan and leaving some stuff in to further discuss with OB before completely finalizing.

Here is what I have so far for this baby:

Patient's Name:		Due Date:
Husband's Name:		OB:

	Hospital environment:
1	I request that my husband xxx and my mother xxx be present during my labor and delivery
2	I would like to use the following birthing equipment: birthing ball, birthing tub, squatting bar

	Labor:
1	We are attempting to have a natural birth so please only offer pain medications if I ask for them; if I choose to use them my preference is an epidural

2	I prefer to have no episiotomy; to help prevent tearing please use perineal massage and encourage me to breathe properly for slower crowning


	The Delivery:
1	Please tell me when to push
2	We would like the practitioner to catch the baby and be the one to cut the umbilical cord
3	Delayed Cord Clamping: Please wait for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it is clamped
4	Please delay all essential routine procedures on our baby until after the bonding and breastfeeding period,
	including bathing, administration of eye ointment, and administration of vitamin K

	Cesarean:
1	If a C-Section is not an emergency, please give my husband and me time alone to discuss before asking for
	our written consent
2	If possible, please discuss anesthesia options with me
3	I prefer to have a hand free to touch the baby
4	I would like the baby to be shown to me immediately after the birth and contact with her ASAP in the delivery room

	Recovery (Cesarean):
1	If baby is healthy, I would like to hold her and nurse her immediately in recovery and will sign necessary waivers
2	Please discuss with me what I can expect to feel following the procedure and my post-op medication options

	Newborn Procedures:
1	If our baby's health is in jeopardy, I would like my husband to go with the baby
2	Please immunize the baby according to normal procedures
3	We would like to have a set of footprints stamped into our baby book when footprints are done
4	Our baby is to be exclusively breastfed; please do not offer her any of the following without our consent: formula, artificial nipples, pacifiers, sugar water

mamamurphy · July 2014

Go to hospita... Have a baby. No really... Whatever is the safest best way for mama and baby works for me.

noellemari · July 2014

Have a baby. The end.

Healthy mom, healthy baby, happy dad. That's all I wanted with each of my deliveries.

Justabean3 · July 2014

Birth plan:

Have baby safely

I'm not being sarcastic either I literally don't care about anything except get him out the best, safest way possible with the least amount of complications...

savicke2009 · July 2014

My plan is and always has been to have no plan. The only thing I would like to avoid is induction which I was able to do with #2 so im not concerned about it being an issue this time either. Otherwise, I'm down for having a healthy baby, healthy mom and the easiest possible path from point a to point b

Emerald27 · July 2014

So I went to google docs to copy/paste my birth plan from DS (which I was planning to change somewhat but wasn't going to worry about for now), and it looks like I deleted it!! Back to square one.

Emerald27 · July 2014

@vrj0522‌ One thing I remember my birth plan had (at the top) was that I am Rh- and was GroupB Strep +. If you're either of those, they're worth noting (as is your blood type!) for easy and accurate reference for your labor team.

JJsMum · July 2014

Mine is pretty damn simple. Above all, have a healthy baby and a healthy momma.

IF things go well, I want to be allowed to labour in whatever safe manner I choose (tub, birthing ball, walking, etc.).

I will probably end up with a heploc (sp?) because my veins are notoriously horrible and they prefer to have them set just in case. I'm hypoglycemic, so my blood sugar levels can crash (happened with my first).

If I want drugs, I will ASK for them, please don't offer them (this was an issue with my first).

We would like immediate skin to skin and delayed cord cutting (standard at my hospital), includes delayed immunizations (about 30 min at my chosen hospital).

Baby will be BF so please don't offer formula or pacifier.

That's what we went in with for DS#2, but most of it is actually standard procedure for the hospital we've chosen, which I love!

Emerald27 · July 2014

keelyd said:

Emerald27 said:

So I went to google docs to copy/paste my birth plan from DS (which I was planning to change somewhat but wasn't going to worry about for now), and it looks like I deleted it!! Back to square one.

@Emerald27 -- if it was in google docs, you should be able to go back to the document and click where it says "Last edit was made ... X date." That will open up a side bar that allows you to view (and restore) any previous versions.

------------------------------
Thank you!! I'll try that when I can get to a computer. I just looked in the drive app on my phone and didn't see it!

Maybe I can find and restore it, though.

MrsL2B · July 2014

I don't have anything written out yet, as I still need to have a conversation with the OB and find out what will be and will not be an option for me at my hospital as a diabetic mother. For example, I need to find out if constant fetal monitoring will be something I can avoid, because that sounds miserable; I'd much prefer to be able to get up and move around at will. Thankfully I already do know (from their website) that they have some good baby-friendly policies in place, although they are not certified as such.

2goingon3 · July 2014

My birthing plan is more a short list of "don't wants"...mainly induction and Demerol. I absolutely would like to avoid induction as much as possible (obvs with the health if baby in mind) and the only pain control I want this time around is the gas, I 100% am against Demerol because it did absolutely nothing for me and relaxed DD to the point that she didn't breathe immediately and scored a 1 on her apgar. That also led to her needing to be incubated with oxygen for the first 3 hours, to regulate her levels, and we ended up having to stay in hospital for an additional night.

The natural start to labour (after a membrane sweep) and gas for pain control were how I did it with DS and it was a much much more positive experience than with DD, and I'd be happy to recreate that.

miriamm08 · July 2014

In so glad someone did this thread! I'm a FTM and I knew I wanted a birth plan, but honestly didn't know where to start. Obviously my main goal is to have a healthy baby and healthy mommy, but I also want to have as positive a birth experiance as possible. I feel like I have a great OB and the hospital we have chosen is really great, so I think the birth plan is really for me and DH to feel a little more like we know what to expect. Thanks ladies!

vrj0522 · July 2014

erawka said:

@vrj0522‌ I think your plan is awesome! I haven't written mind yet but I have been brainstorming. I might borrow a bit from you if you don't mind. I do plan to have an epidural, but I will be adding a note about how much fluids I want to receive (as little as is necessary to stabilize BP), and where I would like the IV placed (I have a history of not so great veins and I HATE having an IV in the crook of my elbow, so painful). Our hospital does all of your above newborn procedures 1 hour after delivery in the newborn nursery which is awesome. I also want to begin mine with something along the lines of "the following are simply my preferences and ultimately I trust the expertise of the medical and nursing teams." It's probably not necessary but I feel like it might set a good tone.

Please feel free to take what would be helpful! That's why I think sharing birth plans can be helpful, because you can see what others have and it might spark ideas that you had not thought of before.

@Emerald27 - Oh no! I hope you can recover your plan!

jesslinnn · July 2014

Only DH and Dr/nurses in the room

Preferably med-free

Do whatever they have to do to get baby out safely. (I've had 2 VERY EASY deliveries with little/no intervention, so I'm hoping this time is the same)

Baby on my chest immediately

DH cuts cord

Breastfeed ASAP

No visitors for at least an hour

I don't write anything down. Pretty much everything on my "list" is what the hospital does automatically, which makes it easy (part if the reason I use this hospital). I've had 2 awesome birthing/recovery experiences there. I'm excited to do it again!

vrj0522 · July 2014

theresat858 said:

I already posted mine from my last birth, but a few changes this time around:

If I am being induced, I want meds to help me sleep the night of the cervidil.
If I am being induced (and baby needs to come out for medical reasons anyway), I would prefer my water broken ASAP after pit is started to get things moving. (my body did not respond well to pit - they couldn't turn up the level bc contrax were on top of each other but not productive. basically nothing happened for 5hrs until my doc broke my water last time).

Otherwise, same as before. "Don't offer me pain meds; I will ask". Etc.

Why didn't they break your water first, before the pitocin? Is that not standard procedure?

wildflower75 · July 2014

Ahhh memories...
Last year as a FTM I had about a page or two birth plan... and most of it went out the window...

I wanted a natural (no meds) birth (only give me epidural if I ask for it)
My Mom and Husband in the room coaching me
A medicine ball and the ability to walk around during labor
I had a play list of songs that were going to help calm me have a peaceful spirit in the room
I had pages of mantras for DH to read to me during contractions
Try to avoid Episiotomy
DH to stay with baby right after birth (if they needed to take baby to nursery or NICU or circumcision or for whatever reason)
Breastfeed and skin to skin immediately (and tell nurses ONLY breastfeed)
Baby to stay with me overnight!

Bottom line do whatever is necessary to get baby out healthy...

Well what ended up happening is that my water broke at 10 PM at night but I didn't go to the hospital until 10 AM the next day because I was in denial and not sure if it was incontinence... it was a slow trickle vs a "waterfall gush". When I got the hospital they confirmed that my water had broke and that I was only at 1cm... they gave me cervidil (plus I needed antibiotics because of the group B strep) and after hours of lying around somewhat uncomfortable they took the cervidil out because they baby's heart rate dropped. Then they started the pitocin and the contractions came swiftly and HARD! We used the music and the mantras and by this time it was 10 PM...12 hours at the hospital and I was still at 1cm! Since it was 24 hours since my water broke the doctor told me that I should prepare for a Csection in order to get the baby out safely since I wasn't progressing and as a last resort I got an epidural (one of the nurses said it sometimes helps you relax down there and could be a last resort for a vaginal birth) still no progress so my DD was born at 1:34 via c section... This is why I tell moms to have a plan but not be completely stuck to it...roll with the punches if you need a CS or something unexpected comes up just go with it as long as LO is healthy that is all that matters... do. not. freak. out!

I will have a repeat C section this time around and since it is with the same doctor and hospital I assume things will go as they did last time... except this time I will also be having a tubal ligation...and I will need to find out about visiting (my DH, mother and MIL were all able to come into the recovery room while I breastfed DD about 40 minutes after she was born, I hope they can this time too). I REALLY need a plan for DD and who will watch her etc more so than the delivery/ birth part! LOL

vrj0522 · July 2014

theresat858 said:

vrj0522 said:

theresat858 said:

I already posted mine from my last birth, but a few changes this time around:

If I am being induced, I want meds to help me sleep the night of the cervidil.
If I am being induced (and baby needs to come out for medical reasons anyway), I would prefer my water broken ASAP after pit is started to get things moving. (my body did not respond well to pit - they couldn't turn up the level bc contrax were on top of each other but not productive. basically nothing happened for 5hrs until my doc broke my water last time).

Otherwise, same as before. "Don't offer me pain meds; I will ask". Etc.

Why didn't they break your water first, before the pitocin? Is that not standard procedure?

No, it isn't, and it shouldn't be--- once your water is broken, you are on a definite clock - 24 hours... it can increase the risk of infection with each cervix check, and really is not the best intervention unless it is the only one that will work. Pit first and allowing the water to break on its own (which generally happens before delivery) is actually the better way to do things for most women. I'm just a special snowflake.

This is good to know! I really had no idea.

kristine1989 · July 2014

I'm planning a home birth

I'm not sure if I need a birth plan or not. This is something big and new but I'll be talking about it to my midwife on my next appointment.

Emerald27 · July 2014

kristine1989 said:
I'm planning a home birth I'm not sure if I need a birth plan or not. This is something big and new but I'll be talking about it to my midwife on my next appointment.

I would think a birth plan would be especially helpful for a home birth. You will need to research common hospital procedures and plan your wishes in the event that you do need/decide to be transported. It might also help in the planning of your home birth and what you want for baby postpartum.

kgrisham18 · July 2014

I'm glad I'm not the only one without a plan other than to have a healthy baby and stay healthy myself. I guess it's nice to have a plan but I just see plans going out the window, so I'll just go with the flow. Unless my doctor makes me, then I'll abide. But it is helpful seeing other people's plans.

nightowl1989 · July 2014

I'm not going with a full-up plan per se, but my doc wants to put some notes in my file so we're all on the same page if LO comes when she's not available and don't have to explain it to whoever is there, especially since I'm going natural to the best of my ability.

MsMacual · July 2014

mamamurphy said:

Go to hospita... Have a baby. No really... Whatever is the safest best way for mama and baby works for me.

Yes! This is my plan, too! I've been pretty honest with my midwives about my wishes for my L&D with this child and they are aware and on board. I learned with my first that there will be some unexpected things (both good and bad) and it was much easier to relax and go with the flow once we are at the hospital. I plan to labor at home as long as possible so I'm hopefully ready to push shortly after I arrive (did this with #1 and it was the best way to end up with a drug free birth b/c it was too late for an epi).

HappyCianci · July 2014

I don't have a birth plan, but I have high hopes for how my labor/delivery will proceed. I basically hope for a very similar experience to my son's birth.

Important points for me:

Natural, unmedicated labor and delivery
No episiotomy/allowed to tear naturally
Baby on my chest immediately after birth
Delayed cord clamping, and my partner gets to cut the cord
No bath, no formula, no pacifiers
Room-in with baby

One of the huge highlights of my son's birth happened when a nurse unexpectedly rolled in a mirror so my partner and I could watch him being born. It was completely, utterly miraculous, and SO motivating during the pushing stage. If possible, I'd love to watch my daughter being born, too.

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