Birth Plan?

amyworrell · July 2014

Hello All, I hardly post on here, but wanted your opinion on my birth plan. This is #3 for me, and because of my last rodeo, I'm much more educated about what I want for my birth. Still, I'm trying not to be a "frigid b***h that the nurses will cop an attitude with" as my DH puts it lol

So, thoughts?

ATTENDANTS
I'd like the following people to be present during labor and/or birth:

AMENITIES
I'd like to listen to music and take pictures and/or video during labor and delivery. Please keep it light-hearted, we have great sense of humors!

HOSPITAL ADMISSION & PROCEDURES
Once I'm admitted, I'd like my partner to be allowed to stay with me at all times;

to eat if I wish to;
to try to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids instead of having an IV; or,
to have a heparin or saline lock if required;
to walk and move around as I choose using the following labor props if available as needed: Birth Ball, Shower, Birthing Stool/Chair, Squatting Bar

OTHER INTERVENTIONS
As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I'd like to:

have intermittent rather than continuous electronic fetal monitoring
be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary

PAIN RELIEF

Please don't offer me pain medication. With my previous birth, my epidural failed due to scar tissue from my first child. I do not wish to even attempt an epidural so I can continue to be mobile and find positions more comfortable to labor in. My last birth was very traumatic and I'm looking forward to a more natural, healing birth this time around. Thanks so much!

PUSHING
I would like to push when I feel the urge to and in whatever position feels the most effective at the time.

VAGINAL BIRTH
After birth, I'd like:

to hold my baby right away, putting off any procedures that aren't urgent;
to breastfeed as soon as possible;
to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it's clamped and cut ;
my partner to cut the umbilical cord

I plan to breastfeed exclusively. Please do not offer my baby formula, sugar water, or a pacifier

conradraging · July 2014

lissydee said:

Bliss+Berry said:

amyworrell said:

HOSPITAL ADMISSION & PROCEDURES
Once I'm admitted, I'd like my partner to be allowed to stay with me at all times;
to eat if I wish to;
to try to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids instead of having an IV; or,
to have a heparin or saline lock if required;
to walk and move around as I choose using the following labor props if available as needed: Birth Ball, Shower, Birthing Stool/Chair, Squatting Bar

You might want to check your hospital's policies on eating/drinking and the IV, if its their policy, they aren't going to change it for you or make exceptions. Other than that, unless I missed something, it doesn't seem too unreasonable.

policy isnt scripture. She has the right to refuse any and all routine practices if she wants. She likely need to sign a declination form though, stating she understands the risks of refusing.

Bliss didn't suggest that OP can't refuse any practices. What she said (and its 100% correct) is that some hospitals have a policy that you cannot eat/drink once you are in labor.

IF they have those policies, they aren't going to change them just because somebody wants to eat freely.

But OP, if your hospital doesn't have that policy and is okay with it, i don't see anything wrong with your birth plan.

amyworrell · July 2014

Thanks all! I did have my personal info blacked out on my PDF but when I copied/pasted it I didn't see it didn't transfer....THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

KittyMisha · July 2014

On the subject of eating while in labor, what will the hospital do if they have a policy against it but you do it anyway? Yes, this is a serious question.

usernewname · July 2014

Who wants to eat anyway? I didn't. I just drank water coke and gatorade?). The first contractions maDe me feel like I was going to be sick.

Although the egg sandwich I had after was delightful.

But OP all your plans are similar to what mine were. But a hospital may or may not accept your plan depending. Have you also told your ob all this and they understand your requests?

ecarey123 · July 2014

The only suggestion I have for your birth plan is to take out the words "please don't offer me.." in both spots becuase it sounds just a tiny bit rude. Can't they offer you the options and you can just decline? I am having my first child in 8 weeks though, so I have never been through this before! Just was my first thought when reading your plan. Best of luck to you!

amyworrell · July 2014

They kinda pushed it on me last time and I think I would have been fine without it if they didn't make it seem like I had three heads by not wanting meds. I ended up feeling pressured and getting the epi and I wish I hadn't. It was a miserable, traumatic birth. I'm hoping this one is much better!

amyworrell · July 2014

I emailed my doc the plan on Friday and she said "sounds great" lol but the doc is such a separate animal from the nurses in L&D, it'll really depend on the nurses you have working with you. Your doc is pretty much only there to catch (at least for me)

brooklynesque · July 2014

ecarey123 said:
The only suggestion I have for your birth plan is to take out the words "please don't offer me.." in both spots becuase it sounds just a tiny bit rude. Can't they offer you the options and you can just decline? I am having my first child in 8 weeks though, so I have never been through this before! Just was my first thought when reading your plan. Best of luck to you!

That's a totally normal thing to have in a birth plan if you're going natural, FYI. My hospital has a standardized birth plan where you can check off your preferences and it's even in there. The nurses will have seen that language many times before.

allrightmeow · July 2014

Please please keep in mind that even the best birth plans don't always work out. Be ready to adjust if you have to and don't stress trying to follow it to the letter.

With DD my labor took forever at the birth center and I dilated really really slowly. I ended up at the hospital with an Epi and placed on Pip. She had a fever at birth and ended up in the NICU for 10 days. They gave her bottles but I was able to transition to breast when I got her home.

With DS I planned on playing music and my DH had lavender lotion to help me relax. I was going to go pain med free. I had message balls, the whole nine yards. We ended up not even opening the bag with all that stuff in it. Apparently DS was very ready to meet us. Labor was almost 4 hours long from water breaking to birth. I almost made it without the epi but it was very very early in the morning and I was running on zero sleep since silly me was up at 2 flippin 30 in the am just "finishing a few tasks".

Good luck!

KittyMisha · July 2014

ecarey123 said:
The only suggestion I have for your birth plan is to take out the words "please don't offer me.." in both spots becuase it sounds just a tiny bit rude. Can't they offer you the options and you can just decline? I am having my first child in 8 weeks though, so I have never been through this before! Just was my first thought when reading your plan. Best of luck to you!

From experience, there is a HUGE difference between refusing pain meds when they are offered and never having to hear about them at all. Just because you have planned to go med free does not mean you're going to be able to hold out when someone is waving them under your nose. Also, some nurses can be really persistent about suggesting interventions, and when you're laboring and in pain and emotionally vulnerable it gets hard to turn down recommendations from someone who seems to know what they're talking about, even with the best of intentions.

I am also asking that no one mention meds to me during labor, and that applies to both hospital staff and family members. My DH will also be reminding new nurses and visitors of my preference. I know what options are available and can request something if I decide it's necessary.

babynurse08 · August 2014

There are a few things in there that suggest you may be better served in a birthing center with midwives than a L&D in a hospital....such as eating in labor, no IV, and intermittent monitoring....plus it is good to have a back up plan......lots of women enter with birthing plans and a birthing ball and wind up a stat c section

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