We give a basic birth plan to all of our patients which they can fill out if they want. They can fill in as much or little as they want or add things as they feel. It isn't a guarantee that it is how things will go, but it does give an opportunity to explain typical procedures, options for pain management offered, care for baby after delivery, and feeding options. It brings up things people might not have thought to discuss, opens up dialogue between family and providers, gives an opportunity to discuss realistic expectations and contingency plans, and lets people discuss what they liked or didn't like about previous birth experiences. I have worked at other places where docs and nurses have rolled their eyes at birth plans and truthfully, some were eyeroll worthy. But it's not a bad idea to state the things truly important to you if you want.
I haven't taken the birth class offered by my hospital yet, and I'm not going to worry about a "plan" until after that. I'm kind of just winging this whole thing. I did read about "delayed" cord clamping which may or may not be the norm at my hospital, but I plan to ask because it seems recommended by professional medical organizations now. I also want to donate the cord blood. I also know that if possible I'd like an epidural, but what the heck is this pitocin y'all are talking about?
@DeansGirl14 pitocin is a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin. It's administered via IV to induce contractions and get labor started/progressed more quickly. Since it's a synthetic version and usually administered at a higher dose than what your body would produce, the contractions are notoriously more...intense.
@DeansGirl14 I'm not 100% sure but I don't think you can donate the cord blood if you do delayed cord clamping because all (or most) of the cord blood should be back with baby. Again I'm not 100% but you might want to double check. Also I know my hospital didn't have a cord blood donation when I asked about it.
@DeansGirl14 I have heard Prentice can be a bit 'Pitocin' happy. Being such a big birth place, they can get a bit pushy if things are moving too slowly. I am going to ask about it on my tour. I have heard so many good things about them I was surprised to hear this, so we'll see. am going to try and stay home as long as possible, so less potential for early intervention but, best laid plans-right.
TW: 1 infant loss 8/17: Our daughter was born 8/18: Our daughter kicked open heart surgery ass 2/19: We lost our son to Prader-Willi/Paradoxical Vocal Cord/ Noonans at 6wks old 4/26/2020: EDD for baby #3!!!
As a FTM, you should bring specific questions to your hospital tour. I know I don't need a BP because everything I want is routine at my hospital. Skin to skin for as long as I want immediately after, BFing, natural labor unless I ask for something else, movement during labor, no hookups if low risk, no bath for at least 12 hrs for baby etc. I would think about your preferences and discuss them at your tour. Also, depending on how your labor progresses you can be in your right mind to communicate with nurses regularly.
It it is also incredibly important to go over your desires with your support partner multiple times so they are well aware of your wishes!
I would just remind everyone that I think it's great to go on hospital tours but they are just like college tours. They are trying to sell you on having your baby there. So take everything they say with a grain of salt. If you can it's great to get info from someone that has delivered there or has experience somehow. And the baby business is incredibly competitive so don't let the big screen tv's and huge single rooms to be what sells you...somehow we are paying for those amenitys in the long run.
Choose your hospital on your own judgement and research of what you find important and not what "statistics" say or what channels they offer.
I would just remind everyone that I think it's great to go on hospital tours but they are just like college tours. They are trying to sell you on having your baby there. So take everything they say with a grain of salt. If you can it's great to get info from someone that has delivered there or has experience somehow. And the baby business is incredibly competitive so don't let the big screen tv's and huge single rooms to be what sells you...somehow we are paying for those amenitys in the long run.
Choose your hospital on your own judgement and research of what you find important and not what "statistics" say or what channels they offer
Stuck in box
I don't know if it's different in other areas, but I've heard several people say things like this and I'm confused. My doctor has rights at 2 hospitals. When she delivered my first, she was at a different practice and only had rights at 1. Of the 2 she has rights I at, I will go to the one closest to me. How do you get to pick?
I would just remind everyone that I think it's great to go on hospital tours but they are just like college tours. They are trying to sell you on having your baby there. So take everything they say with a grain of salt. If you can it's great to get info from someone that has delivered there or has experience somehow. And the baby business is incredibly competitive so don't let the big screen tv's and huge single rooms to be what sells you...somehow we are paying for those amenitys in the long run.
Choose your hospital on your own judgement and research of what you find important and not what "statistics" say or what channels they offer
Stuck in box
I don't know if it's different in other areas, but I've heard several people say things like this and I'm confused. My doctor has rights at 2 hospitals. When she delivered my first, she was at a different practice and only had rights at 1. Of the 2 she has rights I at, I will go to the one closest to me. How do you get to pick?
I agree, I didn't go on a tour to choose. I only had one choice. I went to learn what environment I would be bringing my child into. I asked specific questions and got specific answers. I have delivered two babies at this hospital so I know what they offer/don't offer. I guess in larger areas they may get the choice between several, but I don't have much insight on this.
@SouthernMama15@morgy_bee we have two hospitals here. One is a teaching hospital, one isn't. Each hospital has its own network of women's health providers, and then there's plenty of one-off/separate OB offices that aren't affiliated with either. If you're an OB with one of the hospitals, obvs you deliver there. Aside from that, all other docs have rights at the teaching hospital, and *almost* all have rights at the other hospital, unless they're OBs with the university health system specifically. So, basically anyone can deliver at the teaching hospital and most people can deliver at the other. I think most OBs have a preference, so it depends on what matters more to you: your OB (who might not deliver you when it's d-day) or the hospital you deliver at.
I too only felt like I had one choice. The providers I preferred worked with the one hospital. However, my MIL who works in the business, she's been in the nicu for 30+ years, explained to me how important it is for hospitals to remain competitive specifically with their newborn delivery and recovery rooms. She explains that lots of studies have been done that show that generally before people decide on a provider, they have an idea on where they want to deliver and USUALLY once they deliver a baby somewhere, they end up staying with that place because it's not worth the time and effort to switch everything all over. So tons of money and marketing is spent on getting people interested in their maternity services. She claims they don't really make much money off of labor and delivery, but the potential long term monetary gain by catching them as a long term customer is worth it. I don't work in the health care business...so this is just what I have heard from her.
I know that the hospital I delivered at for example remodeled right before we had DD. And since then (2 years) they've already gutted the whole thing and it's totally different. I couldn't even believe it. It was beautiful then, and now it's over the top in my opinion. I don't need a 70 in tv, desktop computer and mini fridge in my room. To me, that's just too much.
Re: Birth Plan
I did read about "delayed" cord clamping which may or may not be the norm at my hospital, but I plan to ask because it seems recommended by professional medical organizations now. I also want to donate the cord blood. I also know that if possible I'd like an epidural, but what the heck is this pitocin y'all are talking about?
Basically, it's a drug to induce labor.
Also I know my hospital didn't have a cord blood donation when I asked about it.
am going to try and stay home as long as possible, so less potential for early intervention but, best laid plans-right.
1 infant loss
8/17: Our daughter was born
8/18: Our daughter kicked open heart surgery ass
2/19: We lost our son to Prader-Willi/Paradoxical Vocal Cord/ Noonans at 6wks old
4/26/2020: EDD for baby #3!!!
It it is also incredibly important to go over your desires with your support partner multiple times so they are well aware of your wishes!
Choose your hospital on your own judgement and research of what you find important and not what "statistics" say or what channels they offer.
I know that the hospital I delivered at for example remodeled right before we had DD. And since then (2 years) they've already gutted the whole thing and it's totally different. I couldn't even believe it. It was beautiful then, and now it's over the top in my opinion. I don't need a 70 in tv, desktop computer and mini fridge in my room. To me, that's just too much.