1: I did write up a rough plan after doing tons of research, but the hospital I went to already had all of my birth plan as primary practice! I never handed the midwife or nurses a copy! They knew my wishes!!
I planned to labor at home, unmediated, no induction, no pitocin, eat and drink, move the whole time, no episiotomy, skin on skin, nurse within first hour, and room in with baby!
2: My water broke at 8 am Monday at 40w5d with merconium in waters! I headed to hospital straight away! I labored in the hospital with exterior monitoring intermittently and checks every 4 hours or so! At 8am Tuesday I had 45 min sleep between contractions and was exhausted! I had only dialated 5cm! They gave me a "wiff" of pitocin and my contractions became very strong and violent! Within 2 hours I was at 9 with a huge urge to push! She was coming! I did not want to labor in my back so I changed to my side all hooked up to machines due to pitocin! She was born at 12:19 on Tuesday after 28.25 hours from start to finish! I had mild tearing! We enjoyed skin to skin immediately and breast fed within a half hour!
The only diviations from my plan were laboring the entire time in the hospital and the use of Pitocin!
3: I did tons of research and got opinions on all sides! I read mindful birthing, ina mae gaskin, birthing from within, etc! Preparing for an unmediated birth where my body does it's job!
I do not mean to offend, i am a just little concerned that so many people say they have done little to no research yet want to be as informed as possible! This cannot work, to be informed you must do research!
This time around I am learning more techniques to relax and allow labor to progress faster! I have realized a lot of things may have slowed my labor that I could of controlled! I will never do pitocin again!! The contractions were so violent and painful and distresssd both baby and I! I would labor for 48 hours this time before Pitocin! I would like delayed cord clamping and delayed bathing this time as well!
Like I said, my hospital practices all ic this and I just have to talk with my nurses and midwives so they know my wishes! As detailed as my plan is, it is totally normal at my hospital, and I will not have a typed plan to hand over! I trust my care providers!
I believe you need to know what procedures and practices are protocol at your hospital/birthing center!!
I choose this plan for me and baby as long as we are healthy and happy! I do not mean to offend anyone who prefers pitocin, epi, c/s etc. over my plan! My mother had 3 c/s and I have a cousin who had 3 unmediated births! Everyone is different and every birth story is different! Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and be flexible!! If the plan changes it changes!! Baby is #1 priority!
A). What was your birth plan? Specific avoidances or needs? No plan at all. Just that I wanted to deliver in the regular section of the hospital. I also assumed I would get an epidural.
B ). Did your birth plan happen? Why or why not? Yes since I didn’t really have one. I had the epidural and had a horrible reaction/experience so it was turned off and removed long before I started pushing. I will never have another epidural.
C). How much research or planning did you put in? Are you going to do more or less this time? I researched everything about pregnancy, except the delivery. I figured it was going to happen and be done and it would be more important to focus on researching how to care for the baby. I don’t regret that decision. I’m sure I would have gotten the epidural even after research. I don’t plan to do any additional research, just build from my last experience. I would caution others to think twice about epidurals, it really took away from my bonding time after the baby was born.
A). What was your birth plan? Specific avoidances or needs? i had a fairly minimal birth plan. I wanted to avoid an epidural, only because I was scared of being stuck in bed. I can usually move through pain, but was more worried about feeling trapped. but wasn't beholden to this. if the pain was too much then an epidural was just fine. and i wanted delayed cord clamping if possible. my plan was to labor at home for a while and go for walks and when the contractions were close together go to the hospital and continue with all of that. never took a birth class though.
B ). Did your birth plan happen? Why or why not? Nope, my water broke (leaked) at home with no contractions. I was glad i had recently read that it wasn't always like in the movies or i might have missed it. it was more like i had a clear period. after 12 hours and still no labor they told me to go to the hospital and gave me pitocin to induce. i sat around in the hospital for HOURS before i could even feel any contractions. I actually complained that my labor was "boring" ha. the annoying thing is that because of the pitocin i was hooked up to all the monitors, which made moving around inconvenient. they kept making me get back in bed so they could reset the monitors as movement was knocking them out of position. so.. by the time i could actually feel the contractions they were a minute a part. hung out that way for an hour, i was still only like 6 cm dilated so got an epidural ( as i was stuck in bed anyway!) . fell asleep. an hour later they woke me up cuz i was 10 cm dilated and ready to push. pushed for maybe 1.5 hours and had a baby! so.. EASIEST LABOR EVER! there were some scary moments because the cord was wrapped around my daughters neck and her heart rate fell with every push. they ended up using forceps to aid in delivery (luckily i had that epidural!.. though also wonder if i hadn't had it would my pushes have been more efficient) and if she hadn't come out then i would have had an emergency c. no delayed cord clamping because everything was a bit fraught. but i get it.
C). How much research or planning did you put in? Are you going to do more or less this time? not much. trying to decide if i should do more this time. watch lamaze on youtube? as i am sure i will not have the "Easiest labor ever" again!
Since labor with DS was so fast, I'm a little concerned with my second delivery being faster and possibly being GBS+ again. I plan to speak with my OB about this specific concern.
I was told to take probiotics to help prevent being GBS+. no idea if it helped but i was negative so doing it again this time..
Re: STM Birth Plan: this time vs last time
I planned to labor at home, unmediated, no induction, no pitocin, eat and drink, move the whole time, no episiotomy, skin on skin, nurse within first hour, and room in with baby!
2: My water broke at 8 am Monday at 40w5d with merconium in waters! I headed to hospital straight away! I labored in the hospital with exterior monitoring intermittently and checks every 4 hours or so! At 8am Tuesday I had 45 min sleep between contractions and was exhausted! I had only dialated 5cm! They gave me a "wiff" of pitocin and my contractions became very strong and violent! Within 2 hours I was at 9 with a huge urge to push! She was coming! I did not want to labor in my back so I changed to my side all hooked up to machines due to pitocin! She was born at 12:19 on Tuesday after 28.25 hours from start to finish! I had mild tearing! We enjoyed skin to skin immediately and breast fed within a half hour!
The only diviations from my plan were laboring the entire time in the hospital and the use of Pitocin!
3: I did tons of research and got opinions on all sides! I read mindful birthing, ina mae gaskin, birthing from within, etc! Preparing for an unmediated birth where my body does it's job!
I do not mean to offend, i am a just little concerned that so many people say they have done little to no research yet want to be as informed as possible! This cannot work, to be informed you must do research!
This time around I am learning more techniques to relax and allow labor to progress faster! I have realized a lot of things may have slowed my labor that I could of controlled! I will never do pitocin again!! The contractions were so violent and painful and distresssd both baby and I! I would labor for 48 hours this time before Pitocin! I would like delayed cord clamping and delayed bathing this time as well!
Like I said, my hospital practices all ic this and I just have to talk with my nurses and midwives so they know my wishes! As detailed as my plan is, it is totally normal at my hospital, and I will not have a typed plan to hand over! I trust my care providers!
I believe you need to know what procedures and practices are protocol at your hospital/birthing center!!
I choose this plan for me and baby as long as we are healthy and happy! I do not mean to offend anyone who prefers pitocin, epi, c/s etc. over my plan! My mother had 3 c/s and I have a cousin who had 3 unmediated births! Everyone is different and every birth story is different! Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and be flexible!! If the plan changes it changes!! Baby is #1 priority!
B ). Did your birth plan happen? Why or why not? Yes since I didn’t really have one. I had the epidural and had a horrible reaction/experience so it was turned off and removed long before I started pushing. I will never have another epidural.
C). How much research or planning did you put in? Are you going to do more or less this time?
I researched everything about pregnancy, except the delivery. I figured it was going to happen and be done and it would be more important to focus on researching how to care for the baby. I don’t regret that decision. I’m sure I would have gotten the epidural even after research. I don’t plan to do any additional research, just build from my last experience. I would caution others to think twice about epidurals, it really took away from my bonding time after the baby was born.
Baby #1 - DD 8/29/16
Baby #2 - EDD 4/6/18
i had a fairly minimal birth plan. I wanted to avoid an epidural, only because I was scared of being stuck in bed. I can usually move through pain, but was more worried about feeling trapped. but wasn't beholden to this. if the pain was too much then an epidural was just fine. and i wanted delayed cord clamping if possible. my plan was to labor at home for a while and go for walks and when the contractions were close together go to the hospital and continue with all of that. never took a birth class though.
B ). Did your birth plan happen? Why or why not?
Nope, my water broke (leaked) at home with no contractions. I was glad i had recently read that it wasn't always like in the movies or i might have missed it. it was more like i had a clear period.
after 12 hours and still no labor they told me to go to the hospital and gave me pitocin to induce.
i sat around in the hospital for HOURS before i could even feel any contractions. I actually complained that my labor was "boring"
the annoying thing is that because of the pitocin i was hooked up to all the monitors, which made moving around inconvenient. they kept making me get back in bed so they could reset the monitors as movement was knocking them out of position. so.. by the time i could actually feel the contractions they were a minute a part. hung out that way for an hour, i was still only like 6 cm dilated so got an epidural ( as i was stuck in bed anyway!) .
fell asleep. an hour later they woke me up cuz i was 10 cm dilated and ready to push. pushed for maybe 1.5 hours and had a baby! so.. EASIEST LABOR EVER!
there were some scary moments because the cord was wrapped around my daughters neck and her heart rate fell with every push. they ended up using forceps to aid in delivery (luckily i had that epidural!.. though also wonder if i hadn't had it would my pushes have been more efficient) and if she hadn't come out then i would have had an emergency c. no delayed cord clamping because everything was a bit fraught. but i get it.
C). How much research or planning did you put in? Are you going to do more or less this time?
not much. trying to decide if i should do more this time. watch lamaze on youtube? as i am sure i will not have the "Easiest labor ever" again!