Birth Plans

lifesabeach85 · September 2018

Here is the thread to share your birth plans and ask questions about birth plans!

Some people think birth plans (or preferences) are only for people who want an unmedicated birth but you can have preferences for many aspects labor, and deliver and postpartum that don't have anything to do with pain relief. At the very least it's a good place to start thinking about your preferences and discussing them with your doctor.

Here are some ideas for dicussion

- What are you including in your birth plan?

- Have you shared it with your doctor/midwife?

- Anything you are especially concerned about?

- Are there any areas where you and your doctor/hospital aren't in complete agreement with your preferences or anything you think you will have to really fight for?

- STM+ Anything you are changing this time around or anything you wish you had added the last time? Anything you would leave off?

bswishe4 · September 2018

Way to make me feel super unprepared today people lol

I honestly don't plan on having much of a birth plan. I have discussed with my husband and doctor certain preferences, however my first birth when completely off book so I plan to just see what happens and adjust as needed. I completely understand having a plan and I think that is awesome for a lot of women. For me it is better to not have a plan because then if things need to change I don't freak out as much. Seems crazy but it helps me stay calm. I seem to function better under pressure lol.

tessiesmom26 · September 2018

- What are you including in your birth plan?
So far I want to labor as much as possible at home. I also intend on laboring in the tub at the hospital if possible. I want to hold off on an epidural for as long as possible. Interested in seeing other people's plans to get more ideas.

- Have you shared it with your doctor/midwife?
Not yet. I was told we would at my last appt but the Dr didn't bring it up. I see the midwife next week so I will go over it with her.

- Anything you are especially concerned about?
No I don't think so. My mom keeps trying to wiggle her way into the delivery room. I am 99% sure I want it to just be DH and I, and her comments about how she thinks I am crazy for waiting on the epidural are not helping her case.

- Are there any areas where you and your doctor/hospital aren't in complete agreement with your preferences or anything you think you will have to really fight for?
Nope. They do mandatory skin to skin for an hour after birth as long as there are no complications and they are very open about doing things the way you want unless there is serious medical risks involved.

emjohn517 · September 2018

My first Labor birth plan was very natural. I wanted to labor at home, I wanted to go unmedicated. I read all the books, did classes, I was ready. Unfortunately, due to mine and DDs health complications, literally none of my birth plan worked out. With all the IV meds I had to be on, I had to be restricted in bed. Laboring on your back for 48 hours through pitocin was torturous and I did get an epidural. Dd was immediately taken from me, so no delayed cord or skin to skin. Honestly, it sucked and I felt helpless.

Anyways, this time around I’m trying to be optimistic that things will go more smoothly and hopefully closer to the empowering birth I would love to have. BUT because of my previous experience I accept that what happened before is likely to happen again and I have to simply find peace with that whatever happens. Healthy mom and baby is of course #1.

i would love to be able to free labor, use yoga ball and my yoga stretching poses, I would love to be able to move and breathe through the labor, possibly warm bath, I would love less medical intervention, less medicine, less constant invasive monitoring. I would love immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding within the first hour. As far as my OB is concerned, he’s fairly certain things will go as they did last time, but he’s willing to give me some leeway as long as my BP and baby remain stable. My hospital is compliant with all my wants, as long as labor and birth is uncomplicated. It’ll just be DH and I in the room, along with medical staff obviously. I have no desire for any other family members to be present lol. A big concern for me is how long I’ll be away from DD. Last birth I was hospitalized for 6 days, I know DD will be in great hands and she will be fine with my mom, but I hate the thought of being away from her for so long. Also concerned about possible NICU stay, for obvious reasons, but also trying to juggle DD plus visiting NICU. It’s just a lot to think about, but I’ll have to cross that bridge if we are there.

mockingjay1 · September 2018

- What are you including in your birth plan?
1. Healthy mom & healthy baby and if that goes as plan then
- skin to skin immediately after baby is born/dried
- baby not to leave me, all tests to be done in room (again if we remain healthy)
- no bath until I give it (8+ hours after delivery)
2. Clear drape in OR if they have them

- Have you shared it with your doctor/midwife?
I will next week when I finally meet my new OB!

- Anything you are especially concerned about?
I'm worried they won't let me do skin to skin in the OR due to their staffing. I feel like if DH is right there there is no reason I need a nurse right by my side to do skin to skin. I'm going to talk to my OB about it Tuesday.

- Are there any areas where you and your doctor/hospital aren't in complete agreement with your preferences or anything you think you will have to really fight for?
If my OB agrees it depends on hospital staffing, I'm going to fight for what I know and research says is best for me and baby (skin to skin right after delivery). I really don't think it's that much to ask for, so if I need to talk to administration about it I will.

- STM+ Anything you are changing this time around or anything you wish you had added the last time? Anything you would leave off?
Nothing other than having a clear sterile drape. I didn't even think to ask for one with DS. I did skin to skin immediately after my c-section with him and he never left my side the entire hospital stay other than when the ped took him to the nursery for his circ (she walked the long way around so the baby band alarm didn't go off and I walked the short way around and met her in the nursery 30 seconds later and watched his circ).

highsteaks · September 2018

my last delivery was nothing like my idealized birth plan, partly because the hospital didn’t offer some options, and partly because it required an emergency induction. i’m incredibly bummed it’s almost 100% likely this time will also be a complicated delivery, so again i will lose much of the experience i want.

i will ask if a clear drape is available in the event of delivery by cesarean. i am requesting the epidural in advance because i know some form of numbing or sedation will be required in my case no matter what; if it looks like i’ll be going ahead with a vaginal delivery i will hold off on the epidural as long as is safe in order to move around and speed up labor. immediate skin to skin and delayed cord clamping may be a pipe dream for me, but i’ll still keep my fingers crossed for that.

maybe i’ll insist on playing music that i like if it’s a vaginal delivery. i may also request extra time before pushing to labor down if it looks like baby b can stand it.

i hope the hospital has changed their policy and allows me to eat during labor (but maybe not because i’m higher risk for cesarean this time—will ask ob).

even though we have names picked out in advance, i will hold off on officially naming them until we can confirm which one is which.

will order the biggest hugest meal possible post delivery because after birth even cardboard tastes like a gourmet meal.

MouseMama817 · September 2018

@bswishe4 I'm with you there! With DD I had a birth plan typed out and not a single thing went according to it, down to forgetting to bring the colostrum I'd pumped the night before my induction. This time around I'm scheduled to have a Csection so I'm just glad to be able to bank on that one piece of information. All I'm planning is what my post labor meal will be!

@mockingjay1 Just curious, is there a reason for LO's bath stipulation?

mockingjay1 · September 2018

@MouseMama817 - It's best for newborns not to be bathed right after delivery for a variety of reasons (temp instability, blood sugar instability, the vernix is actually really good for their skin, etc). Usually after 12-24 hours you can't even tell whether a baby has had a bath (other than their hair) because the vernix is all soaked into their skin. I gave DS his first bath 8 hours after my c/s, because I wanted to do it (and was a nurse at that hospital so they didn't care). At that hospital it was policy to wait at least 6 hours after delivery to give baths.

MouseMama817 · September 2018

@mockingjay1 Good to know! I'm nearly 100% positive that DD's first bath didn't occur until our second day in the hospital but I wouldn't have batted an eyelash if it had happened earlier. I'll put this on my list of questions to ask my MW.

wildrainbow · September 2018

So, with DS I went from my dr appointment to having a baby. I had a c section because a vaginal delivery is to dangerous for me, not to mention the fact that I was told a while ago I couldn't deliver vaginally, super narrow. I wanted to do skin to skin, but since ds was a preemie, he was taken immediately from me and I didn't see him until I was in recovery.

With this sweet babe, I would like to say that I could get all the bells and whistles, but I'm prepared for more of the same. Nothing worse than having a NICU team present at delivery just in case. I will ask for a delayed bath this time around. I missed a lot with ds because they took him away. Thank God for birth photography because I saw it all through pics, but I know it will be the same this go round. Unfortunately, in my situation, I don't get to daydream about the perfect birth and holding my baby right after, which does sort of break my heart, but I'm just thankful I am getting the chance to give birth again.

Really, my birth plan consists of going with the flow and getting what I can, however I can.

And I just realized I brought down the entire thread.

eahayes · September 2018

I feel like my only birth plan is to have an epidural

These are giving me great ideas and lots of things to think about though! Definitely yes on immediate skin to skin and no bath-- didn't even think I should mention that to the team but so glad to know it's not automatic!

offtoneverland · September 2018

@eahayes Me too. My birth plan is just getting an epidural as soon as it's possible. Hahaha.

@MouseMama817 You can pump colostrum? I had no idea.

lifesabeach85 · September 2018

@tessiesmom26 unless you are really gung ho on having your mom in there it’s probably best just to have a firm no now. That just sounds sooooo stressful.
@offtoneverland yeah I tried out my breast pump at like 39w last time and a little came out! It was weird. Not enough to bag though.

I would have thought my birth plan would have been more detailed the first time around but tbh, my previous OB and hospital were both so progressive I didn’t need much of one! They had a lot as SOP - delayed cord clamping, delayed bath, freedom to eat/drink and move around and labor/deliver in whatever position, intermittent monitoring if possible.

Down here the one hospital is more conservative and my OB is not quite as progressive but not too far off. Anyway there’s is more I’ll have to specify/insist on.

The main thing is just being left alone! During labor I would like to be left alone unless I request a cervix check - I don’t want people hovering. I would also prefer to be left alone as much as possible postpartum but I feel like fat chance of that happening. The reason we left after only 24h last time is because how often people come bug you in your room - often unnecessarily!

The hospital technically doesn’t allow eating during labor but I told my doctor I was gonna and he was like ok well I’m not gonna snatch it out of your hands. I have to push a little bit for delayed clamping but not too much. I’ve also cleared laboring I’m not a hospital gown and laboring and delivering in whatever position I want with generous allowances for time to labor and push. My doula suggested requesting an L&D nurse who is familiar with med-free births too.

Like others im hoping to labor at home as long as possible but that hinges on my parents taking DD!

emjohn517 · September 2018

@eahayes no shame! The epidural was the greatest thing ever. I’ll have no prob screaming for the anesthetist if I need to

@wildrainbow I get it. It’s so hard. I’m trying to be optimistic, but honestly my first birth was so miserable and traumatic that thinking about having to go through all that again is too much to even emotionally handle. If I let myself think about it, I’ll obsess and panic and that’ll raise my BP. So, I’m just trying to coast along. But it’s definitely traumatic having your baby being taken immediately, having a room full of medical staff taking over, it’s terrifying, and it left a huge emotional impact.

stitchnz · September 2018

@wildrainbow can you ask about some of the things you’d like in advance, and talk to the NICU team about them? When I was in hospital and looking like I might deliver around 24w, I talked to the one of the neonatologists and he said they try to delay cord clamping even for extreme preemies delivered by c-section. I was surprised by that! Anyway, I know how you feel about not getting to daydream about the perfect birth. It’s heartbreaking for sure.

runningyogimama · September 2018

The only thing I want is an epidural ASAP, because both times, I progressed too quickly once my water was broken for an epidural to keep up, and I really don’t want that to happen again. I’m literally asking them to page the anesthesiologist as soon as I get there.

As long as things go as smoothly as last time, I also plan to ask to be discharged at 24 hours again.

offtoneverland · September 2018

@runningyogimama What was it like being discharged after 24 hours? They gave us the option last time, but we ended up choosing to stay until 48 hours. I was thinking about opting for the 24 hour discharge if they offer it this time, since now we'll have DD at home with a friend who's on call to watch her, so it might just be easier on everyone if the hospital stay is shorter.

runningyogimama · September 2018

@offtoneverland They didn’t offer it to us - we asked how soon I could go home the second time, and it was around 24 hours once the OB and pedi both did rounds to discharge both of us - we just had to go to the pedi for a 48 hour weight check. I wish I had known it was an option with DD1, also. I just hate being in the hospital and don’t find it relaxing - nurses constantly coming in, constant noise from the hallway...I would rather be at home, where I can actually sleep! I had 2 uncomplicated vaginal deliveries (and a super quick one the second time, so I wasn’t even that tired), so I was up and moving around, had showered and changed, etc, pretty quickly after moving to recovery.

offtoneverland · September 2018

@runningyogimama Thanks! I'll ask about it this time if they don't offer it. I didn't really mind being in the hospital, but I definitely didn't sleep well and I think it made the whole thing feel more surreal since we were in a different place and there was so much going on. But I wasn't sure if it would be more stressful being home with a 24-hour infant than if we were still in the hospital should we need anything.
Also good to hear that you felt pretty good after your second labor. I've been starting to get pretty scared about going through labor again. Mine was pretty easy and uncomplicated too, but I'm hoping the recovery is not quite as awful this time.

lifesabeach85 · September 2018

@offtoneverland we also left after 24h. We weren’t getting much rest or peace because people came by every few minutes to check me or baby or just doing rounds or see if wanted to order dinner blah blah blah. The hospital bed and chair and shower are what they are, you know. Overall we were much more comfortable at home (dd still didn’t sleep, lol, but at least we were more comfortable at home base.) the only part of the hospital we missed was one nurse who was a swaddling pro who was able to swaddle dd perfectly! If my parents are willing to keep DD we will probably opt to leave sooner rather than later again. I dread coming home to take care of a toddler too! My OB says he’s cool if I leave that same day if I want but it’s really up to the pediatrician.

lostarz14 · September 2018

My birth plan last time included:

- Get epidural (I was already 7cm when I got it)
- Skin to skin immediately after birth

- Delayed cord clamping

- Get baby out safely and however necessary

...and that was about it and it all happened.

I delivered (and will deliver) in a baby friendly hospital so they already delay baths for 24 hours and do everything in the room, and there's no nursery.

runningyogimama · September 2018

Honest question - are delayed baths not the norm most places/everywhere? That was the norm here even when my daughter was born 5.5 years ago, so that surprises me.

MouseMama817 · September 2018

@offtoneverland Apparently you can! I was trying to kick start labor (I was 2 weeks past due at this point) with DD so I pulled out the pump and lo and behold! It wasn’t a ton but it was enough to fill a few syringes, so I saved it with the intention of giving it to DD in case she wouldn’t latch.

@lifesabeach85 I had no idea 24 hour discharge was an option but I can totally see wanting to request this. I know I should be thankful for the care, but people coming in every 30 minutes really is a pain. The amount of strangers that saw my boobs...

+1 for that epidural! I was induced at 42 weeks and the moment we checked in at L&D I was asking for the anesthesiologist. The woman at the counter was like “Um, you have to ask your nurse.I just check you in..”

I pestered every single person that came into my room until that man got there. I wasn’t playing.

mockingjay1 · September 2018

@runningyogimama - I'm not sure what the hospital I'm going to deliver at does, but just in case they don't delay baths I wanted that written down. Plus I want to do it anyway and it was 8 hours after my c-section before I felt up to it with DS. I know the hospital I most recently worked at was behind the times on evidenced based practice in many areas, delayed bathing being one. Unless baby was in an incubator, on blood sugars, or not 100% stable babies got baths about 2 hours after delivery.

I can't remember, are you around Omaha? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, or you can PM me if you'd rather. The women's hospital is amazing (that's where I worked from when it opened to when DS was born). If that's where you've delivered then I don't think 95% of hospitals are as nice and up to date with evidenced based research. I think it depends on how much money the hospital has unfortunately.

I'll likely be a c-section so I won't go home at 24 hours, but I might at 48 depending on how I'm feeling, how this baby is doing, and how DS is doing at home with my parents. I think I'm most nervous about that. I'm tempted after the first night to have DH stay at home during the evening/night so DS has some sense of normalcy.

bswishe4 · September 2018

@MouseMama817 heck yes! I already told my husband what food I want when I am done (Calzone with pepperoni, mushrooms, and banana peppers)

runningyogimama · September 2018

@mockingjay1 I am in Omaha - I’ve actually delivered at 2 CHI locations (and plan to again, because my last delivery experience was awesome, so even though my OB now has rights at the women’s hospital, I don’t want to go elsewhere). They do delayed baths, and also (as long as no medical reason not to) an hour of family bonding time in the delivery room for skin to skin time and BF before they even take baby to grab a weight and length and before they move you to recovery.

KellyT22 · September 2018

Unfortunately right now my birth plan is almost 100% dictated by the babies since I don't know if I'm having another C-section or another VBAC. I probably won't know until I'm actually in labor.

- What are you including in your birth plan?

Epidural ASAP

, I want the babies to have the vitamin K shot, eye ointment, any medical interventions needed, baths are fine. Any medical interventions or procedures necessary are fine.

- Have you shared it with your doctor/midwife? We'll go over things more when I sign for my CS or VBAC in a couple weeks.

- Anything you are especially concerned about? I DO NOT want a delivery under general anesthesia. If my OB has the tiniest feeling I MIGHT need a CS, I want the CS. I do not want to have to be rushed from OB to the emergency OR in a stat situation again.

- Are there any areas where you and your doctor/hospital aren't in complete agreement with your preferences or anything you think you will have to really fight for? Nope. I don't have a medical degree and believe that the professionals know best.

- STM+ Anything you are changing this time around or anything you wish you had added the last time? Anything you would leave off? I want to stay in the hospital as long as possible. It's like a glorious vacation where people feed me.

ashkee05 · September 2018

Reading about other hospitals always blows my mind. I guess I am fortunate to have delivered at an amazing hospital that does what a lot of you have said you want. I have had immediate skin to skin all of my births unless I didn’t want it. Which I never didn’t, they just asked do you want him or should we clean him up? delayed cord clamping, And they don’t bathe for 24 hours, unless you’re leaving the hospital in 24 hours and ask for one. I realize many things differ but after two births like that it is normal for me if you get what I mean.

I honestly have so much anxiety about this birth and I don’t exactly know why. Maybe because when I had my second it was Memorial Day weekend, everyone was off work so I didn’t have to hassle anyone asking them to take my son. This time there is a toddler involved. The older one can be home by himself if necessary, which likely won’t be since my brother lives with us. It’ll be easy to not have to disrupt his routine though. The thought of the middle of the night, waking a toddler up, rushing to the hospital all makes my anxiety go wild. I labor fast and that seems like too much. Over all my only plan is to stay calm and whatever happens, happens!

kamahina9 · September 2018

As of now, I have absolutely nothing for my birth plan. I haven't even googled what to put in it yet. I'm thankful for this thread to see what kind of stuff goes in there. I won't lie, I'm feeling a little behind when it comes to preparing.

firsttimespartanmom · September 2018

My plan so far is that I don’t want to be induced unless necessary for the health of baby or me, and I really want to try to go without an epidural. The thought of not having any feeling in my legs freaks me out more than feeling contractions. However, I am a naive FTM and have no problem asking for the epidural if I feel like I need it.

Other than that I don’t really have anything specific. My hospital already does skin to skin immediately after, and I trust my doctor and our nurses to do what’s best for baby.

runningyogimama · September 2018

@firsttimespartanmom You didn’t ask, but epidurals don’t always take all feeling away, if you do decide to go that route (I went into my first open to getting one, but not planning on it). I could still feel contractions/knew when to push, and my legs weren’t completely numb, and it wore off super fast. With my second, I progressed too quickly for an epidural to keep up, and the anesthesiologist came back, luckily, right before I started to push and adjusted it (turned it up? Idk how that works), and that time I couldn’t feel my legs - but could still feel contractions. It took a little longer to wear off completely.

firsttimespartanmom · September 2018

@runningyogimama always appreciate advice! I did not know that, thank you! I know they have the ability to turn it up and down but I’m a little nervous about the recovery aspect of it too. Actually I’m nervous about the whole birth in general, it’s starting to feel a lot more real. Who knows what I will decide to do in the moment!

offtoneverland · September 2018

@kamahina9 You don't have to have a birth plan if you don't want to (or I guess some doctors might ask for one?). I didn't have one with DD and no one at the hospital said anything about it. There's nothing wrong with having one of course, just wanted to assure you you don't really need one either.

runningyogimama · September 2018

@kamahina9 I haven’t had an actual birth plan for any of mine - I just know after doing this twice what I’ll ask for. The only plan for the first was to get the baby out.

mrsdrez · September 2018

I don't really have a birth plan, besides "yes" to epidural. I don't think I'll have any say about being discharged, they just send you home when they think you're ready I guess. I'm a FTM and have no idea what I'm doing so I don't know that I'll be in a rush to leave haha.

soehlerk · September 2018

The Bump (and I'm sure other websites) has a multiple-choice birth plan template that you can print out if you're into that kind of thing. I like to see all the options, although even after I've filled it out, it seems kind of pointless--the hospital will automatically do all the stuff I want. Immediate skin-to-skin, breastfeeding within the first hour, delayed cord clamping, etc. The rest of the stuff I generally trust my doctors on b/c our hospital is nationally ranked and I know they're on top of the latest research.

Also, I've been listing to the "Pregnancy Confidential" podcast (I love podcasts), and they said that around 80% of women choose to get an epidural. I'm totally pro-whatever-is-right-for-you, but personally I was a bit comforted to know that I'm not in the minority in planning for an epidural. But for those who are choosing to go non-medicated, rock on! You do you.

hollyeva · September 2018

I like to think if the plan as more of a way to ensure everyone is on the same page as opposed to being a sign of not trusting the hospital or doctor. It's a good exercise to think through and mentally prepare for what you might encounter. While I do trust my doctor and hospital and have been with them for the other two births, I still use it each time to reaffirm my preferences.

The one item the hospital frowns on in my plan is the eating bit, I assert that I need food to labor for so many hours. They generally turn a blind eye to this request and just remind me it's against hospital policy, and educate me that if I needed emergency intubation it could pose a risk.

emjohn517 · September 2018

@hollyeva my hospital did not allow solid foods, but did my OB will ok clear fluids. And my nurses kept a steady flow of popsicles, jello, sherbet and a few other items to help provide some caloric energy and it really did feel like it helped.

lifesabeach85 · September 2018

@hollyeva I agree. It can also be a good place to start discussing your doctors/hospitals standard operating procedures and what you might want to do if things don’t go as planned (like, if you need to be induced, is pitocin your only option? If you need a c-section, who will be allowed in the room? )

iheartbooks · September 2018

My hospital is pretty progressive so I don’t feel like there’s a lot I have to worry about as far as baby being taken care of. I had an epidural with my first and hated how woozy it made me so I want to go without this time but I guess it depends on how quickly labor goes. Last time it was soooooo long I couldn’t take it anymore. Fingers crossed the second time is faster. I’m actually quite worried about getting to the hospital. Rush hour traffic here is insane and if it’s the wrong time of day it could take me an hour to get to the hospital instead of the normal fifteen minutes. Last time I went in to the hospital at 3 am and the ride was short but holy moly being in the car in labor was one of the worst experiences of my life. I can’t imagine enduring it for an hour. I don’t know if that really a birth plan point or not - I guess I’ll try to time it as best I can to go in during a non busy time even if I don’t feel like I *have* to go in yet?

and I definitely want to leave the hospital ASAP. It was so noisy and I was bothered like every five minutes. I didn’t get any sleep!

marfi236 · September 2018

My hospital does immediate skin to skin and they do rooming in so those are non issues for me. Really my only plan is get the baby out safely and give me all the drugs.

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