Birth Plan

[Skidoo]

Did you write a Birth Plan?

Did the doctors/midwives/nurses stick to what you wanted?

Did you write it from scratch, or did you find something online to use?

Thanks

 

[emilia]

My midwife did mine with me. She was great with it, but check out some of the websites that offer ideas.
Emilia xx

 

[stephlw25]

Check with your midwife she will probley go through it with you, mine came to my house and went through mine with me. It kind of hard though first time around as you dont really know what to expect!
Mine went out the window thou when i was in labour!! was just glad of anything they gave me! Then i ended up with c-section so birth plan was non-existant!!

 

I wanted a water birth and hopefully no major pain releif but open to epicural.

Ended up with waters breaking at home, blue lighting it between hospitals, and pushing Damien out just using gas and air. Nothing like I'd planned!!

 

Saying that, the midwives I had offered me pethadine, etc, and I refused and they went with my wishes no matter what. Even when I refused to get off the bed to go for a wee they were fab ! Nothing like my plan but I wouldn't have done it any other way looking back on it now. Knowing how I was in labour I think the birth pool would have drven me mad.

(don't worry they got me a bed pan instead lol)

 

[Skidoo]

Thanks again.

I think I want pretty much what you wanted Sami. I'm seeing the midwife on Friday about a water birth. That's what I'd like. As little interference as possible, but use everything if necessary ;o)

 

[beanie]

I would say the most important thing about a birth plan is to be flexible and don't have your heart set on one thing. I did that, really wanted a water birth at my local midwife unit but instead ended up in hospital having every drug known to man. Whislt I'm not complaining as they were good drugs , it has taken me a long time to get over the fact I didn't have my ideal birth and it still makes me feel realy low for some reason (I don't know why). Hope you have the water birth thing, I did sit in a bath but threw up in it so quickly got out x

 

[BubbleOne]

I didn't take my birth plan in with me. It slipped my mind due to contractions every 3mins!!
I didn't need it though. The midwife asked me before she did anything so I got everything I wanted anyway.
Except another midwife gave me a pain relief injection which slowed Phoebes heartbeat down and made me too tired to push. I'd stated on my birth plan that I didn't want any painrelief that crosses the placenta.
I guess at the time though I was screaming in pain and she just did what she thought needed to be done to help get Phoebe out.

 

[Skidoo]

At my antenatal class we were told that part of the point of having a birth plan is so that your birth partner (OH) knows what you want and can act as your advocate. So when it all gets a bit much and you're screaming for painkillers he can intervene and double check with you that you really do want the painkillers and have given up on your plan, or can possibly suggest alternatives that you've discussed beforehand.

I love my OH dearly, but I know that unless it's all written down he will completely forget everything we've discussed beforehand. Actually he'll probably forget to look at the plan, or forget that we even had a plan!! But at least I'll know I did my best ;o)

I do agree Beanie, I want to set out a clear plan of what I want, but if it doesn't work out that way - so be it. The main thing is to end up with a healthy baby and not too many (physical / emotional) scars from the experience.