Birth Plan...?

[mandspice]

I'm full of questions today! Must be cos I'm nearly in 2nd tri and it all seems more real....

I keep hearing about "birth plans" - do you have to have one and what are the benefits? They way they describe it it sounds like a military operation.......I'm sure I would forget any plans I've made in the throws of labour....has anyone not made one and just gone with the flow?

I mean, the only thing I think I require is pain relief on request and OH present...

 

[elaine22]

mine was basically forgotten too as i was induced so i couldn't go along with some preferences such as being able to walk about etc. it's important not to get too attached to your birth plan as you may be disappointed if things end up going differently

another thing you could add is whether you're happy to have syntocinon injection to help deliver placenta and whether you're happy for LO to receive vitamin K

 

[trixiehunnybun]

I didnt really have one. i just wanted my partner there, a water birth if possible, and that i would see what pain relief i needed when it was happening.its just a chance to say anything you really want or dont want

 

[Kylie1007]

I didn't have a birth plan although towards the back (I think...MW took my notes away at 28 days when she 'discharged' me) of my maternity notes was a list of things you want to do such as pain relief, breastfeeding, skin to skin contact, Vit K jab/drops, jab to get the placenta out quicker... when the baby is born. We went through it with the mw around 30 weeks I think. Any plan I had went down the pan anyway as I ended up having a totally different birth to the one I thought I would have!

 

[Tangerinedream]

Its good to have a birth plan but dont be upset or feel like things didnt go right if it doesnt happen the way you wanted. As long as both you and your LO are healthy thats the main thing. (mine didnt really go to plan)

I put in my plan about my pain relief prefernces, that I wanted LO to be placed straight onto me skin-to-skin right away, I wanted OH to reveal the sex of the baby, how I wanted LO to get vitamin K, feeding etc

Theres more info here

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/l ... birthplan/

 

[jenni32]

Don't think anyone looked at my birth plan, which was pretty minimal anyway. The MWs were fantastic throughout though, and I ws asked every step of the way what I wanted.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Birth plan?! hadn't even considered one. I'm having a home birth, maybe with some time in water. That's as far as my thoughts had gone.lol

 

[kitten1102]

i had one, but it went out the window at 1am... things didn't go quite how i had wanted, but OH made sure I was happy throughout.

I would say rather than a birth plan, make sure your OH/birth partner knows what you want (ie pain relief/positioning/contact/etc), so they can speak up for you while you're busy!!!

 

[trixipaws]

i didnt really hav a birth plan, apart from i wanted a home water birth. luckily there were no complications so i got my home birth, and altho i spent a few hours in the birth pool the MWs took me out coz i wouldnt push, apparently i was saying i couldnt and going on about not wanting 2 poo in it! so i didnt get the water birth. im still happy with the memory of it tho, and if i hav another baby ill try for it then as i'd kno what im doing.

oh yes like kitten said tell ur birth partner what u want coz in late labour u might not be able to speak for urself.

 

[Bee]

Mine is give birth

I haven't put a huge amount of thought into it yet but in my notes there is a section for what u want/don't want so I'll fill that out and let my birth partner know what I want (once I decide who is going to be my birth partner)

 

[Redshoes]

I'm full of questions today! Must be cos I'm nearly in 2nd tri and it all seems more real....
I keep hearing about "birth plans" - do you have to have one and what are the benefits? They way they describe it it sounds like a military operation.......I'm sure I would forget any plans I've made in the throws of labour....has anyone not made one and just gone with the flow?
I mean, the only thing I think I require is pain relief on request and OH present...

No you don't have to have a plan, and even if you do you don't have to follow it. I would always recommend one, they are extremely useful for planning your labour and birth mentally before the event, it helps you face all possible outcomes now, so if they arise you feel able to make an informed decision at the time. It can also be reassuring for your birthing partner too.

Some things that I never thought of before writing mine were, where does your birthing partner go if LO is taken away from Mum at birth, with Mum or baby? If you are not conscious its something that your birthing partner might want to know.

Obviously thats an extreme case, but it does help to show how a birth plan can help on the day. Also things like placenta delivery and cord cutting, some MW's will just assume the answers, but if you write down what you wish, no hasty decisions will be made. For example if you want to deliver placenta naturally without an injection, and if you want the cord to stop pulsating before being cut. Vitamin K, oral or injection? Once baby's born, placed straight on you for skin to skin? The hospital staff really need to know, otherwise they could assume the opposite

You will always go with flow in labour, there's no other choice, but I beleive a birth plan is good mental preperation, also in my case, the MW's were very sensitive to it, and so when my birth plan went out the window, it helped them understand my upset.

Very best wishes, its quite fun to write actually, exciting!!