[Open] Making a Birth Plan

[BananaCake]

Who has a birth plan? How did you go about making it? I'm especially interested in those of you who did/are doing natural births, but I welcome any suggestions.

 

[Beth1231]

http://www.babycenter.com/calculators/birthplan/

I think you will find this very helpful. I filled this out, printed it out and then used it to type up one that had just a bit more info (like how to best soothe me and a few additional instructions like wanting my husband to stay up near my head). My midwife thought it was informative and to the point.

 

[RoseofLima]

I would talk with your doctor first--and ask him/her about how birth plans are treated/received at your hospital. My Ob said that birth plans are mostly received with some hostility at the hospital, and encouraged me not to write one...I just told them what I wanted and what I did not want.

Some hospitals are really birth plan friendly- to ensure that a woman gets care individualized to her.

 

[BananaCake]

I would talk with your doctor first--and ask him/her about how birth plans are treated/received at your hospital. My Ob said that birth plans are mostly received with some hostility at the hospital, and encouraged me not to write one...I just told them what I wanted and what I did not want.

Some hospitals are really birth plan friendly- to ensure that a woman gets care individualized to her.

Hey, Rose! Thanks for the tips. I've already talked to my doc about having a natural childbirth, but I should also ask about how the hospital might react to the birth plan.

And nice to "see" you. Have you been busy? I feel as if I aven't seen you around in quite a few days.

 

[Redstiletto]

The hospital where I am having my baby at, incourages you to make a birth plan, so I did.

And I think it will be very helpful! they ask you different things like "What type of pain management do you want." and I am having a natural birth so I dont want any, and so I put that, but worst case scenerio I put that I would take IV pain killers to take the edge off.

And they asked what type of relaxation techniques would you like to use... and all these different things. It helped me to feel incontrol of this birth.

 

[RoseofLima]

Hey, Rose! Thanks for the tips. I've already talked to my doc about having a natural childbirth, but I should also ask about how the hospital might react to the birth plan.

And nice to "see" you. Have you been busy? I feel as if I aven't seen you around in quite a few days.

I'm going through some things right now that are kind of consuming...

It's so exciting that so many of you are getting so close to your due dates

 

[Leanna]

You should visit women's discussion more !

I had a birth plan, but found that people still tried to do the stuff anyway so being on alert was important and I just let me wishes me known as it went along.

 

[BananaCake]

You should visit women's discussion more !

I had a birth plan, but found that people still tried to do the stuff anyway so being on alert was important and I just let me wishes me known as it went along.

Is women's discussions a section of CF?

I definitely have fears that my baby will be wisked off and given formula or a vaccination or that they'll slip something into my IV for Group B Strep. Even if the hospital is not birth plan-friendly, I'll make sure my husband and helper have it so they can keep an eye out for me!

 

[Leanna]

Is women's discussions a section of CF?

I definitely have fears that my baby will be wisked off and given formula or a vaccination or that they'll slip something into my IV for Group B Strep. Even if the hospital is not birth plan-friendly, I'll make sure my husband and helper have it so they can keep an eye out for me!

http://www.christianforums.com/f47-womens-discussion.html

To prevent them giving formula, keep baby with you as much as possible. Make a sign and pack tape that says "Breast only" and tape it to the baby's little bassinett.

So long as they hook up your iv, give you the antibiotics, and then take it right off except for the heplock (talk to them about this in advance), they shouldn't be able to give you anything else. Getting the antibiotics takes about 30 minutes.

For vaccinations you should keep them by your side as well, the only vaccination they give in the hospital is Hep B and you should be able to sign a waiver.

Have you talked to your doctor or midwife about these things yet?

 

[BananaCake]

I'm going through some things right now that are kind of consuming...

Rose, praying for you!

 

[BananaCake]

http://www.christianforums.com/f47-womens-discussion.html

To prevent them giving formula, keep baby with you as much as possible. Make a sign and pack tape that says "Breast only" and tape it to the baby's little bassinett.

So long as they hook up your iv, give you the antibiotics, and then take it right off except for the heplock (talk to them about this in advance), they shouldn't be able to give you anything else. Getting the antibiotics takes about 30 minutes.

For vaccinations you should keep them by your side as well, the only vaccination they give in the hospital is Hep B and you should be able to sign a waiver.

Have you talked to your doctor or midwife about these things yet?

I have talked with her about some of it. I think this is why I need it in writing, even if it's only for me, my spouse and my helper! Oh, and the hospital is rooming in, so they shouldn't take the baby anywhere unless there's an emergency. And the husband/spouse/helper can stay in the room as well, overnight.

 

[Leanna]

Here was mine:

During labor, please:
• Do not offer me pain killing drugs of any kind
• I would like the IV detached and heplock taped up after administration of penicillin (for GBS)
• Intermittent monitoring using the Doppler desired, no internal monitoring and I don’t want to be stuck in the bed
• Ask before performing vaginal exams (the less often the better) or performing any procedures

For the birth, please:
• Protect my perineum in order to prevent tearing.
• Allow the cord to remain attached until the placenta is born or the cord stops pulsating, whichever happens first.

After birth, please:
• Allow the baby’s sucking to help stimulate the expulsion of the placenta, do not give shot of Pitocin to speed the process (unless the placenta does not seem to be coming and then let’s discuss it)
• Perform all newborn evaluations while baby is with me or dad

In case a cesarean birth becomes necessary:
• I would prefer an epidural if there is time
• Dad and baby are not to be separated after birth
• I would like to nurse baby as soon as possible

Baby care:
• We decline the administration of the Hepatitis B shot.
• We will breastfeed only. Please do not offer baby any artificial nipples, glucose water, or formula.


As it was, I was only offered a belt type monitoring so I had to stay in bed for 30 minutes when I first got there and into my room (I'm sure the nurse loved how I was squirming around moaning "This bed is like torture.... I must get out of the bed.... isn't it over yet" ), they cut the cord faster than I wanted but I was too tired to care so I didn't say anything and DH did get to cut it, and I didn't get Pitocin until after the placenta was delivered because I was bleeding too much and apparently it slows bleeding.

 

[jgonz]

I didn't get Pitocin until after the placenta was delivered because I was bleeding too much and apparently it slows bleeding.

Pitocin forces the uterus to contract... so after you've given birth, it would force the uterus to clamp down, which slows bleeding. If your uterus got "tired" from the birthing process, it would be flacid and not contracting on it's own and pit would be a good thing to force it to do what it's supposed to do. "Kneading" the uterus also does the same thing. It depends on the doctor and hospital's ways of doing things that decides which way they'll go if there is a little too much bleeding.

Actually, breastfeeding Immediately after birth, and then as often as possible after that, is the Best way to trigger uterine contractions that help the uterus get back to it's proper size. Taking Red Raspberry Leaf during pregnancy and continuing after birth will help this process also. There are other herbs that help force the placenta to detach, help with Excessive cramping, and other related birthing issues.

 

[Leanna]

Ooooh yeah I remember the after pains when nursing..... and I took RRL..... they gave me pitocin AND a shot of something to stop the bleeding. I don't know what it was, I was super tired!

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

Leanna can you explain this to me:

Allow the cord to remain attached until the placenta is born or the cord stops pulsating, whichever happens first.

 

[Leanna]

Well from what I understand and remember (its all fuzzy now) while the cord is still pulsating the baby is still getting essential blood from the mother, in fact I think there's something special about that last bit of blood-- it helps prevent jaundice, I believe? It would be ideal to cut the cord after both the placenta was born and the cord stopped pulsating.

 

[sparassidae]

Here rooming in is standard and I never wrote a birth plan because I thought they sounded pushy.

I never had anything happen without my consent, I found the doctors and midwives great at communicating, my husband also knows exactly what we want to happen and is happy to be forceful if needed.

I have always had natural births in hospital with a midwife, although the first one needed assistance (ventouse) because he was distressed. Particularly in regards to pain relief, I found that if you didn't ask for it they are too busy to offer. It is only afterwards that the midwife says "oh, I didn't ask if you wanted the gas, I guess you were okay"

During the last pregnancy DH and I talked about him 'catching' the baby (he cut the cord for all of them). I spoke with my antenatal care midwife and she said it was fine by them as long as there were no complications at the time. At that point she advised me to write a brief note to put in my file, so that they knew that's what we wanted. The end of the pregnancy got really stressful (chickenpox in the other children) so I never got around to it.

At the hospital, even though it was busy (I only got to hospital about 1 hr before the birth, delivered in the examining room) we still managed to tell the midwife handling the birth, and it happened as planned.

Hope this helps

 

[RoseofLima]

Here was mine:

During labor, please:
• Do not offer me pain killing drugs of any kind
• I would like the IV detached and heplock taped up after administration of penicillin (for GBS)
• Intermittent monitoring using the Doppler desired, no internal monitoring and I don’t want to be stuck in the bed
• Ask before performing vaginal exams (the less often the better) or performing any procedures

For the birth, please:
• Protect my perineum in order to prevent tearing.
• Allow the cord to remain attached until the placenta is born or the cord stops pulsating, whichever happens first.

After birth, please:
• Allow the baby’s sucking to help stimulate the expulsion of the placenta, do not give shot of Pitocin to speed the process (unless the placenta does not seem to be coming and then let’s discuss it)
• Perform all newborn evaluations while baby is with me or dad

In case a cesarean birth becomes necessary:
• I would prefer an epidural if there is time
• Dad and baby are not to be separated after birth
• I would like to nurse baby as soon as possible

Baby care:
• We decline the administration of the Hepatitis B shot.
• We will breastfeed only. Please do not offer baby any artificial nipples, glucose water, or formula.


As it was, I was only offered a belt type monitoring so I had to stay in bed for 30 minutes when I first got there and into my room (I'm sure the nurse loved how I was squirming around moaning "This bed is like torture.... I must get out of the bed.... isn't it over yet" ), they cut the cord faster than I wanted but I was too tired to care so I didn't say anything and DH did get to cut it, and I didn't get Pitocin until after the placenta was delivered because I was bleeding too much and apparently it slows bleeding.

For my last three hospital births I was able to stay out of bed while they got their stupid 'test strip' with the monitors. (With my last one the baby was born before she got her 15 minutes ) I have just stood- leaning on something with the belts on (the bed or the counter or my husband). I just say-- in a non-confrontational way- I'm going to stand while you get what you need. The nurse has always just said "Oh, okay!". I also ask for someone to come in for the one vaginal exam that I allow (unless there is an emergency of some sort) who is able to check me while I am on hands and knees. I refuse to lay on my back- I just will not do it and no one can make me .

 

[BananaCake]

Here was mine:

During labor, please:
• Do not offer me pain killing drugs of any kind
• I would like the IV detached and heplock taped up after administration of penicillin (for GBS)
• Intermittent monitoring using the Doppler desired, no internal monitoring and I don’t want to be stuck in the bed
• Ask before performing vaginal exams (the less often the better) or performing any procedures

For the birth, please:
• Protect my perineum in order to prevent tearing.
• Allow the cord to remain attached until the placenta is born or the cord stops pulsating, whichever happens first.

After birth, please:
• Allow the baby’s sucking to help stimulate the expulsion of the placenta, do not give shot of Pitocin to speed the process (unless the placenta does not seem to be coming and then let’s discuss it)
• Perform all newborn evaluations while baby is with me or dad

In case a cesarean birth becomes necessary:
• I would prefer an epidural if there is time
• Dad and baby are not to be separated after birth
• I would like to nurse baby as soon as possible

Baby care:
• We decline the administration of the Hepatitis B shot.
• We will breastfeed only. Please do not offer baby any artificial nipples, glucose water, or formula.

As it was, I was only offered a belt type monitoring so I had to stay in bed for 30 minutes when I first got there and into my room (I'm sure the nurse loved how I was squirming around moaning "This bed is like torture.... I must get out of the bed.... isn't it over yet" ), they cut the cord faster than I wanted but I was too tired to care so I didn't say anything and DH did get to cut it, and I didn't get Pitocin until after the placenta was delivered because I was bleeding too much and apparently it slows bleeding.

Leanna, that's such a great example and very helpful. Thanks!

At what week did you all make a birth plan? I should hurry up and get on this

 

[Leanna]

Particularly in regards to pain relief, I found that if you didn't ask for it they are too busy to offer.

That is definitely NOT the case here in the United States. Its pretty standard to offer pain relief and/or push pain relief because it makes others jobs easier.

For my last three hospital births I was able to stay out of bed while they got their stupid 'test strip' with the monitors. (With my last one the baby was born before she got her 15 minutes ) I have just stood- leaning on something with the belts on (the bed or the counter or my husband). I just say-- in a non-confrontational way- I'm going to stand while you get what you need. The nurse has always just said "Oh, okay!". I also ask for someone to come in for the one vaginal exam that I allow (unless there is an emergency of some sort) who is able to check me while I am on hands and knees. I refuse to lay on my back- I just will not do it and no one can make me .

I was on my side but yeah I was pretty unhappy in the bed at all. I needed to pace. Not that I was much happier. :o

Leanna, that's such a great example and very helpful. Thanks!

At what week did you all make a birth plan? I should hurry up and get on this

Well I brought it in at 36 week appointment.... but I won't make one next time.