Birth Plans

[titania]

Hi Gals,

As you may have seen from my post in the "Due in June" thread, I am starting to get my thought together for this baby! So my next line of thinking has been about the Birth Plan.

Has anyone written one? Does anyone have any ideas what they want? Anyone adament about a natural birth? Or at the other end anyone praying for a ceasar?? :laughing:

I hope to have as natural a birth as possible with as little intervention as is safe. But who knows!

What everyone's thoughts???
:)
Sarah

[Mummy-2-2]

Hi Sarah..

I wrote a birthplan for dd, but they ignored it and I had a horrible time of the whole birth experience.

With ds birth, I again wrote a plan, but put in there as well, how I want to be treated. This worked!! I insisted they stick to the plan (about keeping me informed and asking me before things were done and generally treating me like a mother instead of a cow) So I definitely recommend putting in your expectations etc. rather than just the typical.. I want natural birth stuff.

I personally found that after dd I had horrible post natal depression mostly related to the birth, and after being treated with respect recently, no signs of it:)

Just make sure you arent too definite with the details, cos they are likely to change!!

[titania]

Thanks Mummy2-2 - great advice. I will make sure that is in there :) Just have to work out the rest of it!!

[bekkyboo]

Im still in the process of setting mine up. Becasue of the problems with my heart, im allowed to book in for a c-section straight up. But we have now decided to see how i go. But with all of that - DF has authority of it.... how to explain, DF knows me better than the drs, so he knows if i cant handle something or when im starting to get worse (before the machines say it) so ive told the drs (and im putting in my birthing plan) that DF has authority of the whole situation. So he can tell the drs (if im too out of it) that im not coping and to go in for a c-section...

[kiwibird27]

Birthplan.................. try not to swear at complete strangers................ don't abuse DH too much............... do as the doctors and midwife tell me too................ like the idea of active birthing - moving around alot, bath, shower, maybe take in a movie hooked up to my epidural???!!! Just gonna go with the flow - I think???!!!

[KiLLaKaZ]

i've been thinking about it lots, but am still not at ease with the whole idea of planning out the birth! lol

i now have a doula (well, once she recovers from an injury i'll meet her!) so i'll wait till she starts visits before planning anything. she said that part of her job is to be my advocate, too - so she'll ensure everyone sticks to my birth plan! :D

[ozzysmum]

my doctor said my birth plan was the best he'd ever seen. it read "1) go into labour. 2) go to hospital. 3) have baby. 4) leave hospital asap." :thumbsup:

of course, as with all plans, it didn't work - i was overdue and had to be induced so the first two points got swapped around! the rest went swimmingly, though ;)

[kiwibird27]

Ozzy'smum - Very funny I like your style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:laughing:

[titania]

i've been thinking about it lots, but am still not at ease with the whole idea of planning out the birth! lol

i now have a doula (well, once she recovers from an injury i'll meet her!) so i'll wait till she starts visits before planning anything. she said that part of her job is to be my advocate, too - so she'll ensure everyone sticks to my birth plan! :D

This sounds very familiar Kaz, I know just how you feel!!

I have an aquaintance that works as a doula and I get along with her very well, so I have spoken to her about having her come in as my birth attendant. I am having trouble explaining to my husband why I need her there in addition to the gynacologist and midwives, I'm not very good at explaining things when I am too emotionally connected to them.

<sigh>

[KiLLaKaZ]

dunno what's gunna happen with the doula thing... spoke to my midwife tonight & she says she has to ask the boss whether or not i can have one!! she said she can be in the room as support, but not sure about completing an assessment thing for her (which we need to do as she's a trainee!!) grr! hopefully i get it approved - all the midwives seem to feel very sorry for me since i'm single!! lol. it might work to my advantage ;)

[titania]

Jason gave me a fabulous book for my birthday "Better Birth" by Lareen Newman and Heather Hancock. It is just awesome. I have read it cover to cover in 2 days!

There are heaps of birth stories in there both positive and negative and it really spells out what everything means and talks a lot about respect in childbirth. I feel very empowered and informed after reading it.

I am about to start writing my birth plan and feel like I can actually make some informed choices now! I spoke to my gyny today about how she handles the birth and her view on medical intervention and she tells me she discusses everything in detail before any intervention. She did say that because of my history (I had neurosurgery to remove a tumour 3 yrs ago) it may be better to just go straight to an epidural so that I don't have to push the baby out, but I let her know that I want a chance to try on my own first. It is my hope that I will be able to get throught it all using hypnosis and coaching rather than needing much pain relief.

I'm still not sure about having a birth attendant there or not, still need to look in to this more. I think I need someone other than Jason just to give him a break at times.