How's your Birth Plan going?

[JumpingBean]

Hi Girls!

It's time for us to have our Birth Plans organised.:eek:
I'm pretty easy going with mine and whatever outcome I'm going to have. Probably due to when I had DD, the birth plan never even made it out of my hospital bag!!! My body and DD seemed to have different ideas to what I thought would happen.
So how are you all going with it? I can't remember how to write one either, so if anyone has any tips on what to put in it, help would be appreciated!
Thanks and good luck!:thumbsup:

[BazzasMum]

Birth plan? What's that???? ;)

Dunno - just going to go with the flow. Will chat to the nurses later, I'm planning on a water birth, so will find out what I can/can't do then, and put some notes down after that meeting (not till 36 weeks or so).

Had lots of plans of active labour etc last time, but 1 shot of morphine and I was a space cadet!! It wore off just in time for the birth.

[YacinesMommy]

Birthplan,...... what birthplan! LOL
I didnt have one last time I too just went with the flow and let my OB decided what is best. This time i'm planing on doing the same again except maybe put off the EPI a lil longer. Might just ask as when would the last possible moment be to get the pain relief. My mum was like "are you mad go for the pain relief you just dont know how painfull childbirth is, its there for you, take it!" My DH has the same attitude.
I too dont know if i could handle the pain and admire anyone who has done it drug free. You are true champions in my eyes!!

[*Chels*]

My midwife said I could write a plan,but it wasnt necessary because by the birth we would both know what I wanted.
I am having bubs at a birth centre,hopefully waterbirth.
I cant remember how to write a plan either:confused:Maybe do some googling for formats etc.
I am a bit of an organisation freak so I think I will write one anyways!

From what I recall,you should have stuff like who is your birth partner,your stance on pain relief,natural pain relief,birthing the placenta,consenting to vit K injection for bubs,heel pr!ck test etc,Thats what I put in Rileys birth plan anyways(that was in NZ,may be different here)
Might google and come back....

[*Chels*]

What is a birth plan?



A birth plan is a way of communicating with the midwives and doctors who care for you in labour. It tells them about the kind of labour you would like to have, what you want to happen and what you definitely want to avoid. It's not written in tablets of stone because the best birth plans acknowledge that things may not go according to plan. You need to write the plan in such a way that your midwife doesn't feel she has her hands tied. She may need to recommend a course of action which is not what you had originally hoped for, but which is in the best interests of your baby.

Before you start writing: Get as much information as you can:

• Go to antenatal classes (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/antenatalclasses/). Your midwife will offer you classes at your local health centre or the hospital, and there are also classes available through the NCT (http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/). A good antenatal teacher will help you make the best choices for you.

• Talk to women who have given birth at the hospital or birth centre (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/birthcentre/) you are going to, or to women who have had a home birth (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/homebirth/), if that's what you are hoping for. Find out how easy or difficult it was for them to get the kind of care they wanted.

• Talk to your partner or the person who will be your birth companion (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/roleoflabourpartner/). What sort of labour and birth would they like you to have? How do they see their role?

Then jot your 'birth wishes' down on a piece of paper -- just as they come to mind. You can sort them out later.



What to include in your plan



Here is a list of headings that you might want to use in your birth plan. You certainly don't have to use them all. Perhaps only a few are really important to you. Perhaps there are others which you can think of which aren't included here. Have a look in your maternity notes (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/testsandcare/understandmaternitynotes/) and see whether there are any suggestions for birth plans in there.

Birth companion
Write down who you want to be with you in labour. Do you want this person to stay with you all the time, or are there certain procedures or stages in labour when you'd prefer him or her to leave the room?

Positions for labour and birth
Mention which positions (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/positions/) you would like to use during labour and for your baby's delivery. Also say how active you would like to be: would you like to remain upright and mobile for as long as possible, for example, or would you prefer to be in bed.

Pain relief
Say what kinds of pain relief (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/painrelief/) you want to use, if any, and in what order (for example, you might prefer to try pethidine (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/painrelief/pethidine/) before an epidural (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/painrelief/epidural/)).

Birthing pool
If your hospital or midwife-led unit has a birthing pool (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/waterbirth/howtousebirthingpool/), or if you are hiring one to use at home, write down whether you want to use it for pain relief and/or to give birth in.

Monitoring your baby's heart rate
Say how you want your baby to be monitored (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/monitoring/) during labour. Write down whether you would like your midwife to listen to your baby's heart intermittently using a hand-held device (Sonicaid) or whether you want electronic monitoring using a belt strapped round your waist.

Assisted delivery
You might want to express a preference for forceps or ventouse if, at the end of labour, you need some help to deliver your baby.

Delivery position
Say whether you want to give birth lying on the bed, or kneeling, standing or squatting.

Third stage (delivery of the placenta)
You can choose to have an injection to speed up the delivery of the placenta, or you might want to say that you prefer to have a natural third stage (http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/managedthirdstageexpert/) without drugs.

Feeding the baby
Be clear about whether you want to breastfeed (http://www.babycenter.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/beginners/) or bottlefeed (http://www.babycenter.com.au/baby/formula/basics/). Also be clear about whether your breastfed baby is allowed to have any bottles. If you definitely don't want her to have bottles, say so.

Unexpected situations
Some women write down what they want to happen if their baby has to go the special care baby unit (http://www.babycenter.com.au/baby/prembaby/scbu/) (SCBU). They might want to be allowed to care for him as much as possible themselves, and to be transferred with him to another hospital if a transfer is necessary. They might ask for their partners to be allowed to stay with them at the hospital.

Special needs



You may have very special needs that you want to mention in your birth plan. If you have a disability, write about the kind of help you will need in labour. Say whether there is any special equipment that would assist you.

If you have particular religious needs, make sure that you include these. It might be important for you to have certain rituals carried out when your baby is born. Or you might require a special diet during your hospital stay. Write all of these things down. Hospitals and health professionals are committed nowadays to being culturally sensitive and treating people as individuals.

[JumpingBean]

Thanks Chels.
Think I mite just copy that style of template you've added. I'm really easy going with it all tho, but would like to have a birth plan anyhow.
Cheers!

[mum2ethan]

Well i dont have much of a birth plan, cos im gonna be having a c-section, but... im letting them know i would prefer a spinal than an epi and that NO-ONE is to tell me the sex of the baby i have to see it for myself... that was a big one on my last birth plan, but i pretty much went with the flow and trusted the midwife... too bad if i had one set out cos it wouldnt have gone to plan anyway!!! :rolleyes:

[PinkLily]

Some other things you could include:
* Baby's aftercare (eg. whether you want the injections administered to baby, if you don't want any pacifiers given, if you want to give baby the first bath/dress/change/feed).
* Cesarean Birth (if necessary) preferances. (eg. Partner present, photos, whether you'd prefer to be conscious, view the birth with screen lowered or mirror, partner to cut cord, immediate contact with baby after if possible).
* Whether you want to donate the umbilical cord (you can only do this in certain states and hospitals).

I already have our birth plan printed out. Pretty much the same as the first one. Only altered a few things...
I like to have a plan printed, one reason for DH to read so he knows exactly what I hope for the birth, and why. And for the midwifes and doctor, in case something goes wrong or I can't communicate my wishes...

[~*clairesmum*~]

i havent even thought about a birth plan yet, but last time i just wrote it down in the lil purple book my doc wrote in after check ups, this time i dont have it due to being in BMCS so always go to the hospital, i will be telling them things like, no bottle feeding, scott to cut the cord, no epi, dont cut me i would rather tear.... skin to skin contact is to be mad with till after first breast feed...

things like that, but my lil sister downloaded a birth plan from huggies so i mite jsut use that or google one lol....


which reminds me i have to start writing a list of things we need for bubs like we still have to get lol

[PrincessT]

I wrote a birth plan for this c/s as it just contained a few things I wanted to make clear to the OB. I have already discussed the following with him. Its more of a check list than a birth plan though -

1. Spinal as opposed to epidural. No morphine.
2. No chatter amongst staff during the birth. Even though its a c/s its still the birth of my child and I dont really need to know what the nurse is doing over the weekend or what the assist doctor is having for lunch. Keep all chatter on topic about what is happening to me and the stages of the procedure.
3. I double checked re: still photos in the operating theatre.
4. Baby to stay with me during recovery. If there is any need for her to be taken away (to special nursery for example) then DH will go with her and my mum will stay with me.
5. My mum and DH to be in theatre with me.
6. Vit K injections etc approved by DH and I.
7. My choice of Paediatrician. Allegra's works at the hospital so I would rather both bubs have the same. Just for ease for me.

I must say Dr Baber, my OB's is great and was happy and accommodating for everything I have asked for. He even said I can have my champagne LOL.

[Mrs Potts]

This will be c/s #3 for me and I've never had a birth plan. My first birth ended in an emergency c/s, and aside from the 12 hours of fruitless labour before hand I was happy with everything that happened.

Consequently when I had c/s #2 with the same Ob I knew exactly what he would do, what the procedures were, and I was happy with that.

3rd time, same Ob so I still don't have a need for a birth plan. Although this time I will ask to see the placenta - you'd think by baby #3 I would have seen one!

[loulousmum]

I guess I am lucky like Mrs Potts in that I've had the same Dr for all three pregnancies. We have a good understanding and he shares that with the group of Drs who cover for him.
My DH knows the drill too. So I won't have a written plan - just a willingness to go with the flow.

[MammaSoni]

I didn't have a birth plan last time and as a result a few things happened during labour that I wished didn't happen i.e. the brutal way my waters were broken and not being given the opportunity to get out of bed during the early stages of labour.

This time around I am going to write up a birth plan. And hopefully by visualizing how I want the birth to go, it will turn out that way.

[kamb1403]

I didn't have a birth plan with the twins - that ended in an emergency c-section. My last pregnancy was scheduled as a c-section by my doctor - there was no option to go natural due to blood pressure. This time I am having another c-section.

[BazzasMum]

Check this out..... you just tick the boxes you like and it spits out and birth plan for you.

http://www.childbirth.org/interactive/ibirthplan.html

[Electric Mumi]

Kirsty thats a fab site!! Cheers for that :yelclap: