Birth Plan for Elective Caesar

[GiggleBerry]

Hi,

I'm going in for an elective c/s next Monday as my bub is breech and I was wondering if you lovely ladies could give me some advice on what I could put in my birth plan.

So far this is what I want:

* Cathitor(sp?) to go in after epi- Does Anyone know he differences between an Epi & Spinal?
* DH to announce the sex
* Bub & DH to stay with me in recovery
* Sutures not staples
* Bub not to be washed off, just wrapped


That's it so far, so I would really like your ideas as I want to make this as stress free as possible and I still want to feel that it's OUR birth experience & that we have some say in it.

Thanks for your help!

Michelle

[Mrs Potts]

Hi Michelle

It's good that you know what you want. My first c/s was an emergency and I was just glad for the nightmare to be over.

My 2nd c/s was planned and I was just happy to not be going through 12 hours of labour first LOL

With regard to epi v spinal. A spinal is a one-off injection, exactly the same a local anasthetic. An epidural is one that can be "topped up". In both of my c/s's I had a spinal block. As far as I know, that's the norm. Epi's are usually for normal labour when they don't know how long it will be needed.

I think the catheter usually goes in after the spinal. It didn't for my emergency, but they did it while waiting for the Dr to be ready for us, so it was a timing thing. With the elective it went in after the spinal since they could take their time. Honestly, either way it was no biggie. That was the thing I was most terrified of, but even when I could feel it, it wasn't horrid.

I don't see why your DH can't announce the sex, as long as your OB knows that's what you want. We knew with our 2nd, but with the first I just wanted to know and didn't care who told me!

With recovery, both times my DH took bubby to get weighed etc then took him/her to the ward to wait. Didn't bother me really. You might find it will depend on hospital protocol as to whether they will let your family stay with you.

Staples v sutures - this depends on your OB. I had the same OB both times and he used disposable sutures so healing was simple. You can only talk to your Dr about this, but you may not have a choice.

I can't offer anything that you haven't mentioned. But then, the whole birth plan thing wasn't something that concerned me at all. I trusted my Dr to what was needed and was confident that I was in the best hands.

Good luck!

[MummyCharmzy]

I had it put in mine that so long as bubs health was fine bub was to stay with me at all times
Bubs was to accompany me to recovery
bubs was to be breastfeed at the soonest point in time (it happened in recovery)
I wanted bubs bought to me before being cleaned off
I wanted to see the placenta once it had been delivered
I wanted the screen lowered whilst they delivered bub
If bub needed to go to special care (which was a good chance as I had PE and GD) then hubby was to accompany baby and no one else was to see baby until I had
I wanted disolvable stitches but my surgeon talked me into removable stitches as apparently they heal better... I agree with her and would get them again!

As well as everything you mentioned already

I got everything I wanted

[pickles]

In my birth plan for a c/section i wanted

1. An epidural as preference
2. The drape to be dropped at the time of birth and for us to discover the sex of the baby.
3. baby to be seen briefly by the paed and given to me.
4. No seperation ( unless medically required )
5. to breastfeed my baby before the vitamin K / wt etc.

i didnt need to use it as things went smoothly but it was reasurring to know that it was in there and that all my caregivers had seen it.
good luck

Pickles
Dd 02/03
Ds 03/05

[TJ]

Hey Michelle.

Seeing as you are going to the Wesley, they will definitly let DH and bub stay with you in recovery and you will all go up to the ward together.

I had an EPI not a spinal, and also got the catheta put in before it was done. Seriously... it didnt hurt at all. Not going in or coming out. Although after it was out TMI.... by bits were all swollen for a day or 2, but no pain.

And with Dr Guest, he normally uses 'Michelle Clips' to put your wound back together... they are like a large version of the staples.
They didnt use these on me as they didnt have any, so i just got normal staples. Once again they didn't hurt at all and one of the middies told me that they heal quicker?? not sure how true that is.

If you just tell him what you do and dont want before he starts the OP he will be fine.

Dont forget your camera!!!

If you want to see your placenta once its out, make sure you ask, as they dont offer, they just whisk it away to dispose of (i wanted to see mine, and they happily showed me)

They will drop the screen so you can see bub coming out, and will also let your BF in recovery.
They will give you a cuddle and a hold whilst you are still in theatre as well.

HTH... i cant think of anything else that you should specifically request!!

OH if they give you morphine as pain relief, it made me mega itchy in the face about 5 hours later so just ask about that.

[Fuchsia!]

All i know is the spinal needle is half the size of a epi!!! He showed be both and the spinal was thin like a blood test needle and the epi was rather large.

I had the catheter put in before and i would have to say it was worse then getting the spinal in!!! But i think it was the nurse who was doing it. I don't think she had an idea!!!

[GiggleBerry]

Thanks Ladies....I'm getting really nervous now as it's so close. One problem with having an elective is you have time to think about it!

Thanks TJ it's great to know your experience was good as we have same doc & hospital. I did mention to Dr. Guest after seeing your pics that I didn't want staples as they freak me out and he did mention that he uses Michelle Clips but I thought that that was just a different name for what you had, so I guess I'll just go with it. It's just a vanity thing for me to be honest, I want the scar to be as "pretty" as possible

Michelle

[LittleBoysRock]

Does anybody else have any suggestions for c-section birth plans? I am having mine in 3 weeks and unsure of what to ask the OB for.

Can I take clothes for my baby to be dressed in?

Can I have skin on skin time with him as soon as possible (like maybe in recovery).

Can I have music played or is it rude for me to ask??

Any suggestions would be fantastic!

[BeautifulBoys]

Thanks Ladies....I'm getting really nervous now as it's so close. One problem with having an elective is you have time to think about it!

Thanks TJ it's great to know your experience was good as we have same doc & hospital. I did mention to Dr. Guest after seeing your pics that I didn't want staples as they freak me out and he did mention that he uses Michelle Clips but I thought that that was just a different name for what you had, so I guess I'll just go with it. It's just a vanity thing for me to be honest, I want the scar to be as "pretty" as possible

Michelle

Hello Michelle Im a member of Birthrites(WA)
I live in Hobart now.. but they are fantastic look up there website, just google "birthrites"
they have beautiful suggestions to have a empowered or positive caesarean... great birth plan ideas etc...have a look... its really good!

[BeautifulBoys]

Does anybody else have any suggestions for c-section birth plans? I am having mine in 3 weeks and unsure of what to ask the OB for.

Can I take clothes for my baby to be dressed in?

Can I have skin on skin time with him as soon as possible (like maybe in recovery).

Can I have music played or is it rude for me to ask??

Any suggestions would be fantastic!

Hi there look up www.birthrites.com WA its fab! you can look up info on having a empowered/ positive caesarean, birthplans etc.