Birth plans

[Smile181c]

Hey ladies

As I'm almost in 3rd tri now and starting to discuss labour with my consultant/midwife (i'm a high risk pregnancy due to prev c-section) I thought I'd try and write a tentative birth plan...does this seem too over the top/too long?? I've tried to keep it as short as possible and it all fits on one side of A4...

• I would like my husband to be with me when I give birth.

• Should I require an emergency C-Section I would like my husband with
me in theatre.

• I would like to avoid a forceps delivery at all costs.

• I would like to use a birthing pool.

• I am happy to have a cannula.

• I would like to request that there is no restriction on the length of my
labour stages if the baby is showing no signs of distress.

• I am happy to receive electronic continuous foetal monitoring during my
labour via telemetry as I would like to labour in the pool. This has been
agreed with my consultant.

• I would like to be able to freely move around during labour.

• I am not sure what position I will be giving birth in.

• I would like my baby to be delivered straight onto my tummy after birth.

• I am happy to have a student midwife observe my labour/birth.

• I would like to avoid medicinal pain relief such as pethidine. My primary
pain relief choices are breathing and relaxation, being in water, massage,
and gas and air. I am happy to take paracetamol.

• I would like to completely avoid an epidural. Please do not offer one to
me.

• If an episiotomy is necessary I would like to be pre-warned. I would
prefer to be allowed to tear naturally if the tear isn’t going to be too bad.

• I would like to have a physiological 3rd stage, but am willing to have the
injection if necessary.

• I am keen to breast feed my baby but had difficulties with my first child.
If I could stay in hospital until feeding is established I’d be very grateful.

• I am happy for my baby to receive vitamin K.

 

[NerdyMama]

Looks good to me! It is precise and well written

 

[MindUtopia]

Actually I would almost try to make the language you use even more assertive and direct, and tell them your wishes rather than things you'd like to avoid.

So I would say instead of "I'd like to avoid medicinal pain relief..." I would say, "I plan to have a natural birth with no medicinal pain relief. Please do not offer pethidine or an epidural. If I wish to have additional pain relief, I will request it."

I would try to steer away from language like "I'd like to be able" and just tell them what you plan to do. "I plan to have a water birth with monitoring through telemetry if needed" or "I plan to have a physiological 3rd stage unless the injection is needed" or "I plan to move around freely while I labour", etc.

You might also want to include other things like whether you want to be told the sex of your baby (if you don't know) or you want to look yourself, or specify a set time for skin to skin (I told them an hour of skin to skin undisturbed, they busied themselves cleaning up and doing their notes while they waited).

 

[Smile181c]

Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely try to sound more assertive. I was just wary of coming across too demanding and the midwives effectively ignoring it/me! But how you've worded it sounds really good thanks

 

[Smile181c]

Does this sound better? I've changed the order too to make it a bit easier to read through :thumbup

• My husband will be my only birth partner.

• I am happy to have a cannula.

• I am happy to have a student midwife observe my labour/birth.

• I plan to have a natural vaginal birth (VBAC) with no medicinal pain relief. My primary pain relief choices are breathing and relaxation, being in water, massage, and gas and air. Please do not offer pethidine or an epidural. If I wish to have additional pain relief, I will request it.

• I plan to have a water birth if a pool is available. I am happy to receive electronic continuous foetal monitoring during my labour through telemetry to enable me to labour in the water. This has been agreed with my consultant.

• I plan to freely move around during labour but I am not sure what position I will be giving birth in.

• I ask that there is no restriction on the length of my labour stages if the baby is showing no signs of distress.

• If an assisted delivery is necessary, please use the suction cup rather than forceps. I am extremely anxious about using forceps, so please bear this in mind.

• Should I require an emergency C-Section I would like my husband with me in theatre providing I am not under general anaesthetic.

• If an episiotomy is necessary please pre-warn me. I would prefer to tear & heal naturally if the tear isn’t going to be too bad.

• I plan to have a physiological 3rd stage, but am willing to have the injection if necessary.

• I would like my baby to be delivered straight onto my tummy after birth for skin to skin contact and immediate breastfeeding.

• I plan to breast feed my baby but had difficulties with my first child which resulted in me formula feeding. If I could stay in hospital overnight until breastfeeding is established I’d be very grateful.

• I am happy for my baby to receive vitamin K.

 

[Twag]

Looks good

Hmmm need to think about mine!

 

[yaelibelli]

there is no such thing is an over thought birth plan

 

[hanni]

I could be totally wrong but I thought if you'd had a previous csection you had to be continually monitored throughout labour and therefore couldn't have a water birth?
I will be so happy if I'm wrong!

 

[Smile181c]

It all depends on your hospitals policy but my hospital has wireless monitoring that is also waterproof so my consultant has approved a water both for me (providing a pool is available when I go into labour!) so happy about this

 

[hanni]

That is amazing! I thought it was just a definite no. I'm definitely going to enquire about this when I have my next. I felt awful at the idea of all my future births being spent strapped up lying in a hospital bed.

 

[Smile181c]

That was part of the reason I was so ready to fight for a VBAC but luckily my consultant is really pro natural