I have no birth plan

[itsnowmyturn]

I haven't made any plans other than I want water at some point. I haven't decided whether I want to birth in the pool or just labour in it. I haven't decided what sort of pain relief I want other than I'd like to avoid epidural if possible because catheters make my bladder give up working for a day after, other than that I have no plan. Do the midwives prefer a plan or r they ok with going in a winging it?? My plan is to have a baby safely, how can I plan for something iv never experienced and that everyone experiences differently and that is so changeable. I feel so under prepared for labour, my hospital bag is only half packed too

 

[Mummy to be x]

With my first born I felt just like you do now.

All I put in my birth plan was 'go with the flow' and the midwives where happy with that and they actually said quite a lot of ladies put something along those lines, especially first time mums.

 

[babe2ooo]

I've got no birth plan. Apart from I want an epidural. I had a birth plan with my first and it didn't go to plan at all.

 

[emeeorevan]

I don't have a birth plan. Never had, just let the nurses and doc know that I want as little intervention as possible, plan on ebf and want baby in my room. Other wise I just go with the flow. Had an epidural with last two. Trying to go natural this time but may cave at last minute, who knows! As long as baby gets here safely that is all that matters!

 

[Gingerspice]

I wrote a plan for dd. Didn't really get to follow it. This time i'm thinking of just noting what happened last time to make sure they're aware (episiotomy cut led to bleeding which they couldn't stop) and any key preferences.
So 'if aid is required i'd rather ventouse than forceps' and 'open to painkillers if advised that they will aid delivery/help me rest/focus/progress'
'Would like to remain mobile '

 

[Genevevex]

It's okay not to have one. Most deliveries don't really go as "planned" anyway. Just maybe list what preferences you may have, and that is plenty enough.

 

[Ziggie]

Mine isn't a plan so much as a list of would likes. Most of it is things to remind me to help me relax and with pain relief (the midwife suggested this too). Plus I want my OH to tell me baby's sex. So I wrote that down. Delayed cord cutting and I want to try for a physiological third stage nothing major. And I reserve the right to change my mind about anything lol

 

[MrsKChicago]

From what I hear, it's impossible to know what will make you most comfortable in the moment. All you can do is educate yourself on your options, and have an idea of intervention preferences - do you want to avoid epidurals? Under what circumstances will you agree to induction? Do you want to be able to move around during labor? Do you want the vitamin K drops and such for the baby? Do you want skin to skin time immediately? Does your DH want to catch the baby or cut the cord if there are no complications? Stuff like that that you'd want to pre-arrange or make sure is allowed. Once you start getting into specifics like what position you want to be in, you're not going to know until you're in labor anyway, I think.

 

[pinkcatgirl]

I wrote a detailed one for my first labour and my husband laminated it (in case it fell in the birth pool!!). The midwife didn't even look at it!

Haven't written a word this time round, but have prepped husband to answer questions for me.

 

[kmpssbl]

I don't have a plan either. My OB asked me a couple weeks ago if I had one, and all I said was that I'd most likely be getting the epidural at some point because I have a low pain tolerance. All I know is I want my husband by my side the entire time, and I know I'll want ice chips. I love ice chips. So much. I figure I'll just go with the flow and that way I won't be stressing about what could go wrong

 

[ambertwogood]

This is my first and to be perfectly honest just the thought of D day is utterly overwhelming. I don't have a " plan " either, and feel overwhelmed with the entire process. I wish I could find some kind of fill in blank birth plan, lol, or a multiple question form so I had some kind of idea of the things that I can even begin to want-not want, etc. I really don't even know my options or what I should be starting to think about and decide on. I'm lost in the whole experience.....

 

[ispeakinsongs]

Birth plans to me personally is a waste of time. I didn't do one last time and I was glad.
I would have liked a natural water birth at the birthing centre, instead I was onitored at the hospital and ended up with a emcs lol!
You can rarely plan these things

 

[itsnowmyturn]

Thank god I'm not the only one, it just seems so bizarre that ur expected to plan for something that uv no idea about how it's guna be or how u will cope with it.
My consultant told me im at risk of a quick labour anyway so that made me think even more that a plan would be pointless because there wouldn't be enough time to implement any of.it

 

[Genevevex]

I don't have a plan either. My OB asked me a couple weeks ago if I had one, and all I said was that I'd most likely be getting the epidural at some point because I have a low pain tolerance. All I know is I want my husband by my side the entire time, and I know I'll want ice chips. I love ice chips. So much. I figure I'll just go with the flow and that way I won't be stressing about what could go wrong

My dad was in the delivery room with me during the birth of my son. This, in itself, was completely unplanned (he asked to stay at the last minute). He stayed up by my head and periodically would give me some chips of ice to suck on. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that! It was so nice getting those ice chips between pushes. Something I never would have thought of going into it.

 

[Selaphyna]

I never had one with DS1, other than I knew I would want an epidural. I went into having him/being induced with hardly any knowledge.

This time around, still didn't write one out, but with how fast my labor went, there wasn't any point to it.

 

[GI_Jane]

Honestly I wouldn't worry (or bother writing one).
Just have an idea of what you might want but it really will be a case of seeing how it goes and remember that when you are presented with options just ask (or DH ask) the pros and cons and what the alternatives are. Good luck