My birth plan - natural birth in Hospital

[Honeybumbum]

In Hospital natural birth

For Hospital Admission, we request:
· Husband to be present at all times.
· Heparin Lock only in case of emergency please.
· To decline discussion on pain tolerance & pain levels.

During Labor, we request:
· The medical caregivers to refrain, in the absence of any true medical emergency, from any practice or procedure that could unnecessarily stand in the way of our having the most natural birth as possible.
· Maintain a quiet room with no excess hospital staff.
· Please refrain from any reference to pain or offer any pain medication unless requested.
· Freedom of choice to walk, utilize birthing ball, and shower as a pain relief measure.
· Minimal number of vaginal exams to avoid premature release of membranes.
· To be fully apprised and consulted before the introduction of any medical procedure.
· Intermittent FHM unless medically necessary.
· No internal monitoring in the absence of fetal distress.
· No augmentation of labor via Pitocin, Amniotomy, or stripping of the membranes without discussion and explanation of need.

During Birthing, we request:
· To allow natural birthing instincts to facilitate the descent of the baby, as much as possible, with mother directed breathing down until crowning takes place.
· Use Hypnobirthing breathing techniques without staff prompts.
· To birth in an atmosphere of gentle encouragement, dim lights, limited staff in room.
· To assume a birthing position of my choice. Use
of squatting bar if desired.
· I would rather risk ripping than recieving an episiotomy. No episiotomy in the absence of fetal distress.
· Use suctioning device rather than forceps if assistance is medically necessary.
· No cord traction, Pitocin, or manual removal of placenta unless there is an emergency.
· My husband would like to cut the umbilical cord.

For Baby,
· He will be breastfeeding only - no bottles, pacifiers, or formula.
· Perform all exams of baby in our presence.
· I want to hold my baby after he is bathed and before any non-urgent procedures.
· I would like a copy of the infant footprints.
· I request that my husband stay with the baby at all times for any procedure that will not be in my presence.
· We would like our son circumcised.

If a cesarean becomes necessary, we request:
· My husband present at all times during the operation.
· The screen lowered a bit so I can see my son coming out.
· The baby given to my partner as soon as he's dried (as long as he's in good health).
· My husband to be with our son at all times.
· To breastfeed my son as soon as possible.

 

[Honeybumbum]

What does everyone think of my birth plan? I've always planned on having a natural birth and I hope I made my wishes pretty clear. If there is anything else you guys can think of that I can add to it that I haven't thought about already, let me know. I am also interested in hearing other people's perspectives on natural births and your experiences with it.

 

[hopefulfor1st]

The only thing is with a cesarean the husband isn't allowed in the room when they are prepping you and when they make the first incision. (Incase for some reason pain relief doesn't work he would freak out) he waits in a waiting room and they bring him in just before they open up the uterus.

 

[hopefulfor1st]

Also sometimes a plan doesn't mean anything.
I never went into labour or had my waters break- I had an emergency cesarean as my placenta tore away and I started bleeding out it was extremely life threatening to me and baby- I had zero control over the situation and I'm actually glad as it was not a time for me to be making decisions (they didn't even have time to check my blood type for a transfusion let alone a birth plan) I've never experienced a contraction.
At the end of the day I don't care the main thing is my baby and I survived.

I hope u get the birth you want, but just saying if you don't- the health of your baby and you is more important than "the experience"

 

[BunnyN]

I think it's a good birth plan. You have explained your wishes very clearly and simply.

I ended up not doing a birth plan when LO was born as it was a HB with a independent MW and I felt the MW was on the same page as me so didn't need one with her. I still wanted to do one in case I went to hospital but just couldn't get the wording right so ended up just making sure OH knew what I wanted. I think next time I'd try to have something like you have written though.

 

[sunshine0421]

I am going to try to have a natural hospital birth as well. My birth plan is pretty similar to yours. The only difference in mine is that I requested to not have SO cut the cord until it stops pulsating. A midwife told me that 1/3 of babys blood is in the cord when baby is delivered so to me its important to wait until it has stopped pulsating. Another thing I have in my birth plan is that "if" I tear and need stitched i request for my MD to use a local anesthetic to numb the area. If I'm doing this naturally I want a little relief if i tear The last thing is if everything goes as planned to breastfeed right away. Bonding is super important to me and nipple stimulation can help birth the placenta. Other than that we have really similar birth plans!! I hope we both get the natural birth that we want, but as long as our babies are born healthy I will be happy!!

 

[krys]

I think it's really good! My birth plan is actually very similar, so it was nice to read another natural hospital birth plan

 

[eris]

That would be a fairly similar if not almost exact birth plan I would choose! I'm still very early in pregnancy, but I've already been told they won't allow me to go over 40 weeks. How far along are you that you should start making your wishes known with both the hospital and midwife/OB?

 

[BunnyN]

That would be a fairly similar if not almost exact birth plan I would choose! I'm still very early in pregnancy, but I've already been told they won't allow me to go over 40 weeks. How far along are you that you should start making your wishes known with both the hospital and midwife/OB?

Do you mind me asking why they don't want you to go over 40 weeks?

 

[eris]

She said it's because of my age. 35. Well I'll be 36 when I give birth, but I don't really see it being an issue. I do take issue with being induced though.

 

[BunnyN]

She said it's because of my age. 35. Well I'll be 36 when I give birth, but I don't really see it being an issue. I do take issue with being induced though.

Wow! I'm quite shocked that they are so keen to induce just because you are are over 35.

 

[ttc bubby no2]

In Hospital natural birth

For Baby,
· He will be breastfeeding only - no bottles, pacifiers, or formula.
· Perform all exams of baby in our presence.
· I want to hold my baby after he is bathed and before any non-urgent procedures.

It would be better to have skin to skin contact before he if bathed especially for a good start for breastfeeding. In fact not bathing them for a few days (or longer - we waited a week with our 2nd) is really beneficial to the baby.

Google "skin to skin newborn" for more information about it

 

[Honeybumbum]

That would be a fairly similar if not almost exact birth plan I would choose! I'm still very early in pregnancy, but I've already been told they won't allow me to go over 40 weeks. How far along are you that you should start making your wishes known with both the hospital and midwife/OB?

I am 27 weeks along with no complications so far. I created my birth plan because I am set in stone about the things I want for my baby's birth. If there are no complications during birth, I want to make sure that my experience is as close to my wishes as possible so as to ensure that my baby and I have a natural, drug-free birth.

 

[kanga]

I think it's very good but also very long and so may not be fully read by those you need to read it. Can you make it shorter and leave your oh or doula to give the general message of "everything natural, no intervention, leave my wife alone as much as poss please" verbally? X

 

[Honeybumbum]

I think it's very good but also very long and so may not be fully read by those you need to read it. Can you make it shorter and leave your oh or doula to give the general message of "everything natural, no intervention, leave my wife alone as much as poss please" verbally? X

I definitely agree that it needs to be shorter and less wordy. I was thinking it was quite long myself. I think I could probably make it shorter by stating everything very concisely, like you said, to give them a general sense of what I want. I'll revise it today and post a new one with all my changes so far.

 

[BunnyN]

In Hospital natural birth

For Baby,
· He will be breastfeeding only - no bottles, pacifiers, or formula.
· Perform all exams of baby in our presence.
· I want to hold my baby after he is bathed and before any non-urgent procedures.

It would be better to have skin to skin contact before he if bathed especially for a good start for breastfeeding. In fact not bathing them for a few days (or longer - we waited a week with our 2nd) is really beneficial to the baby.

Google "skin to skin newborn" for more information about it

Same here, we had skin to skin right away, in fact it was one of the big benefits of delayed cord clamping for me was that no one could take her away from me as long as the cord was attached. The MW caught her and gave her straight to me. The first moments are really amazing and emotional, I'd feel a bit robbed if they were spent with someone else. Of course she was all slimy which might gross some people out but I didn't care at all, even my husband who is grossed out easily didn't care about the blood and slime, lol as we were too busy looking at her and she latched onto my breast within seconds. The MW actually advised that we didn't bath her right away because her skin was quite dry from being 'well baked'. We gave her her first bath at about a week old.

 

[Sweedot]

I just had a natural hospital birth on December 18th and I was unfortunately induced "again" with pitocin drip and had my waters ruptured.

I was 6 days past 40 weeks and hoping and praying I would go into labour of my own accord, I tried walking, I tried hit food, I had sex three times a day, I used evening primrose oil but nothing worked. During my NST they decided they didn't like babies heart trace and sent me to labour and delivery for extended monitoring. I knew when I walked in they had already made up THEIR minds not to allow me to leave. The pressure to induce was there Immediately. They knew I was against induction but they conned me, saying, we really just want to monitor for two hours, we will see what happens and make a decision together. Yah, decision together my butt. The doctor came in and said, we're going to induce today...I didn't see any discussion there. I asked for more time but she ran off a bunch of reasons for induction..including my fluid levels trending down,they were 8 which was low normal, baby having some heart decelerations during contractions, although those never happened during the extended monitoring, me being post date and finally I had a couple of high bp readings, but my ob had been perfect all pregnancy and was elevated from the stress they were causing me.

I asked for. Cervadil pessary, hoping this would be enough to kick me into gear naturally. The midwife did a cervical exam, she was really rough and I kicked her off because I needed to pee, she said shed tried to sweep me but I couldn't handle it, which made me really cross, I was trying not to pee on her. I told them I wanted a natural. Birth and she literally scoffed at me because I "couldn't even handle a sweep" in her own words. I lost my temper with them and told them I'd had a very bad induction experience with my daughter resulting almost in an EMCS and it had basically scarred me. They have me the shpeel, tried to reassure me but I knew it was all going down in the same way as with dd. the nurse assured me, you won't be getting pitocin today. I knew otherwise. They told me cervadil was "pointless" because my cervix was Favorable at 2cm and 50% effaced. I tried to get them to give it to me, not necessarily becaise I was unfavourable for pitocin, but because I was trying to avoid pitocin altogether and I hoped the cervadil might kick start me naturally. They said, ok at first and then ganged up on me, bringing in two doctors and a midwife, the doctor said, don't worry, I made stupid decisions during labour too. She then proceeded to tell me, she was the expert and I would have my baby in 12 hrs. They definitely had their own agenda for me, and I can assure you, nothing was discussed, they basically manipulated me into what the felt was the course of action I needed.

They started the drip at 3:30 starting at 2 units and over four hrs progressing to 20 units (the max) my contractions were manageable and not overly effective, I did dilate to 3 cm and effaced to 75 percent. The waters were ruptured at 9:00pm, this was on the second attempt due to baby being too palpable And high up...which was risk for cord prolapse.

Pitocin induction basically means you're strapped to a bed for the whole labour. I had to be continuously monitored , even when peeing...I was allowed up for short Periods,,which I had to ask for, I knew I needed to labour upright to bring the baby down...it was a fight to get them to allow me. I actually felt some relief from contractions sitting on the toilet, but they would only allow me to do this once in a while because it meant being off the monitors...a huge no no.

They said, once we break your waters we will order hour epidural...I again reiterated, no epidural. They gave me a look, like, yeah right, sure.

Contractions after the water ruptured were intense, they came fast...I asked for the pit to be turned down, they did comply with this request to get contrAction from every 1.5 minutes to every 2-3 minutes for respite. I had to have a contraction monitor inserted interNlly to measure their strength, they desicoverex they were too strong and turned the pitocin down Again. I breathed through the contractions. I used low deep in my belly moans, ahhhhhhhs, oooooooooohs, I focused intensely and I allowed and urged my cervix to relax and open. Was it incredibly painful...yes. It was the worst pain of my life, did hypnobabies hell me, yes...but more so, getting up. And walking, moving, swaying, being active.l.which is near impossible with induction. I was checked At 12:30pm, 9 hours into pitocin and over three hrs into waters breaking and I was 7cm, within 15 minutes of the check I delivered. I asked to get up and I laboured on all fours on my knees , I felt the baby engage, I was screaming in pain...and within a few contractions I had the push urge. I squatted but was in a sitting position and baby was born in 2 pushes. At 12:44am. I had no pain medication, no epidural, no drugs of any kind for pain relief. I used hypnosis and sheer will power to get through the induction.

Is a natural hospital birth possible, yes, is a pitocin induced natural birth possible...yes, but my god, you have to fight for it, you have to have an iron will, not just to fight your own pain and suffering back but you have to fight off hospital staff with their own agenda, time frames and trust yourself, your mind and your body. The minute you self doubt, they have you. My advice is have a doula, refuse induction and labour at home as much as possible. Surround yourself with a natural birth advocate team of staff..even one bad egg can comtaminate the basket. I got rid of the first negative midwife and requested another. I requested a nurse who was in favour of natural delivery and I had to really stick up for myself and do what I felt I needed to do.

 

[Sweedot]

I should add, I had no birth plan written down because it means diddly squat to them...it only means something to you, your DH and the team you surround yourself with to be your advocate...ie a doula! The doctors, the midwives don't give jack about what you want, they go play by play....believe this...when I was told I was only being sent for extended monitoring, I heard the high risk doc call down to l&d and say, "we're sending mrs Wilbur down, yes, she's being induced today, I want everyone on my team at the holiday party by 4:00pm"

They had no intentions of not inducing me, they told me what I wanted to hear. Pitocin means a fast labour, epidural means they do less work since you're stuck in a bed..it's quick, it's easy and thy won't miss their party.