Making a birth plan?

[~Stephanie~]

Did any of you guys make a birth plan?

A couple of my friends have made one.

What all do you include in a birth plan...or does anyone have an example of one?

Just curious....

[Envelope]

I didn't make a birth plan with Either of my girls.  Around here they're just far too over rated.  Like the hospital I worked in (and gave birth in) you HAD to have an IV NO MATTER WHAT!!  There was NO option, NO discussion...if you were giving birth you HAD to have one....(this was all for legal reasons, and in case there was complications or the mom needed an emergency c-section or something)......  All the books kind of Indicate that an IV is the mother's choice.....and that's just NOT the case everywhere.

I planned on having an Epidural with my first one (I am the BIGGEST wimp in the universe!!).....but due to my scoliosis the anesthesiologist could NOT get it in (even after 3 tries).......I finally told him to forget it because I had to push anyway and everyone was flipping out because I had been dilated to a 3 about an hour before.....LUCKY for me...I WAS ready to push, but had to try to wait until the dr got there!!  LOL  EVERYONE talked about how GREAT I did (because they all knew I was a wimp!!) LOL..........

I planned on NOT getting an epidural the second time because I didn't need one with the first...........welll.........I didn't fare so well and was in a LOT more pain.....ALSO, Lucky for me the anesthesiologist got my epidural on the FIRST try and I lived happily ever after!!!

Neither of my experiences would have been "planned" for with a birth plan.  I think you can make one.....but find out how your ob dept works and what they will and won't allow for first!!!

sharon

[rapunzelgirl]

I think you need one if you want any outside-the-norm stuff.  If we ever have children I'll definitely have one, because I don't want a lot of the things that hospitals might automatically do (certain vaccines, epidural, taking the baby away too soon, cutting the cord too soon, etc.)  It's good to already have everything nailed down and your doctor sign off on it before you go into labor and get all crazy.  There's some decisions that I will want to have already made before hand.

[Mrs.Wilson]

I kind of had one with my first baby.  I knew I didn't want an epidural and I knew I wanted the baby to stay in the room with me.  So, those things were pretty easy to control.  Also, I planned on breastfeeding.  That's something that you want to make sure everyone knows or they will try to give your baby formula.  You need to give the baby the first meal if you want to breastfeed.  Also, you want them to know whether or not you want your baby to take a pacifier.  There are pros and cons to giving your baby a pacifier and you need to be the one to make that choice, not the hospital. 

I'm pregnant with my second child and at my last appointment they had me fill out a form that was my "birth plan".  I didn't do that with the first one and it's going to be a different hospital due to us moving.  They asked multiple choice questions like "Do you want anyone in the room with you besides your spouse?"  The options were to have the phone unplugged and a note on the door and I forget the rest, but that's the one I chose.  I don't want the phone unplugged though.  I don't know what's up with that.  At my son's birth there was a couple that we are pretty good friends with that showed up a little before the birth.  Then they left and came back right after I had given birth, literally.  And the nurses and everyone let them in the room.  I didn't like that.  So, I do like the idea of a note on the door. 

some other questions they asked were if I wanted the lights dimmed.  Did I want to be able to walk around.  Did I want an IV.  Do I want the baby to stay in the room with me.  Do I want to breastfeed.  Do I want every medical procedure explained to me before it is done.  Do I want the baby to recieve immunizations.  Do I want any pain killers/epidural.  Do I want someone to accompany the baby if it is taken out of the room. 

I thought it was really interesting that they asked these questions and I wonder how much they are going to go by what I put I wanted.  There are a few things that I am pretty adamant about like breastfeeding, taking the baby out of the room, no visitors at a certain time, no epidural.  I'm not against epidurals.  I'm just a wimp when it comes to needles.  I was afriad of getting an IV until I hit that point where I just wanted the baby to come out. 

So, in my opinion you should have a few things that you really want to "stick to your guns" about.  And, a few things that aren't that big of a deal to you, but you would like to have them a certain way if you could. 

One thing that you will get hassled about no matter what you tell them is breastfeeding.  so many hospital are totally for breastfeeding that the nurses are almost hostile about it.  And feel free to change your birth plan as the labor and delivery progress.  If you had said you didn't want the baby to leave, but you would really like to be able to rest without worrying about the baby feel free to ask a nurse to take it to the nursery. 

It's really all up to you and making you feel comfortable.

lol Sorry so long.

[Arctic Rose]

I had my first one in a civilian hospital. The baby got to stay with me in my room the whole time. Since I wanted to breastfeed, they pushed it, until I finally had enough and said to back  off and gave him formula. They tested my milk and the reason he refused it with a passion it that all the meds they gave me got in the milk and he wouldn't drink it.

The second one I had in a military hospital and I had to have an IV and there was no if an or buts about it, the baby was not allowed to stay with me. He had to go to the nursery if I fell asleep. That made me so mad. But even with a C-Section I was out of the hospital in a day. I was up and walking around 4 hours after the c-section and I was walking up straight even though it hurt.

Plans are fine and dandy if the hospital even accepts it. I know the two I was at never did. But the first was civilian so I had more of a choice to where the baby got to stay.

Claudea

[newkris]

i was 18 and 22 when i had my boys.  i didn't know there was such a thing as a "birth plan."  i went to the hospital.  i had babies. 

my daughter-in-law, however, seems to have held to some of these things.  the babies stayed in her room and they had NO visitors until after the babies were born.  and i mean NO.  not her mom, not me, no one. 

as for the phone being shut off . . . i can see the wisdom in that.  the more rest the better while you're in the hospital, honestly.

i was awfully sick with both pregnancies, maybe that's why i didn't even think to question them taking my babies out of the room.  i knew i wouldn't get much sleep once i got home.  i slept and healed a lot while in the hospital and needed to. 

i think it's great to plan ahead, but you must be flexible and realize that the hospital staff is getting paid to take care of you and really are mostly in their profession because they want to help people.  they aren't trying to make your life miserable or ruin your joy or your health.  you might think you know as much as they do, but unless you're a pediatrician or a nurse, you don't.  honestly.  let them do their job. 

that's my mom's-two-cents for what it's worth!

[Chseeads]

Birth Plan

1.  Get pregnant
2.  Gestate for about 9 months
3.  Start to get ready to have the baby (contractions, dilations, etc.)
4.  Break water
5.  Push
6.  Scream
7.  Cry
8.  Curse #1
9.  Pop out kid
10.  Admire how cute it is even though it's all red and blotchy and cone-headed and looks like a baby rat

[myhaloisintheshop]

I didn't really have a birth plan per say--I wanted all the drugs they could give me 

With my first I wanted him in the room with me but with each child after that it got to the point that I wanted them in the nursery more and more.  With my 4th I stressed to them that I needed that time to rest and that I needed the baby in the nursery when I was sleeping/napping.  They were happy to help    I turned off my phone at certain points and even refused visitors with the 4th baby.  If I would have known back with the first 3 how much that helped I would have done it with all of them!

[~Stephanie~]

Yeah I've had a couple people tell me not to feel bad to let the nursery take the baby at times so I can rest. Especially because once I get home, it is me and the baby. Might as well rest up while I can.

There are just a few things I want the hospital to know.

I do NOt want an episiotomy. If I tear naturally a little that is fine, but I don't want an episiotomy.
I also do not want to be nagged about pain medication. I don't do well with pain medication, even half of normal doses is sometimes too much for me, so I'd rather tell them when the pain is getting to be too much.
I also don't want him/her to have pacifier or bottle until i get established well with nursing.
Nothing major just a few preferences.

[Mrs.Wilson]

Yeah, overall you really need to be flexible because there are things they will allow and won't allow. 

For me I didn't get any rest at all in the hospital.  The girl I was sharing a room with kept getting visitors and didn't know how to turn her light off.  If it wasn't that then it was the really nice, but chatty nurse.  I couldn't wait to get home so I could take a nap.  lol Plus I felt that since my husband was there I had to visit with him.  I think this time I will tell him to watch the baby, I'm going to sleep.

[Envelope]

I had an episiotomy with both mine (I really didn't get a choice) but It was not bad at all!!  I STILL tore with my first one though........but didn't with the second.

The hospital I had the girls at (also where I worked) had rooming in for babies.  Mothers were encouraged to have the babies WITH them in the room.......it was great!!  I loved it!

With baby #2 though, she was on oxygen for 5 days in NICU so she couldn't "room in".  I could only visit her in the NICU.  They let me stay (free) in  a hospital room (since I couldn't drive the 40 miles home because I was nursing her.)

Stephanie, I see nothing wrong with the wishes that you have.  Just check with your ob ward and see if there's any "required" stuff that you'd want to know about.  Also, try and take the prenatal classes, they usually tell about the facility you're having the baby at too!!

sharon

[Envelope]

Goodness, the hospital I was at Had PRIVATE rooms for all the moms!!!!  I could not IMAGINE having to share a room!!!!  REQUEST A PRIVATE ROOM THIS TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It will make SUCH a difference!!!!!!!!!

sharon

[Mrs.Wilson]

lol I so wish I could have.  I didn't have a choice though.  We are touring the hospital we will be delivering at this time in the beginning of October.  We will see if I get a private room.  I hope I do.  lol Maybe I should pray that I do. 

Before I had the baby I thought I wanted a female doctor, nurses that have been doing this for a long time, and my own room.  When I got there and got ready to have the baby I didn't care about any of that.  I just wanted to see the baby. 

[Envelope]

I sure hope so!!!  It is SOOOOO nice to not have to worry about showing your "unders" to a room mate!!  LOL  I am SOOOOOOOOO stinkin modest it's NOT funny!!!  I was kind of worried that I'd have problems showing my "ahem" to the dr, (because I worked with him) but he was ULTRA professional!!!!!  and I wouldn't have traded my doctor for ANYTHING.........he was awesome!!!  My doctor was in TEARS because as I was having the baby I kept crying and telling the nurses and doctor I had the BEST husband in the world!!!  (he usually hears a lot of cursing...LOL)

I'll be praying you can get a private room!!  That would be SOOOOO nice because THEN, you COULD rest!!!!!  I was a LOT more tired with baby #2 because I had a VERY active toddler to keep up with!!

sharon

[Mrs.Wilson]

Well, we had a curtain between us so it wasn't that bad.  I pretty much stayed in bed the whole time. 

I understand about showing yourself to the doctor.  That's why I wanted a female. 

I had back labor with my son and I was drugged up.  Jarrod said I asked him to sing to me and it calmed me down.  He said the nurse that was standing there was really surprised.  I never yelled or cursed at my husband.  lol I was the one that prayed that I would get pregnant. 

lol I was kind of in the middle of pushing when I hear, "what is that!?  That's disgusting!"  I was a little drugged and freaked out at that.  My husband told me not to worry about it, they were watching tv.  It turns out it was that commercial where the lady "blends" stuff in the garbage disposal then puts in a glass and hands it to her husband.

I have noticed that it is much different having a toddler to take care of now.  lol Now I can't sleep all day when I'm especially tired.

[~Stephanie~]

Goodness I couldn't imagine sharing a room!

The hospital I am delivering at (i work there also on the surgical unit) has all private rooms.

Several rooms have a tub in them. I would like to labor in the tub. I am thinking about a water birth. I'm gonna ask my doctor at my next appt if that would be ok.

[Mrs.Wilson]

I have heard they are very relaxing and comfortable for both you and your baby.  That sounds like a good idea.  I don't really know what the hospital that we are delivering at has or doesn't have. 

[mvausey]

Birth Plan

1.  Get pregnant
2.  Gestate for about 9 months
3.  Start to get ready to have the baby (contractions, dilations, etc.)
4.  Break water
5.  Push
6.  Scream
7.  Cry
8.  Curse #1
9.  Pop out kid
10.  Admire how cute it is even though it's all red and blotchy and cone-headed and looks like a baby rat

Actually I didn't plan #1, it just happened

Anyhoo...the only plan(s) that we had are attending the antenatal class, since it was my first baby, so we have an idea what we're up to

Then when I hit my third trimester I started packing our "it's time" bag so just in case the bub decided to come out, which happened anyway two days overdue.

I didn't really planned on anaesthetics in particular.  They started me on the nitro which was hopeless, didn't do anything to me.  Then the pain was getting too much for me so I decided to swallow my pride and ask for epidural (just in time), since I was dreading a big needle being shoved up my spine.  But it was worth it, it made giving birth a whole lot easier.

Goodness I couldn't imagine sharing a room!

Neither can I   Thank goodness the hospital I was they have private delivery rooms, and I was grateful I gave birth outside the "peak hour traffic"   After the baby came out they brought me to a shared room overnight (with curtains in between for your privacy), then the next day they moved me to my own room with my own bathroom and all the rest of it :grin:  Stayed for about a week because they had to give me blood transfusion (four bags of blood all up) since I was rapidly loosing blood.

[Mrs.Wilson]

I'm sorry I didn't mean to dislead anyone.

I had my own room for labor and delivery.

I had to share a recovery room. 

[Melody]

Birth Plan

1.  Get pregnant
2.  Gestate for about 9 months
3.  Start to get ready to have the baby (contractions, dilations, etc.)
4.  Break water
5.  Push
6.  Scream
7.  Cry
8.  Curse #1
9.  Pop out kid
10.  Admire how cute it is even though it's all red and blotchy and cone-headed and looks like a baby rat

Am I the only one that finds it strange that Seth plans on getting pregnant?   

[SippinTea]

Yep, that's strange.  :grin:

[Envelope]

I did find his plan a bit funny!!

sharon

[~Stephanie~]

Hi plan was humorous....if it really were just that simple! lol

zi have just never seen an OB FLOOR at any hospital around here have anything but private rooms. I am glad I will be in my room for the whole thing

[littlegal]

The hospital here has a double room for pre-labor type stuff. I think they call it the triage room.  Once they know you are definitely in labor, they'll admit you and put you in a private room for the rest of your stay.  Both of my deliveries there i got moved to a smaller 'recovery' room after i had the baby because they were filling up and needed the labor/delivery rooms open.