Birth plans

Nope didn't do 1 with my 1st. Ot doing one this time. Cuz if it goes wrong it will stress me out. So just go with the flow x

I had a birth plan, and then literally nothing happened how I wanted or planned it. My little one and I are both healthy, which is all that really matters at the end of the day

i used the app birth plan +

I did! It feels important that everyone knows my vision and won’t perform unnecessary procedures on me or baby :) I put everything that’s truly important to me on there 🤍

My doula and I call it “birth preferences” instead of birth plan haha, to not feel so rigid but more so paint a common picture xx

@Vanessa exactly that’s such a good point!

I make a requests list and a things I do not want list. Medically I don’t handle anesthesia or pictocin well so those are on the do not want unless absolutely necessary needed list. Requests are things like delayed clamping of the cord and low lights, minimal cervical checks and no offering of pain meds. I print it off and give it to the nurses with my goodie basket I take to them. So far every L&D nurse I’ve met/ had has been amazing so I like them to know I appreciate them.

I'm not doing a birth plan this time. For my first, I wanted no epidural (but yes meds through an IV and gas), my husband to put the cord, and all vaccines and eye drops for baby. I also have a panic disorder so I had that at the top. I ended up having an emergency c-section! The only thing that really mattered on my sheet was the panic part because someone who read my birth plan recognized I was panicking on the operating table and they got me anxiety meds ASAP once baby was out.

The thing with a birth plan is you can tailor it to many situations. I’m planning an unmedicated birth but on it have my preferences for an emergency c-section as well, such as that I want immediate skin-to-skin with my baby as soon as she’s out, that I want my partner in the room, that I don’t want them to wipe baby off before they hand her to me etc. I feel like the birth plan isn’t there to try to predict the “perfect birth” but to make sure you have a birth you feel empowered in, whether you end up with an emergency c-section, take an epidural despite planning not to, etc xx

I have studied so that I am able to make an informed decision in the moment based on the current moments needs or issues. Granted, I do have a lot more clinical knowledge in labor and delivery, but I've never experienced it before. It's difficult to predict what will actually happen. I think rather than going into it saying I won't do or use certain interventions, I would rather go in being educated about the various options and how they work, what the risks and benefits are, etc. Not that you want to scare yourself, but also maybe become familiar with some of the more common complications that can happen and how they may be treated. No matter whether you're hoping to deliver at home or hospital, it's important for everyone to be familiar with both clinical interventions and also be familiar with non clinical pain management methods. Having "a plan of preferences" isn't synonymous with being prepared. But having skills and tools for a variety of situations and knowing how or when to implement them is.

My birth plan was given to me by the hospital with things they normally like to do in which I wasn’t given the option for delayed bathing (they say they wait so parents are more collected as they prefer we help) delayed cord clamping or delaying birth weight, height, eye cream etc for the first hour because at the top all of those things are hospital practice unless baby isn’t stable. I did put on there dad cuts cord, low lights, freedom to move, minimal interruptions both during and after labor and if or when I needed pain meds I would let them know. I also put on there that I would like for them to have a birthing ball, peanut and breast pump available for me

I had a birth preferences sheet I went over with my doula. It was pretty straight forward. It was broken up into categories with options listed underneath and I just checked the ones I wanted. The hospital gave me a very similar sheet so I just copied everything over. Mine was easy tho because I basically said no thanks to everything 😂

I didn't with my first and regretted it. I have with my second. My doctors are aware and have gotten back to me on some of my requests already

I don’t have a big birth plan. I know I want to deliver on all 4s or squatting cause of gravity and less chance of tearing but I’m not sure if I can with the epidural. If my doctor recommends induction for health reasons then I will be okay with it but I would like to go into labor on my own . Other than that I just want me and my baby to survive . Oh and I heard they do episiotomies without consent sometimes so I am going to put under no circumstances. If I rip then I rip but do not cut me if I don’t want you to cause WTH???

@Niyah downloaded it!!!

i made an over view of what i would like but also knew it would change at some point because that’s inevitable. i didn’t want epidural but i got it, i didn’t wanna pitocin but i got a little toward the end. i have a broad idea of what i want and i definitely know my boundaries but im not going to be stubborn or ignorant if something needs to change for health reasons