BIRTH PLAN...HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE? (Birth Plan)

Member Name: chrissypops

Product:	Birth Plan
Date:	11/09/01 (442 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You ca have the labour and birth you want. You can be flexible

Disadvantages: Life has a funny way of thowing the unexpected at you

Want a drink? Here's some coffee, with cream and two sugars. Don't like your coffee that way? Or don't like coffee at all? Well, sorry - that's our standard beverage. If you wanted something different, you should have told us before. There's not much we can do about it now.

So what has coffee got to do with a birth plan? Everything and nothing. After carrying a baby for nine months with all that excitement and wonder. Would you like to be told that you could have the "standard" birth? In truth no two births are the same. Like no two coffees are the same. But if there is something that you would like to have with that coffee to make it a more enjoyable experience, to make it sweeter or to have an extra biscuit. Wouldn't it stand to reason that you could personalize your birth to make it a better experience for you, your partner and the baby? This is the basic purpose of a Birth plan. To make it clear what you would like or not like when you are laboring and giving birth to one of natures true miracles ......your baby.

Before I go further I must stress that although you might make a birth plan, sometimes things don't go to plan. Like anything in life, things crop up that might leave your birth plan fluttering to the floor. Please don't be disheartened. For what ever reason your why your birth plan wasn't followed, there is usually a good reason. If you make it clear that you have a birth plan then most of the medical team will try and give you what you want within limits. As soon as they feel that you might need assistance, then you might have to listen to them and weigh up the odds. Sometimes you might not get a choice at all, say if they needed to get the baby out quick but they will ALWAYS put you and your baby first.

A birth plan gives you a freedom of choice in how you have your baby. Its like having a non- confrontational way to make your preferences clear to all the people involved in the
big day. Also just because you've stated that you want to have your baby with no pain relief doesn't mean on the day you have to be a martyr and not have any. You have to be flexible and do what you and the medical team feel is the best for you and the baby. All hospitals vary in their birthing policies and without a birth plan you might be given the " standard" type of birth. You could be lucky and have a midwife who will encourage you to get up and move and adopt positions which are best in labour. On the other hand you could have a midwife who straps you to a bed, tells you to put your feet in the stirrups and pumps you full of pain relief. This is why a birth plan is important. I hate the thought on being flat on my back. To me its unnatural, so in both my birth plans I asked if I could be as mobile as possible. Being mobile is great as it releases natural painkillers called Endorphins. These natural painkillers are so much more efficient in blocking out the pain than synthetic ones like Pethodine or an Epidural. They also as let the body work at the natural process of giving birth. More on pain relief later as I expect most of you ladies who are thinking of child birth without pain relief have your legs tightly shut and tears in your eyes !!

So what should you put in a birth plan? Well it all depends on your preferences. Believe it or not, its not just about what pain relief you would like or positioning. It can go in depth and there are all sorts of things to find out from your local hospital and your midwife too. Things you could think about are :

Do I want a home birth or hospital?

Would I like a Water Birth?

Which support people do you want?

Will there be siblings present?

What activities or positions you plan to use in labour? (walking, standing, squatting, hands and knees)

Would you like music? Can you bring your own tapes?

How do you feel about interventions, su
ch as fetal monitoring, medication, and episiotomy ( A cut in the vaginal wall)?

How do you plan to keep hydrated? (sips of drinks, ice chips, IV)

Will you do for natural pain relief? (Massage, hot and cold packs, positions, labor imagery, relaxation, breathing exercises, tub or Jacuzzi, medication)

Will you have pain relief? ( Gas and Air, Pethadine, Epidural)

What position would you like to give birth in?

Would you like your baby delivered straight onto your chest?

Would you like your baby cleaned up after birth before you have a cuddle?

Who do you want to cut the cord?

Would you like to be left alone with baby and partner are birth?

Are you planning to breast or bottle feed?

If you where breast feeding would you mind if baby was given a bottle if you were sleeping?

Do you want to breast feed straight after the birth?

How would you feel about your baby having a Vitamin K injection? ( Vitamin K is needed to make the blood clot as they do not have enough in their body at birth)

When would you like to go home?

How are you going to get home?


So many eh? Try and write them down in order of whats important as it clearer to the medical staff and you too. If there is anything that you feel very strongly about, put a star * next to it so you know that if you lose self control during labour, you can look at your plan and refocus. Naturally, circumstances come up where you can't make every decision. You will need to trust your midwives to do what is best for you in an emergency situation, and remain flexible because each birth is unique. It is good to plan for the unexpected, as well as for the natural course of events. Consider using terms that distance yourself from problems. For example, instead of saying, "If I need a cesarean" you might say, "If a cesarean becomes necessary." That way, you don't imagi
ne yourself in that situation, but you acknowledge it as a possibility. Once you are in labor, if you uncomfortable with interventions that are recommended, first find out if there is a medical emergency. If there isn't one, you might use phrases such as the following to have time to make a decision: "We need more information," "We need time to make this decision," "Are there any alternatives?" "We will consider that, "Thanks for explaining that option," "Can you check back with us in a little while about that?"

The format you use is up to you. You can write your plan in a formal letter format .Heading it with Dear Medical Team, or Midwife or Carers of..., put your preferences and end it, Yours Sincerely. You could even go to an online birth plan and print it off.

http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite. htm?site=http://www.childbirth.o rg/interactive/ibirthplan.html

This link goes to an online birth plan. Its laid out nice and you can print off your input and use it as your own birth plan or you can use it as a guideline for doing your own. Don't forget to make several copies of your plan too. You can have one in your labour bag, which often gets left in there if you are worried about the birth. I kept one in my labour bag and the other with my notes which you have to take with you into hospital.

I even got a clear plastic folder and stuck a few stickers of angels on it and slipped my birth plan snugly within. I had to carry it with my notes and I couldn't forget what it was at it wasn't tucked in anywhere. This made sure that my birth plan got read. Although when I had my first child, Jessica, I only got half the birth I wanted. I wanted a Water birth, but had to get out as I was too hot. After an hour, I was asked whether I wanted to go back and but I had already lost control and the confidence in my body. Four hours later, 1.30 hours of pushing, I end
ed up given birth in a position I didn't want, which was sitting on the bed. I had to have a Episiotomy (cut) which again I didn't want but it was necessary as Jess had got stuck. 12 hours of labour but I still got what I went to hospital for.. .a healthy daughter.


Sometimes you have to go with the flow. With the second birth, Lucy, I got what I wanted, a Water Birth. I trusted my body to do what millions of women did before me. I kept in control and trusted the midwives and my hubby. After 6 hours of labour, 2.30 hours within a birthing pool, I gave birth to another wonderful miracle.

With all this in mind and with the help and guidance of your midwife, your birth plan can help you have a positive birth. You might have to compromise on a few things but if you keep your plan realistic then there is no reason why you shouldn't have the birth you dream of.

After all you should have your coffee how you like it. Shouldn't you?

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