Our Birth Plan (wishes)

Here is our birth plan. I have made a few tweaks to it since the conversation I had with my midwife. Please feel free to use it, modify, etc as you or someone else may wish. Building a birth plan that works for you is important.


1st Stage: (labor)
Birth Partners: B (spouse) and L (mother)
Low lightening, soft voices, wear my own hospital gown.
Labor in whatever positions are most comfortable. Freedom to
move around, use bath, use squat bar, use birth ball.
Cervical check upon arrival and no more unless requested or every 2-4
hours.
Intermittent monitoring.
Light IV fluids, drink as much water by mouth as possible.
No cath; urinate on my own.

2nd Stage: (pushing)
Since week 28 I have suffered from extreme pelvic pain and want
to ensure that the pushing positions I use will not further damage
the pubic symphysis and ligaments.

If no epidural:
Push with the urge.
Position on all fours, squatting or side.
B and L assist in holding legs.
Push with contraction, without counting.
Tear naturally.

With epidural:
Keep strength of epidural low once close to complete so urge to
push and pressure may be felt.
Push on side.
Tear naturally.

Delivery of baby & 3rd Stage (placenta delivery)
Caught by myself or B with assistance from midwife.
Placed on my chest immediately.
Let me and B check for and announce the sex of the baby.
Delay cord clamping until cord stops pulsing.
Deliver placenta and save for us to take home (baring no medical reasons not to)

Baby care:
No Hep B vac or eye ointment.
Allow for immediate skin to skin and nursing to begin.
If baby taken to SCN, B will go with baby while L stays
with me.
Administer vitamin K vac.

If planned c-section: (I wrote this when baby was breech, but just in case...)
Allow B, L and possible photographer in room.
Spinal vs epidural??
Tell me what is happening as it happens.
Cover me with heated blanket.
Pfannenstiel incision and LUS incision within.
Use double layer suture closure when closing up.
Lower screen so I can see the birth of my baby.
Delay cord clamping.
Wrap baby and pass to B immediately.
Remove top of my gown for skin to skin.
Keep baby in room while I'm sewed up and moved to PACU.
No sedatives after birth please-I want to remember everything.

Emergency c-section:
*** This part of the plan is, obviously, not something that is apart of anyone's birth plan. My midwife explained that if we have to have an E/C that I would be put under general anesthesia and B and L would not be allowed in the room. However, B would be ready to go with the nurses and baby after birth to the nursery and L would be able to join me in the PACU as soon as I started to wake up.