Birth plan?

Question

I have been reading a lot lately about birth plans. My doctor has never mentioned one and neither has anyone i know that has recently delivered. I plan on asking the doc if i should be creating one but what is your opinion on this? Did you have one? Did it help?

Answer 1

It really depends on if you have a way you'd prefer the birth to go. A lot of docs won't mention them because they feel that a birth plan hinders them doing what they feel they'll need to do.

I had a birth plan because I really preferred to have as unmedicated a birth as I could. So I didn't want to be offered an epidural or pain drugs. I knew they were there and my birth plan said I could ask for them if I wanted them. In fact, it said I had to ask twice before they could administer them. My preferred pain remedy was warm water so my plan stated that I wanted to be on minimal monitoring (that d@mn belt hurt for some reason) and I wanted to be in the tub for most of my labor. I also specified who I wanted in the room with me.

If you have strong preferences like that a birth plan can be a good idea. You want to work with your doctor to come up with one that's workable for both of you. It's also a good idea if you know your doc may not be the first one you see when you come into the hospital. Having the plan on file gives the doc that admits you some idea of what you and your doc oked. You want it to be flexible enough that if something unexpected happens the doctor doesn't feel like his hands are tied but specific enough that if things go right you have the experience you want.

Answer 2

The very best thing you can do is be well-prepared for your birth, and talk openly and early with your doctor about what you want out of the experience. Take classes, practice your breathing and relaxation techniques, and be willing to accept the unexpected. (For example, you might want an epidural but find out you're too far along to get one. Or you might not want an epidural and discover you're so traumatized by the pain that your labor stalls.)
The problem with birth plans is that sometimes we get caught up in how we want things to go and get very upset when they don't go that way -- and, in the process, fail to enjoy a beautiful birth. The birth of my child didn't go at all as planned (I had a plan, actually, but nobody even had time to look at it because my labor was so fast and intense :)), and it was incredible. My doctor and I had talked a lot beforehand, and we just worked together to get that baby out safely -- and very quickly! We hardly even needed to talk.

Answer 3

I made a birth plan... I'd really like the doctors and nurses at the hospital to know what I want and don't want during the labour and delivery process. I made one online at this website... http://birthplan.com/cgi-bin/plan.pl

My sister did one when she had her baby, and she said it made her feel more comfortable knowing what was going to happen, and what wasn't.

Do one if you think it will make you feel better, but it's not something that everyone does, so if you don't have one and you aren't worried, than thats totally ok too!

Good luck :)

Answer 4

I forgot mine...I wrote that I wanted no pain relief and wanted to give birth standing up....then when I went into labour, it all changed. I laboured and delivered lying down, and had the injection to speed up the placental delivery which I thought I didn't want before labour.

It's a good job that I forgot my birthplan because I didn't feel like sticking to it!

Answer 5

i did no longer write a beginning plan. I had some very specific requests - i needed an epidural, i needed the toddler given to me at modern, and that i needed a reflect so i could desire to computer screen. That became into it. I advised them, it befell as a rule as i needed. i think of various females get very hung up on the assumption of a appropriate hard artwork and transport - yet it is this sort of tiny, minimum area of parenthood. each and all of the aromatherapy and track and dim lighting fixtures and all that - surely, you will no longer additionally be thinking of it while the time comes. i'm no longer asserting you may desire to no longer attempt to devise, yet fairly, what are you going to do - hand an prolonged record of classes over to the human beings who're going that may assist you in the time of beginning (be it a doctor or nurse or midwife)? What do you think of they're going to do with it? maximum of them will in simple terms smile and positioned it aside so as that they could do their jobs. thinking approximately all of that's widely used, yet i don't get the element of a itemizing.

Answer 6

Having a birth plan is YOUR choice, not your doctors! Research the birth process, educate yourself and stay positive. Good Luck!

Answer 7

I had one with my first, but that all went out the window. I guess it's a nice idea but to be honest once you get the the hospital things just happen and you deal with it. I had two super long labours followed by c-sections with both. Good luck

Answer 8

im 30 weeks, and i think its a nice, organized way to help ensure that the delivery will go smoothly. not sayin that everything will be perfect, but it'll probably make the situation less chaotic, so i will be using a birth plan. :)) good luck and congrats!

Answer 9

I don't think a birth plain is important. I think that just take each month day by day and you will find that your birth plan may change anyway. Best of luck to you.

Answer 10

When you are in labor, all your planning and classes and everything will fly right out the door!!! Don't be too worried about it. Just be healthy, take care of yourself, and try to exercise! It will make delivery SOOOOO much easier and quicker!