Birthing plan help!?

Question

I think I have finished my birthing plan, it has a LOT of stuff on it. I Googled birth plan and used some sample ones for ideas...
Just want to make sure I didn't forget anything, so does anyone have any suggestions of things to put in that I may have forgotten? (I don't want to put the whole list up here)

Yes I know that not everything goes according to plan, I just want to make sure of some things, like some psycho nurse doesn't give my baby an artificial nipple of any kind...

Any advice would be appreciated!

Answer 1

Mainly make certain that you have a doctor that will honor your plan. Too many doctors say, "Yes, yes" to a birthing plan when they have no intention of following anything on it.

Answer 2

It's great to have a birth plan, but honestly, just about every woman who makes one says almost the exact same things. And in this day and age, the nurses and doctors don't do a lot of the things that women are afraid of, like the artifical nipples. There's no way a nurse at my hospital would give a nipple or pacifier to a breastfed baby. That goes unsaid.

Every birth plan I have ever seen doesn't say anything that makes us change what we do as nurses and physicians, because we are already doing what women want (for the most part.)

I always read every woman's birth plan in full just in case there is something unusual, but I have never seen anything in a birth plan that I needed to specially accomodate because we already do those things. Hopefully you deliver at a hospital that follows current research and maternal-newborn standards of care. If you do, then you don't need to have a super detailed plan.

Congrats, and good luck!

Answer 3

well if you have a long list already you probably have everything you need. the only advice i can give you is have your plan, and when the time comes all the important things will come to the fore, and dont stress all the little things. make sure your partner has a list of the main concerns regarding your wishes, because they are just as likely to forget at the time as you... you will be a bit busy i think! best of luck, and hold on for the ride of your life.

Answer 4

I had a loooooooong birthing plan, and her birth didn't go as planned and was vacumed out. Plus the labor was 22 hours long, and after it I was so exhausted I kissed her goodnight and passed her on to the nursury where they bottle fed her...

Basically, give them the plan, but don't be shocked if things don't go as planned. They are going to do whatever it takes to make sure you BOTH make it thru this okay, regardless of what you want. Stay slightly flexible. Good luck!!!

Answer 5

sounds like we have some things in common, so here's one that a lot of mothers (including myself at one point) don't know: make sure the doctor knows if you don't want an episiotomy (where they cut you to keep you from ripping), my doctors and my research showed me that they're not neccessary, and you heal faster from natural rip anyway. with my 3rd and last child, i gave birth without even anesthesia (he came that fast), and i stretched (not a single rip). can you imagine if i'd allowed them to cut me for no reason? i'd have to heal from a wound i'd have never gotten naturally. there are ways to prepare the skin down there so you don't rip. i made sure that was in my birth plan as the #1 entry!

here's a fabulous article on this:
http://childbirth.amuchbetterway.com/2007/07/episiotomies-do-you-really-need-one.html

hope that helps, and have a wonderful experience, congrats!

Answer 6

As you rightly said, you can never think of everything.

But, the most important thing you could do is stay calm, calm and calm. All will be well. Just relax, while you can... :))

Wish you all the very best!