Birth Plans?

[mummytummy]

I am putting together my birth plan, a bit early but I want to be prepared as I am attempting a VBAC, also using hypnobirthing.

Anyone else having a birth plan? If you had one before did it help?
How did the dr's and midwifes take it? Did it help you get the birth you wanted?

I am going to type mine up to see how long it is now!

 

[mummytummy]

I take it people are not doing one?

 

[lebody]

hi

had a birth plan with my daughter, which was pretty much stuck to .. had an epidural which i was pleased about as apparently 2 other girls in labour same time as me were begging for one ( but was not in their plans) but was no other aenathatists (sp?) available .. so id recommend anyone even just considering it to include it in the plan, as you're more likely to get it - you can always change your mind if you feel you're coping with the pain. having said that, actual birth was quite traumatic and labour lasted 36 hrs, almost ended up having an emergency c section as she was quite distressed in the end .. its because of this experience and because i lost baby at 20 weeks and have had cpl mc since that im absolutely petrified about having a natural birth . i realise it doesnt come without its own risks, but id really like to have a planned c section if possible, have mentioned it to my midwife and she seems to think with my history, age (41) and fact baby is big i might have a good chance .. but obviously have to talk it through with my consultant, i just dont want to have to go through another long traumatic labour only to end up having a c section in the end anyway because he is too big .. but most of all im so so scared of going through everything that im experiencing at the moment (panic attacks brought on by being so scared and on tenterhooks the whole time) and for something to go wrong . i just want to go in at a designated time and have little one delivered by c section, just thinking about another natural labour with the complication i experienced gives me the shivers xx

 

[miffypie]

Hiya, I had my baby 10 months ago and I did write a loose 'birth preference' plan in my green notes, your midwife should go through it with you. I decided not to make a very prescriptive plan because I didn't know what labour would be like, so I didn't feel confident saying "absolutely no epidural" for instance as I had no concept of how much it would hurt!

In the end I had gas and air and pethidine (which I said I didn't want) and used a birth pool (which I also said I didn't want).

Just think of it as a preference list rather than a rigid plan - you won't know what you actually want until you're doing it, even if you've had babies before, every labour is so different

Good luck x

 

[mummytummy]

Thank you ladies,

The only reason I am having a plan as such this time as I want to feel more involved. I so want a virginal delivery after reaching 7 cm dilated last time and then having a c-section because of distress I feel like it is something i need to experience and my birth plan will hopefully allow me to gain the best experience possible, even in the even of a cs this time around, which I have also included in the plan.

Thanks for your comments ladies x

 

[IslandBreeze]

With my first pregnancy, I knew from about 12 weeks that due to problems, a C-section was going to be compulsory no matter what. The docs were aiming for 38 weeks but I had several near miscarriages with him and eventually an emergency Caesar at 35 weeks. Because I knew this from very early, my birth plan was a bit odd. It didn't cover labour at all, as I wouldn't be allowed to go into labour, and it covered preferences on anaesthetics and what I wanted if an emergency hysterectomy became necessary and on blood transfusions. But for all of it, I put that I would trust the obstetrician's judgement as that seemed sensible for my circumstances. In the event, they refused me the epidural I had down as my preference as I was bleeding at the time so they went straight for a general instead - I didn't argue, I just wanted whatever was safest for me and baby and I had a lot of faith in my obstetrician, he's wonderful.

All went well and I'm now due my second in October. I'm not allowed a VBAC so will probably have a planned Caesar at the end of September, assuming this baby is more patient than my first! My birth plan will probably be similar to last time - preferences for anaesthetic, feeding baby etc but nothing too rigid.

You're right to include the Caesar in your plan, and hopefully thinking about it in advance will mean you feel less disappointed if you need one again.