[little.lili]

So... after my little experience with L&D I decided it was best to make a birth plan so that my nurse is aware of what I want... as well as the Dr on call if I were to go into labor on the weekend... I kept it really really simple, because it just includes the things that I thought were most important to me and Dh.

What do you guys think???

"Birth Plan

Nurse! If I am being attended by an on-call OB please discuss my Birth Plan with him.

• My goal is to have a Natural Labor and Delivery. I understand that this is not always possible, but please respect my wishes to give it my best try.
• I would like to keep hydrated by drinking water and avoid an IV.
• If my labor is going smoothly, I would prefer intermittent monitoring.
• If available, I would prefer cordless monitors.
• If my labor is going smoothly, please allow me to eat if I feel hungry.
• If my OB or Midwife is suggesting any kind of medication, please explain to me and my husband why they feel this is necessary, what are the effects it will have on me and my baby, and then offer it. I may want to refuse medication when possible.
• I do not want an episiotomy.
• I will be doing a Cord Blood Collection. I have a Cryo-Cell International Kit.
• I would like to have skin to skin as soon as possible. I understand that the Cord Blood Collection and any other issues may delay this.
• I plan on exclusively breast feeding.
• If possible, I would like baby to always be accompanied by myself or my husband if she needs to be taken from our room for any reason.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my Birth Plan, I deeply appreciate this and your consideration of my wishes. - Lili "

[w292737]

I think it looks good.

have you done a tour and asked what their standard practices are? some of these are normal what they will do, so if they are, you might want to take that out to focus on only the out of the ordinary for them things??

[little.lili]

Originally Posted by w292737

I think it looks good.

have you done a tour and asked what their standard practices are? some of these are normal what they will do, so if they are, you might want to take that out to focus on only the out of the ordinary for them things??

I pretty much wrote it up after going in... so I focused on some things that I thought bugged me...

Example, they gave me a shot to stop my contractions... but I thought they way it was done was just annoying... They just brought in the medication and said "we're going to give you a shot" I had to ask what it was for and what it would do and it felt so pushy that i never had the chance to think, hey i dont need this. Which I really didnt, my contractions were going away with drinking water...

It was also lunch time and they told me i couldn't eat. Might be policy, but it's better to ask than not ask.

Had I not asked for water, they might have done an IV right away...

IDK just little things that were obvious to me, but not my nurse

[w292737]

okay. yeah I asked a TON of questions at my tour, and was told, thankfully, that most everything I wanted was standard.

[SpankyMagoo]

looks good!! Yeah, thankfully most of those things are procedure at my hospital too... And not eating is policy at my hospital, but the nurses said if we dont see you than it didnt happen... haha

[ahruska]

Not eating is also a policy at my hospital but I like the idea of being able to if you want to, so I hope you can. And it looks good.

[little.lili]

Honestly, I didn't think I would need to make a birth plan, but after going in, I just realized I was dealing with people who didn't know me, or what I wanted, or what I expected... and it made for a few odd moments...

I just hope that having this will just put me and the nurse on the same page I know that will be the person I most interact with and having them know what's important to me ahead of time might help things be more pleasant.

Also, my OB and midwife know what I want and don't want, but anyone on call wont... and maybe having this will give them a better impression of the type of labor I want.

[Sydniesmommy]

short, sweet and to the point as a L&D nurse I give a thumbs up!

[Jessie0505]

not sure what a birth plan should include..but from looking at yours..i think it includes alot! i think it looks great! i would never have thought all that out!

[Mischief Managed]

I think it sounds good. It is sweet and to the point. I am not a fan of long birth plans.
And by you wanting skin to skin contact once the baby is out, does that mean you want him washed off before or after? It is a personal preference, but I made a bullet saying "Skin to skin contact with cord attached before wipe down/examination". Not that I want a baby with all the slime on it, but sometimes they end up taking a few minutes or so to do small examinations. (And I don't think I will be patient enough to even wait 5 seconds!)
Also, you do not have to keep saying you understand. IF you understand, there is no need to write about it. It is just more words that the OBs/MWs have to read.

My suggestion is finding out what your hospital allows and doesn't. This will make you more prepared on what you can and can't have rather then asking when you are going into labor. (It sounds like you don't know if you can have cordless monitering)

Great birth plan, your labor will go amazingly

[little.lili]

Yeah, I added that I don't need the baby cleaned before skin to skin after I posted hahaha

And I do know they have a cordless monitor, but there is only one! So it's kind of up in the air if I get it or not...

I also added that I might need help kicking people out of the room LOL!!! I know that if my mom is there she won't leave unless she's ordered hahahaa

[Summer13]

Intermittent monitoring? Does that mean for you or the baby? Will you want something showing the baby's heartbeat all the time?

Can they do an emergency c-section if you don't have an IV and you have eaten?

I only ask these questions because my cousin went into labor last month at 40 weeks and the baby's heartbeat dropped/disappeared in an instant. They rushed her in for an emergency c-section and had the baby out in 7 minutes. The baby had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck and was with little to no oxygen for 7 minutes. She is yet to take her first breath (she is on a ventilator) and has been sedated since birth. The EEGs are looking good but they are saying that there may be possible brain damage. Anyway...that's why I ask. This all happened in 7 minutes. An extra second here or there could have meant a different outcome. She was expected to have a normal delivery and none of this was expected in any way. I am not saying any of this to scare you...I am just dealing with it first hand right now so I just want to make sure that you know what eating, no IVs and intermittent montering may mean. I myself don't know...that is why I am asking

[little.lili]

Originally Posted by Summer13

Intermittent monitoring? Does that mean for you or the baby? Will you want something showing the baby's heartbeat all the time?

Can they do an emergency c-section if you don't have an IV and you have eaten?

I only ask these questions because my cousin went into labor last month at 40 weeks and the baby's heartbeat dropped/disappeared in an instant. They rushed her in for an emergency c-section and had the baby out in 7 minutes. The baby had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck and was with little to no oxygen for 7 minutes. She is yet to take her first breath (she is on a ventilator) and has been sedated since birth. The EEGs are looking good but they are saying that there may be possible brain damage. Anyway...that's why I ask. This all happened in 7 minutes. An extra second here or there could have meant a different outcome. She was expected to have a normal delivery and none of this was expected in any way. I am not saying any of this to scare you...I am just dealing with it first hand right now so I just want to make sure that you know what eating, no IVs and intermittent montering may mean. I myself don't know...that is why I am asking

No, I would not have monitoring of the heart 100% of the time... In all honesty, things could change THAT fast at home too... and we don't have monitoring, do we? I hate to put it that way, but there is no way of knowing if what happened to your cousin's baby could happen at home while you're not in labor thinking everything seems just fine. This is why we do kick counts and run to our Dr's if we baby stops moving. It's just something that unfortunately can happen.

But yes, your cousin was very lucky that it was caught fast and they were ale to get baby OUT! That is quite the blessing.

That being said, I think I will take my chances. The monitor will be right there next to my bed regardless, all I had to do is press it against my belly if I need to hear the heart beat. The monitors were just really uncomfortable (IMO) and I hated being stuck to that machine and feeling so odd...

The eating rule is for general anesthesia, you do not get this for a csection. Your chances of needing general anesthesia during labor are 7 in 10million. Literally less than one in a million This only happens in very rare cases. ETA: sorry, I got confused, Your chances of having aspiration because of needing general anesthesia are 7 in 10 million. And general anesthesia is only use in some emergency cases only.

I think you'd probably need an IV though... But that can be put on your arm any time

[w292737]

how big is the practice? are you able to meet the other OB"s before you deliver? I know you are closer so prob not feasable but something to think about.

where I go is a 4 doc practice that is down to 2 regular with 1 intermitten, and 1 FT starting on July 1. I've meet the 2 regular and the 1 intermitten (even though she is gone end of this month) and I'll try to meet the new guy come July. just so they know me and my wishes.

[little.lili]

Originally Posted by w292737

how big is the practice? are you able to meet the other OB"s before you deliver? I know you are closer so prob not feasable but something to think about.

where I go is a 4 doc practice that is down to 2 regular with 1 intermitten, and 1 FT starting on July 1. I've meet the 2 regular and the 1 intermitten (even though she is gone end of this month) and I'll try to meet the new guy come July. just so they know me and my wishes.

It's only my OB and Midwife. But on weekends there are 3 or 4 other Dr's that could be on call. I only know one of them.

My OB just told me that past Monday she and the midwife are on call the following weekends, so that should cover me for the next few weeks haha... Unless I went in this weekend But let's hope that doesn't happen!

I didn't even think to try and meet the other Dr's! That would have been nice... But I'm not sure they do that? After all they have their own practices with their own patients? I have no idea and never thought to ask! haha

I hope I get to deliver with my OB or my widwife though

[Quantum_Leap]

It looks great! The only thing I would do is add 'NO BOTTLES' in big, bold letters. If you're really set on exclusively breastfeeding, then you want to make it clear that the nurses should not give your baby a bottle of formula or water or anything for any reason. It could cause nipple confusion and doom you from the start.

(Of course, if you're rooming in with the baby, then you have less to worry about, but if they were to take the baby to nursery, then in my experience they sometimes end up giving the baby a bottle without talking to you first).

[Quantum_Leap]

Originally Posted by Summer13

Intermittent monitoring? Does that mean for you or the baby? Will you want something showing the baby's heartbeat all the time?

Can they do an emergency c-section if you don't have an IV and you have eaten?

I only ask these questions because my cousin went into labor last month at 40 weeks and the baby's heartbeat dropped/disappeared in an instant. They rushed her in for an emergency c-section and had the baby out in 7 minutes. The baby had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck and was with little to no oxygen for 7 minutes. She is yet to take her first breath (she is on a ventilator) and has been sedated since birth. The EEGs are looking good but they are saying that there may be possible brain damage. Anyway...that's why I ask. This all happened in 7 minutes. An extra second here or there could have meant a different outcome. She was expected to have a normal delivery and none of this was expected in any way. I am not saying any of this to scare you...I am just dealing with it first hand right now so I just want to make sure that you know what eating, no IVs and intermittent montering may mean. I myself don't know...that is why I am asking

That's true, but the flip side of it is that being hooked up to all of those monitors can actually stall labor and make a C-section more likely. In order to be able to move around during labor, you need to be on an intermittent monitor, and moving around makes labor go better and faster. Intermittent monitoring is standard practice with our midwives, and I'm convinced that in the vast majority of cases it's the better policy.

[Summer13]

Originally Posted by little.lili

No, I would not have monitoring of the heart 100% of the time... In all honesty, things could change THAT fast at home too... and we don't have monitoring, do we? I hate to put it that way, but there is no way of knowing if what happened to your cousin's baby could happen at home while you're not in labor thinking everything seems just fine. This is why we do kick counts and run to our Dr's if we baby stops moving. It's just something that unfortunately can happen.

But yes, your cousin was very lucky that it was caught fast and they were ale to get baby OUT! That is quite the blessing.

That being said, I think I will take my chances. The monitor will be right there next to my bed regardless, all I had to do is press it against my belly if I need to hear the heart beat. The monitors were just really uncomfortable (IMO) and I hated being stuck to that machine and feeling so odd...

The eating rule is for general anesthesia, you do not get this for a csection. Your chances of needing general anesthesia during labor are 7 in 10million. Literally less than one in a million This only happens in very rare cases.

I think you'd probably need an IV though... But that can be put on your arm any time

I guess since all this has happened it just really changed my perspective. The cord only became an issue as baby started to come down the birth canal. I know it is uncommon but it is hard for me to imagine that her full-term baby would have most likely died if it hadn't have been for the monitoring. Your labor, your baby, your decision. I am not questioning your decision. What my family is going through right now is just really, really hard.

So if you were in an emergency situation could they put you under general anestesia even if you ate? I mean I know they say you "can't" but is it a true no-go? My cousin was one of the one in a million. I guess I would take cold, uncomfortable monitors and the empty tummy over the risk...no matter how small the risk. But once again, your labor, your baby, your decision.

[w292737]

I didn't even think to try and meet the other Dr's! That would have been nice... But I'm not sure they do that? After all they have their own practices with their own patients? I have no idea and never thought to ask! haha

here they give you the option, you can if you want, but aren't required. and the other docs are toally okay to meet you for an appt. since they know they might be delivering you.

So if you were in an emergency situation could they put you under general anestesia even if you ate? I mean I know they say you "can't" but is it a true no-go?

I'll be allowed to eat in labor. probably won't because I usually get sick in transition, and I'd arther puke up nothing then something.

BUT evne if I needed emergency general (which if I had a section I would insist on) they could still do it. it's not idea. but since you are intibated there isn't any real risk of aspiration any how.

[Summer13]

Originally Posted by little.lili

The eating rule is for general anesthesia, you do not get this for a csection. Your chances of needing general anesthesia during labor are 7 in 10million. Literally less than one in a million This only happens in very rare cases.

My research is showing that general anesthesia is needed in 3.5-13% of cesareans.