Did you have a "Birth Plan"?

[Mrs. Darcy]

I'm a member of a pregnancy group at the hospital where I'm going to give birth, a small group of ladies who are all expecting babies around the same time. They've been talking about writing up their pregnancy and birth "plan". I never heard of that before. Some of the plans are very exact and long, like no drugs during labor, olive oil ******l massages during labor, bringing a doula, giving birth while squatting by the side of the bed, no deliberate rupturing of the bag of water, no internal monitoring that would attach to the baby's scalp, no ultrasounds, husband be allowed on the bed behind her while she's laboring etc.

I'm going into my 2nd trimester and I'm feeling like I'm way behind with knowledge about all these things.

Did you have a written pregnancy and birth plan that you gave to your doctor and labor nurse?

 

[fairestoneofall]

no. and i didn't have one with my first two kids either.

 

[diznygirl]

No I didn't. I saw plans my friends made fly right out the window when baby decided to do what it wanted.

Get the epidural pre-approved and pack a bag. That's about it.

 

[sparks19]

No way. Everyone I know that has gone in with a set plan has come out disappointed because something didn't go according to plan. I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. but I already knew I was likely going to want an epidural and other than that there wasn't much to plan. I had to be induced due to a bit of an issue (I was overdue anyway), I got an epidural and then waited and then they sat me up, my hubby stood beside me and that was that.

not much of a plan there lol just go with the flow

What Diznygirl said. I did the epidural stuff early, had a bag packed early and that was the extent of my planning lol

 

[RedPanda]

I did with my first child, and it was fairly simple -- I just stated my preferences in terms of use of pain management, avoiding a cesarean, how and when I wanted to have the baby handed to me, and so on.

Let's just say that I didn't have a cesarean, but otherwise NOTHING else went according to the birth plan!

I haven't created one for my next child's birth, and unless my OB requests one, I don't think I'll bother. After the last time, it sort of feels like asking for trouble.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

Yes to take home a living, breathing baby.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

My personal opinion is it should be nothing more than I wish to have a healthy baby and to have/not have an epidural. Anything more than that, you are setting yourself up for disappointment when things don't go according to your "plan". My girlfriend had like a freaking novel. Well stuff happens and the plan went out the window and she's still upset that her birth didn't go "by her plan" even though the outcome was a healthy baby/mommy. To each their own but all I cared about was a healthy baby, an epidural and having the baby put right on my belly if possible.

 

[mhsjax]

I'm a member of a pregnancy group at the hospital where I'm going to give birth, a small group of ladies who are all expecting babies around the same time. They've been talking about writing up their pregnancy and birth "plan". I never heard of that before. Some of the plans are very exact and long, like no drugs during labor, olive oil ******l massages during labor, bringing a doula, giving birth while squatting by the side of the bed, no deliberate rupturing of the bag of water, no internal monitoring that would attach to the baby's scalp, no ultrasounds, husband be allowed on the bed behind her while she's laboring etc.

I'm going into my 2nd trimester and I'm feeling like I'm way behind with knowledge about all these things.

Did you have a written pregnancy and birth plan that you gave to your doctor and labor nurse?

No, I didn't have one. I trusted my DR to make decisions that were good for me and my baby. I also never assumed to be equipped to know what was best.

I had ideas about not having and epidural, those quickly went out the window. I had that along with a vacuum, and forceps, either that or a c-section. That wasn't going to happen after 3 hours of pushing, I wanted that baby out. Now had the baby been in distress, yep, I would have the c-section, but he wasn't, just stubborn, and 14 years later, still is.

Don't stress, we have been having babies since time began. It will be fine.

 

[rie'smom]

Tell your group that I said, "Good luck with those plans." 3 children 3 entirely different birthing experiences.

 

[PSULion]

No I didn't. I saw plans my friends made fly right out the window when baby decided to do what it wanted.

Get the epidural pre-approved and pack a bag. That's about it.

 

[scrapquitler]

I'm a member of a pregnancy group at the hospital where I'm going to give birth, a small group of ladies who are all expecting babies around the same time. They've been talking about writing up their pregnancy and birth "plan". I never heard of that before. Some of the plans are very exact and long, like no drugs during labor, olive oil ******l massages during labor, bringing a doula, giving birth while squatting by the side of the bed, no deliberate rupturing of the bag of water, no internal monitoring that would attach to the baby's scalp, no ultrasounds, husband be allowed on the bed behind her while she's laboring etc.

I'm going into my 2nd trimester and I'm feeling like I'm way behind with knowledge about all these things.

Did you have a written pregnancy and birth plan that you gave to your doctor and labor nurse?

They talked about this in my prepared childbirth class, and I was astounded by the detailed stuff. My plan was as follows: Don't let my in laws in the hospital until the baby is out and I am dressed, and Give me drugs, lots of them, and quick!

 

[DawnM]

It wouldn't have mattered what my birth plans were, I would have ended up in the same place I did anyway......the OR with an emergency C-section with #1. I thought I was going to die and I thought he was going to die. It was not a good situation.

Dawn

 

[Tinijocaro]

Yes, mine included all that the OP mentioned plus no episiotomy, and no circumcision if a boy. I had great luck with all four of my labors and all my wishes were followed (except that one midwife who said "If I need to cut you, I'm gonna cut you." I hated her.)

 

[luvmy3]

Yes, my plan is never to give birth again

Congrats on your pregnancy

 

[MichelleVW]

Yes, my plan was to go to the hospital and have the baby....followed the plan perfectly!!!

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Ive never been pregnant but from what I gather things can change so quickly and circumstances that plans often get thrown out the window. My sister ended up needing a CSection and she had a plan of a natural water birth. I'd say I agree with the PP and plan to have a healthy baby!

 

[handinpocket]

Yes, go in have a healthy baby and healthy ME!

 

[MsLeFever]

shoot - I didn't even have time to think about such a thing - babies came at 30 weeks (2 pound 2 oz) and 32 weeks (2 pounds 10 oz). Dh was just glad that he never had to attend a birthing class (they hadn't started yet!)

 

[bdcp]

It cracks me up when women have a "birth plan". First off, you cannot plan your labor and delivery. I went in with the plan I was having a baby, that was it. I was fortunate in that I had short labors (5.5 and 3.5 hours) and I had NO meds of any kind, completely natural. Did I plan that? Nope. My DS's are 24 and 27.

I have never met anyone who had a "plan" that wasn't disappointed.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I had a "plan," but it was not formally written out or anything, because I chose a provider who had the same birth philosophy as me. My "plan" was her "routine." I had both of my babies at a free-standing birth center attended by midwives. All of my prenatal care was done by the two midwives, and my daughter and husband got to accompany me on my visits as much as they wanted. I was not given any tests except for gestational diabetes (and even that was different from the normal GD test) and to check my hemoglobin level. I was encouraged to gestate as long as possible - my babies were born at 40 weeks 4 days and 41 weeks 5 days. For the births, I had no labor augmenting drugs, no pain medication, no antibiotics, no IV, nothing. I was not given episiotomies. I labored in whatever position I wanted, in the tub, out of the tub, walking around, kneeling by the bed, etc. With my daughter I had a 13 hour labor, with my son I had a 2 1/2 hour labor. My husband caught both babies, they were immediately put on my chest to nurse. We waited until the umbilical cord stopped pulsing and turned white, then my husband cut it. No antibiotics or eye goop for the babies. My son was not circumcised. With my first labor I had a little difficulty postpartum, but with my son we were home 6 hours after he was born!

Natural birth and breastfeeding are important to me. While you cannot predict every little thing that will happen in your birth (believe me, my first birth went nothing like I thought it would, but that is another very long story), you CAN make decisions about what you would like in the expected circumstance, and know you may have to adapt at some point. Let your birth be something that you do, not something that happens to you.