Did you have a written birth plan that didn't happen?

[goodstarr]

I've seen many written birth plans that describe the type of birth that the parents expect to have. They contain such requests as wanting no epidural, no episiotmy, no IV, no separation, etc. Surprisingly, these births often end up being c-sections, with the baby having to go to the intensive care nursery. I realize that I've seen only a fraction of the births done worldwide over my 17 years working in maternity, so I'd like know about the experiences of others who have had written birth plans. What did yours say and how did the birth end up?

 

[CamColt]

I didnt have a birthplan, but my 1 "thing" was I did not want an IV. I tend to get queasy or pass out from even the thought of veins, nevermind anything in them(my legs are getting weak as I type this, LOL).
With my first, it went off without a hitch, with a quick labor and no need for any IVs. With my second, my water broke and then I was stuck at 5 cms all day. They wanted me on pitocin but I refused because of the IV issue. Finally they told me if I went a couple more hours Id need an IV for antibiotics anyway since my water had broken so long ago. I figured if I passed out, I would be in a hospital bed, so no biggie and I gave in. However after everything, they wanted me to keep the IV in and I finally demanded it be removed. Yuk!

 

[floridaminnie]

Had a birthing plan. But when you are in labor I think you tend to go crazy. My mother was there to make sure what I wanted really happened even after I lost all my marbles. Didn't want drugs, so I didn't get them. Also didn't went DD to have a pacifier, b/c I was going to BF. The only problem was that I couldn't hold her right away. She had to go see the specialist b/c there was a problem during delivery. She ended up being fine though.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have never heard of written birth plan.

 

[Nutsy]

No plans here, but I did hope to have a natural birth with my first.........instead that decision was taken out of my hands when it was discovered my baby was breech. I was devasted, as I'd just been induced.

 

[Serena]

A written birth plan. Hmmm, I never heard of one either, but I know my last one didn't go as planned.

My written birth plan would have been simple, go into labor, as pain free as possible without getting knocked out, no epidural, and finally getting to hold my baby in my arms.

 

[Kristi1357]

I just had my first baby last June. In our classes beforehand, everyone kept talking about birth plans. We thought the idea was kind of funny since you don't know exactly what is going to happen, how you will feel, etc. I just knew I wanted an epidural as soon as they'd let me! And my birth did not go as planned / normal and I ended up as an emergency c-section over 24 hours later. Stubborn DS!

 

[Princess Dot]

As a maternity RN, we joke all the time that the patients that come in with detailed birth plans always seem to end up with C sections too! Not that it is funny, but it really does seem to happen!

Personally, I don't care for a birth "plan". If there is one thing I have learned in my years of nursing is that there is rarely anything "planned" about labor. I understand that people want to express their wishes (i.e. no drugs, want epidural, want to walk around, don't want IVs, no episiotomy, etc.) but much of this should be discussed with your doctor ahead of time and many of the things you think you either want or don't want change once you start labor. Also, some of these things are beyond your control to some extent. For example, you may not be able to walk around while in labor in certain circumstances or you may need an IV for medical reasons.

Some of the things written are often things that we do automatically, like let you hold the baby as soon as its born (assuming the baby does not need immediate medical attention).

Many of our patients are highly educated and have jobs where they are used to being in control. Labor and delivery can be very frightening and I understand that a birth plan can give a patient some sense of control over a process that can seem very out of their control.

For those of you unfamiliar with birth plans, they are a usually typed sheet or sheets of paper detailing what the parents want to happen during labor and delivery. They usually state things like they want a dark, soothing room, want to listen to soft music that they have brought, want to be able to walk around, want an epidural, want to breastfeed immediatley after birth, etc. Some can be very very detailed!

 

[browneyes]

The only plan I had was to have my epidural asap. When I was pregnant with my ds, I had the dr's make a note in my chart to not give me an episitomy if at all possible. When I had my dd, it took forever to heal from the episitomy. I didn't know I could've requested not to have one with my dd or I would've asked then too.

 

[maci]

I have never heard of having a written birth plan either. However I must say, I dont know very many births that have gone "as planned".

As far as those darn IV's, I swear hospitals want to slam one of those things on you the second you walk in the door!!! With my first child I was so swollen when I went in, I looked like I had 2 broken ankles. But I had to have a IV to stay "hydrated"...ummm excuse me but I had enough liquid in my ankles alone to last a week in the desert!!

 

[coliebird]

I had no plan at all, but what I didn't expect was to have a c-section. Unfortunately, after 2 1/2 hours of pushing she refused to come down and they needed to take her out. Also, like floridaminnie, I didn't want my daughter to have a pacifier, but she had major collick and it was the only thing that soothed her. Almost two years later she is still addicted to the thing.

 

[Chattyaholic]

Did they even HAVE "written birth plans" back in the 70's??
Never heard of such a thing!! We just "went with the flow" both times and both times it turned out just fine!!

(Would have been nice to have drugs though, but my doctor wouldn't let me...he said "whatever you get, the baby gets too" so none were offered. I still would rather go through labor and delivery again, rather than sit in the dentist's chair!!!

 

[goodstarr]

Princess Dot, I couldn't have said it better. Sometimes I think that when patients have a birth plan that is "too" detailed, it sets them up for failure. A little flexibility can really change the course of things in labor. Most birth plans that I see are from first time parents who have never experienced labor and don't realize that it's not the medical team that's in charge, it's the BABY. One birth plan that I remember that stood out was the one that said that although she didn't want any IV or medications (and thereby eliminating an induction), the mother-to-be preferred to go into labor in the morning I guess she didn't realize that her baby couldn't quite tell time yet

 

[Princess Dot]

Maci, just in defense of the IV, I always like to have at least a heplock in so that there is a vein ready in case of an emergency. (A heplock is when an IV catheter is inserted but no IV fluid is attached). Things can go downhill quickly in labor and time can be wasted trying to get an IV inserted in the middle of an emergency.

I hate having an IV too, BTW!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I had a written birth plan. It went how I wanted it to go, but I didn't give birth in a hospital either. I think that is a big difference. I could walk around with no IV's stuck in me (no IV's period.) I ate when I wanted to. No epidural's available.

I wanted to labor in water which I was able to in the beginning. Then my contractions were slowing down so I had to get out and they picked up right away. I wanted a water birth and Avery was born in the tub. DH was the first to touch her and she was placed on my chest and stayed there until I was ready to give her up. Then I went home 3 hours later.

The only thing that didn't go as planned was the cervical lip that could not be moved. But there was nothing I could do about that! LOL!

 

[maci]

Princess Dot, I know you are right....but it doesnt make them any more comfortable. And they pumped me full of so much fluid, I looked like a balloon when I left the hospital. Even with my daughter, when I wasnt swollen when I went in, I was on the way out. Oh well, it is all worth it!!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I had a written birthplan, took lamaze, etc, but ended up with an emergency c-section. But I still think it's good to have a birth plan, just realize it might not happen that way.

 

[holycow]

Let nature take its course and when you can take drugs take those too!


I've had 3 kids 3 epidurals (praise be to you know who) and only 1 spinal headache...oh, that just makes me ill thinking about it...but I wouldn't change a thing!

Holycow

 

[missypie]

By the time I had my first child at the age of 32, I had heard enough birth "almost horror stories" to know that no one has the "right" to a certain kind of birth...the goal is to bring a healthy baby into the world!

 

[wishuponastarforever]

Back in my day there were no written birth plans.
One thing hasn't changed though:

THE BABY IS BOSS!!!!!