Birth Plan

littlemissteach

Hey,
Have heard the words "birth plan" floating around- what is it?Am I supposed to have one??(Jeez I feel so clueless!) All I know is that I want every form of pain relief that's going!!(is that a birth plan)- are you supposed to have it written down somewhere or does your doctor do it with you ?Can you just tell them on the day like what you want??
Thanks in advance :-)

SusieBlue

I'm pretty sure you don't have to write it down if you don't want to, but I think its better to take note of your wishes because you'll be in so much pain you won't want to answer questions!

You need to specify what you want on it - Who you want in the room, whether you want gas & air, epidural, or other forms of pain relief.

You should also mention whether you want to breastfeed, if you want baby to be cleaned before being handed to you, and who you want to cut the cord.

My midwife asked me what I wanted to do with the placenta, and whether I wanted the injection to make the placenta come faster or for it to come naturally.

You should also specify what position you'd like to push in, how mobile you'd like to be, and if your hoping for a water birth you could mention it on it too.

Good luck

Princessa

White rose pretty much has it in a nutshell.

Its basically how you would like your labour to plan out - if theres no complications obviously. Birthing plans go out the window depending on how mum and baby are coping with labour so its basically just in an ideal situation i would like....

Some women want the midwife to encourage and emotionally support them for as long as possible to walk around without the epidural.

Some want a waterbirth.

Some women want their husbands, partners etc to tell them the sex of the baby not the midwife.

Most would write it down so the midwife can read through it so she can get an idea of how you would like the labour to pan out and in what way she can supposrt you to do that.
You dont have to have one and you can just go with the flow but if you have specific wishes id just write them down for the midwife

littlemissteach

Aha!thanks for all that- is there a specific format or form to follow- or do you just write down random things that you would want during the labour?!

Princessa

Yeah you can just write down things, its not an official medical document or anything.

Try think of your ideal labour from the start to finish and write down things in that order. I didnt have one for my first. Dont know will i bother writing one down for this one either. That might change as i get closer to my due date though. Might ask the OH does he want to look at the baby to find out the sex or does he want the midwife/Doctor to tell him maybe. I know he will be cutting the cord anyway.

Some women have really detailed birth plans, others they have just 3 or 4 things wrote down that they would like. Maybe if you google it, you might get one online.. see what another woman wrote down.

scrgirl

here is some info and an example
http://www.doulaireland.com/birthplan.html

hazeler

littlemissteach when you start your prenatal classes in Limerick they go through EVERYTHING!!

You get a tour of the wards, what you should expect to happen when you come in etc... it's shows you where things happen and then where you'll sleep. They will go through birth plans, nappy changing, bottle/breast feeding, vit D, immunisations- you name it they will go through it!

We had our first of 6 last night and even though it was 2 and half hours long, it was some craic. The mid-wife was so funny and was very thorough. I wouldn't panic about the birth plan just yet- go to the classes and all will be revealed!

littlemissteach

hazeler wrote: »

littlemissteach when you start your prenatal classes in Limerick they go through EVERYTHING!!

You get a tour of the wards, what you should expect to happen when you come in etc... it's shows you where things happen and then where you'll sleep. They will go through birth plans, nappy changing, bottle/breast feeding, vit D, immunisations- you name it they will go through it!

We had our first of 6 last night and even though it was 2 and half hours long, it was some craic. The mid-wife was so funny and was very thorough. I wouldn't panic about the birth plan just yet- go to the classes and all will be revealed!

Aw that sounds brill- just wondering are you doing the same classes as me though, cos we only have 4 classes?We are starting ours at the end of September.

Rachineire

littlemissteach wrote: »

hazeler wrote: »

littlemissteach when you start your prenatal classes in Limerick they go through EVERYTHING!!

You get a tour of the wards, what you should expect to happen when you come in etc... it's shows you where things happen and then where you'll sleep. They will go through birth plans, nappy changing, bottle/breast feeding, vit D, immunisations- you name it they will go through it!

We had our first of 6 last night and even though it was 2 and half hours long, it was some craic. The mid-wife was so funny and was very thorough. I wouldn't panic about the birth plan just yet- go to the classes and all will be revealed!

Aw that sounds brill- just wondering are you doing the same classes as me though, cos we only have 4 classes?We are starting ours at the end of September.

I lost my piece of paper with the dates on it! ( and had a good cry about that! Lol) they start on the 25th at half 6 right?

littlemissteach

Rachineire wrote: »

I lost my piece of paper with the dates on it! ( and had a good cry about that! Lol) they start on the 25th at half 6 right?

Yup Tuesday 25th @ 6.30- altho I have switched to the Wednesday classes now , so I can do pilates on the Tuesdays

taxus_baccata

The classes in St Munchins are the funniest thing I have ever been to! A real bladder endurance test! The Nurse Moloney character that d'unbelieveables had to have been based on some of the midwives there.

I loved the classes and we were so disappointed when we got to the end of them. I think I said it in another post that the mid wife pointed out that you couldn't spoil a baby by cuddling them. She added then that her son is 27 now and its hard enough to get a cuddle from him...... I nearly cried when she said that!

The breastfeeding class on the first thursday of every month is also great.

Going back to the birth plan, the midwives give you a sheet to fill in. Its not very detailed so I'm guessing the items that are on it are the things that they can absolutely do - all going well. I've seen some birth plans on line and they are so incredibly detailed that you'd nearly need one midwife to hold the list and project manage it!

Rachineire

littlemissteach wrote: »

Yup Tuesday 25th @ 6.30- altho I have switched to the Wednesday classes now , so I can do pilates on the Tuesdays

Aw sad day! well we just stick to the limerick bumps meet up so!