By Aimee Oswald, CD (DONA), HCHI
www.sweetpeabirth.com
I am sure you've heard the saying; "If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans", Sometimes I think this also goes for Caregivers, Family members and well meaning friends when you bring up the topic of a birth plan. Those previously mentioned will often look at the expectant women and try to nod in a supportive all the while trying to hide a look that says; "Poor thing. She thinks she can plan this". Can she plan this?
Having a baby is a life changing, momentous event. I often tell my clients that unlike planning your wedding, dream vacation or extravagant party with this event you have no idea what time it will start, what day it will be and sometimes you don't even know the sex of the guest of honor! Despite what you may assume it is actually very productive to prepare a birth plan for your labor and delivery. The tricky part is knowing what to include and what to leave out. Here is what I advise the couples I work with to cover in their birth wish list;
You should begin your birth plan with a short introduction of you and your partner, just a few sentences stating who you are and how excited you are about meeting your little bundle. Next include any very specific issues or concerns you may have, this would be a fine place to inform the staff of a back or any other prior injury. The final sentence of your introduction should include the members of your support or birth team, just their names and what their function is on your team. For example; Mary is Sue's mom she will be in the labor room until delivery, Nancy is our doula and will remain with us throughout labor, delivery and for about an hour into our postpartum time.
The second thing to do is to break your birth down into stages and state your desires for each stage.
First Stage of Labor: declare your wishes for the environment; things such as lighting, your mobility, if you would like to eat or drink, how much fetal monitoring you are comfortable with, what you would like to wear during this time, would you like to be offered pain medications or alternative options, if you need any augmentation with your labor would like it to be medical or would you rather try things like nipple stimulation first, do you want to have a routine IV, in the event of a C-section who would you like to accompany you, who will then cut the cord. Cover all possible scenarios of this first stage of labor.
Second Stage-Pushing: What position would you like to push in, would you like the nurse to direct this pushing by counting to 10 or would you rather try spontaneous bearing down, who would you like to help you hold your legs or would you prefer stirrups, What type of care would you like to your perineum, would you prefer to tear or have an episiotomy?
Third Stage- Delivery of the Placenta: Would you like to exam your placenta, would you like to keep it or take it home (please note that if you are interested in taking it home you must make arrangements to have it removed from the hospital premises very shortly after your birth), Do you wish to deliver the placenta spontaneously, would you like your baby placed directly on your chest for skin to skin contact.
Finally you will want to include a section on newborn care, this can also be a separate "newborn plan" In this section you will address things like who will cut the cord, are you banking cord blood, do you want delayed cord clamping, are you inclined to delay the routine newborn procedures such as the vitamin k shot, antibiotics drops to the baby's eyes, any other injections and weight, head measurements and length of the baby. This section is also the place to state weather or not you'd like the baby to have a bottle, pacifier, be separated from you or have a bath.
Once you have made all these choices and done your research on any you are not familiar with you are going to type them all up on a single sheet of brightly colored paper. Give a copy to your doctor or midwife, a copy to your doula and keep about half a dozen in your hospital bag. This will become your birth plan. Embrace your plan, visualize it, speak it out loud, draw a picture of it and then be prepared to change it at a moments notice. Birth is a completely unpredictable event and for you to enjoy your Birth Day you will need to wrap your arms and heart around flexibility. Being flexible is the most important component of every birth plan.
Make your plan, let them laugh because you know the truth...Plans, like rules are made to be broken.