What is the birth plan? Basically a written plan outlining your preferences for your labor, delivery and postpartum experience. Include details on medical decisions you plan on making, including for your baby after you give birth. Remember that unexpected things happen. Although we're going to talk about some decisions that you can put in your birth plan, it's good to remember that it is just a plan and things don't always turn out how we plan them. There are times when there are complications or things just don't go as well as you hope.

And sometimes women benefit by changing their mind on certain matters or by accepting interventions they would have preferred to avoid. For myself personally, I was able to have a natural birth for my first pregnancy as I planned. However, I'd also stated on my birth plan that I wanted to slowly breastfeed my baby. Unexpectedly though my baby's blood sugar and temperature were low after she was born. And after I initially nursed her, so the hospital did give her a bottle of formula that day employers placed her in the warmer for a while. It wasn't when I played What I preferred, but I had to accept the unexpected things do happen and adapt to the situation.

I know of other moms who've had to accept medications and interventions during labor and delivery because there were complications. And in some situations, these have been necessary to safeguard their baby's health or life. So while we're talking about writing a birth plan, and ideally, you probably want to follow it to a tee, I recommend keeping in the back of your mind that you need to adjust to situations that come up, even if it's not exactly how you plan things to happen. You don't want to get so attached to the idea of how you want things to go, that it stresses you out if you have to adapt to unexpected events. So with that in mind, now we'll talk about what you want to include in your birth plan. So you could talk about some things as far as how you want to labor and deliver.

Some things you can make decisions on and include in your birth plan would be induction for example, you put a request to avoid being induced unless medically necessary. Know that most actors will want to induce you at some point if you go a certain number of days past your due date. So you may want to ask about this in advance if it's something that you want to to avoid. If there are certain tools or conference that you want to take advantage of during labor, like a birthing ball, a birthing bar, water, like the bath or shower, walking around, if you want to listen to music, etc, you can indicate that once you're actually in labor, you'll see what helps so you can always change your mind and adjust to what works but it's good to have some options planned in advance. And every woman and every labor is unique and the position of your baby and where you're feeling contractions are going to influence what comforts you for my first labor.

I tried the birthing ball and walking around and both of these things make contractions feel worse. Whereas the jacuzzi in the hospital, and my husband doing hip compressions helped me so you never know what will actually help until it happens. Think about if you want a natural birth or if you want medication, such as an epidural and specify this either way. It's okay to change your mind about this later. However, I will just say on a quick note if you decide to accept an epidural or medication and do just want to make sure that you decide early enough in labor to let the nurses know, so that you can take advantage of it in time for it to be effective. So I've heard many times when women decide later on in labor that they don't want medication, it's often too late for it to be administered and or help with the pain relief.

And I do suggest that you fully researched the pros and cons of adding medications or birth decisions, or making out your birth plan, and then decide what you are most comfortable with for you. You can specify who you want in the room with you during labor. Keep in mind that hospitals will often limit this number to one to two people, which is why I suggest asking about this during a maternity tour. I personally noted on my birthday that I wanted my husband in the room with me the entire time sometimes will kick out your birth partner to ask if you are experiencing any domestic abuse. You can specify if you want to Drink during labor. Know that some hospitals policies will not allow you to eat during labor.

Find out in advance and if not, you could likely eat at home during early labor before you leave for the hospital or birthing facility. You can request wireless indoor intermittent monitoring of your baby versus being hooked up to the monitor the entire time. This is another question I recommend asking about during the maturity tour. You can request to define an IV and drink coolers instead. They can put in a hot block so if you need an IV later, they'll be able to get an air being quickly. And note you could choose to decline a lot but there are advantages to having one in case you did need an emergency IV.

For my first birth I had declined an IV but my midwife convinced me to have that block during labor because if they needed to give me an IV in emergency, they have blocked me so fast for them to get in the day. And I have to say it took two nurses about 15 minutes just to get the hot block in my vein. So due to me being in labor, it was more difficult for them to get In position, I guess under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been an issue. But I'm glad I had to have blog as a precaution. But again, that's just my experience. These are your decisions to make.

You can request to deliver and his fifth cific way or position. Know that you may have more options in this regard. If you opt for a home birth or birthing center as some hospitals policies don't permit things like water, birth or pushing in certain positions. Keep in mind also that you won't always know what will be the most comfortable for you in advance. You can request for the amniotic membrane to rupture naturally. Sometimes they break this for you during labor to try to move things along.

If your water doesn't break by itself. You can request to be coached when to push or to do so just when you have a natural urge. You can request to watch yourself deliver within here. I personally declined this offer but some moms like doing this. Some hospitals will have mirrors on hand for this purpose, but you can double check during your maternity tour. If this is something you would like to do, you can request to avoid having a PC Atomy if possible.

This is not when you turn naturally which may or may not happen, but rather when they actually cut you to get the baby out easier. You can request to have your placenta delivered naturally with no pitocin or manipulation unless it's necessary. tosun is typically administered at some point unless you specifically decline it. Some hospitals or doctors are pretty adamant about moms having adult postpartum and preferences for your baby. Again, these are things you could decide to include in your birth plan, especially if you want to do things different than how the hospital normally just ticks. But the choices up to you your birth plan as yours and we'll be including these as ideas you may or may not want to consider.

You can request delayed cord clamping, this can benefit your baby unless there's a medical reason to plant that sooner. You can request that your birth partner gets to cut the cord if that's something you desire. You can plan on uninterrupted skin to skin contact immediately after two For a time such as an hour, you can request to delay or delay or decline shots, procedures and medications that are typically given to newborns such as the vitamin K shot the eye cream, hepatitis vaccine, rabies, bath, etc. Know depending on where you live, some of these newborn procedures are actually required by law or hospital policy. In the state where I live, it is the law that newborns get the vitamin K shot and eye cream within an hour after birth. However, even so, I was able to request that this be delayed for 59 minutes so that I could have skin to skin contact with my babies first.

You can specify if you want to slowly breastfeed just use formula or use a combination of both. You can request that either you or the baby's father accompany your baby during any post delivery care and or procedures. If you have a boy, you do need to decide whether or not you are going to circumcised and if you do, you may want to check that it'll be covered by the insurance where you live. You can also request that the baby stays in your postpartum room with you. I suppose. Nursery if that's what you want additional notes, be sure to include your name and date of birth and your birth plan.

This way when you give your doctor a copy of it, they'll know who it is and he keeps it on file for you. In addition to giving your doctor's office a copy in advance, I recommend to bring in a couple of copies with you to the hospital. Put these in a safe place and packed in and pack it in your hospital bag on you get it ready. Don't forget to discuss your birth plan with your husband or birth partner. In addition to learning to include the baby's father with decisions you want your husband or birth partner to know what you plan on so they can support the decisions that affect your labor and delivery. So about the sample birth plans that I include, for this section of this course, I include two printable examples of birth plans.

One is geared more towards a mom who would want to have a natural birth and the other is for a mom who wants a medicated birth and is more open to additional interventions. These are just to give you an idea of the types of things you could include How you could do a work plan. There are many other decisions you could make or declined for your personal birth plan. And these are not in any way meant to sway you towards or against any specific decisions you're personally responsible for making, or rather just to give you some ideas and show you how different birth plans can be. names and dates of birth on the sample birth plans I include are fictional and not meant to represent any individuals in real life. So we're just going to go through and discuss these the first sample birth plan, which would be for a natural birth.

There are many different actual birth options. I think there are sometimes misconceptions, but the good kind of group the idea of a natural birth into being the same for everyone, but that's simply not the case. One mom that has a natural birth and you have a water birth at home, whereas another mom may have a natural birth in a hospital and delivered differently. Of course, it's good to remember that some natural birth options may If you limited depending on the location you're giving birth at, and what your midwife or doctor allows, as we discussed in this course. For this sample natural birth plan included with this lesson. This would be an instance where a mom is planning a natural birth at either a hospital or a birthing center.

So let's just take a minute to discuss the sample birth plan. At the top it reads birth plan for baby boy Brandon Smith, mother, Jenna's Smith's Date of Birth 689 father account listener. So you'll notice that it includes a mom's name and date of birth father's name, the gender of the baby, since they apparently found out in the name that they've decided on the birth plan next reads, dismissed thank you for supporting their plan natural birth. If there are complications, they're willing to consider medications or interventions but want to discuss them first. So this little sentence is optional, but it keeps things in a friendly tone and helps the couples and medical providers to realize that they'll be reasonable. If there are complications but also that they want to be kept in the loop.

And you'll notice this birth plan is your own and third person again totally optional. I organized the birth plan into decisions relating to deliver labor and delivery and postpartum. So under labor and delivery It reads, induction Jenna declines this so she declines being induced wireless or intermittent monitoring. Please monitor only intermittently so Jenna can move on freely, labor tools and comfort. Jenna would like to be free to walk around use a birthing ball and sit in the shower as needed. She would like to listen to music at a low volume and keep the light stemmed.

For personal support Jenna would like Thomas and her doula Stacy in the room with her at all times. How block and fluids know I be general request to help block but no IV unless medically unnecessary. She wants to drink fluids, no medication. Please don't offer or administer an epidural pitocin or other medication and the answer Second fluid Please allow to nap truly rupture. Delivering Please allow Jenna to squat early on her side or back to deliver and to push when she's inclined to. She would like to avoid a C section and or if he sciatic placenta.

Jenna would like this delivered without pitocin or manipulation and for the postpartum decisions, delayed cord clamping please delay for five minutes and allow Thomas to cut the cord skin to skin contact. Please allow Jenna to have at least one hour of uninterrupted skin to skin contact with baby flavor again, nursing Jenna would like to slowly nurse and to encourage us as soon as she starts going to scan newborn procedures. Please discuss any procedures with the Smiths prior to performing them. They accept the vitamin K shot and the newborn screening General Thomas would like to be present for any newborn procedures or testing. They decline the ice cream and we'll have the pediatrician administer the hepatitis vaccine later They prefer to faith in themselves when they go home. circumcision.

Jenny and Thomas was like Brandon circumcised sleeping arrangements, Jenna and Thomas would like Brandon to stay in the room overnight instead of in the nursery. So that's just one example of what a plan natural birth in a hospital might look like. Keep in mind the other parents wanting a natural birth may make different decisions in the examples we gave. They may decline things if the Smith in our example wants or accept things if the Smith's declined, but that's an example of a natural birth plan. So the sample birth and number two for a medicated birth. Now for a second birth plan sample, which I again include as a PDF printable, this is an idea of a birth plan for a single mom who wants Medicaid to work.

She didn't find out the gender of her baby and she has her birth plan written in first person. And note that both of these birth plans are only one page which is great, the more consolidated the better. It's easier for medical staff to follow. Notice that something's on the first sample birth plan are not brought up on this one. That's because this mom is more open to the typical interventions and medications that are given. So generally if you want to receive medications or care that's considered standard, you don't really need to specify this.

So for example, with being giving pitocin most hospitals will administer this to moms automatically. So if that's the case for where you live, and that's what you want, then you don't need to say you want something they would already do the same with an IV in most places that may be standard care ready. However, things like an epidural are not going to be automatically given even though let's comment so that's why it's mentioned on the sample birth plan. So let's just go through and talk about this birth plan and see some things and average mom with a medicated birth name. Again, with this one, you'll notice it has her name and date of birth. It says birth pin for Carly Johnston Date of Birth 922 91 and under labor and delivery, it says induction I would like to be induced if I go past my duty.

Wireless and intermittent monitoring. I would like to walk around in earlier labor medication I request an epidural for pain relief, personal support, my mom will be supporting me during labor. Other procedures I would consider having my water broken to move things along. If I'm in labor for over 15 hours I would consider a C section. Delivering Please tell me when to question allow me to view my delivery with a mirror if possible. Under postpartum it says for feeding I would like to nurse my baby following delivery so he or she gets lost room.

Afterwards I would like to support the formula. circumcision if I have a boy I declined having him circumcised. overnight. I request my babies stay in the nursery at night so I can rest up. Please bring him or her to me when it's time for feedings. I may either nurse or use formula.

And under medication allergy she lists X ray diet and penicillin. And just to know if you have allergies to medication is a good idea to listen to If you have room or bring a separate list with you for the hospitals records, of course in theory, they should already have this info from your doctor's office. But it can't hurt to provide them with another copy, especially if you've had severe reactions. It's better to let them know again. So your birth plan and your medical care provider is very important that you discuss your birth plan with your doctor or midwife in advance. They may not be able to accommodate everything you're requesting even if you have a healthy pregnancy and are delivering this could be due to their own practices and policies or that of the hospital and facility where you're delivering.

Additionally, there may be certain concerns they would have in regards to your personal pregnancy in or medical history that would impact your birth plan. As I've mentioned a few times you also want to be sure to ask the hospital or birthing facility any questions or in connection with your birth plan when you take a maternity tour. You could also call to ask but I suggest taking advantage of a muttering detour, if at all possible So when should you discuss your birth plan with your doctor or midwife? If you are quite adamant about certain aspects of your birth plan, especially if there are specific ways that you want to deliver naturally and or if you plan on declining procedures or medications that are typically done, you'll want to ask your care provider about these specific things as soon as possible. Things like water births, home births, delivering different positions, etc, are not likely things that every doctor or midwife will be able to accommodate.

So if you are set on things that are not the norm, you'll want to bring up this stuff ASAP. I suggest talking with your doctor or midwife about specific birth preferences you have during your second trimester, and then providing them with an actual copy of your final birth plan no later than the middle of your third trimester or around seven and a half months pregnant. In between prenatal appointments, I would suggest you keep a notebook or an electronic note to mark down any questions you have about your birth plan and what you want and bring this with you to each appointment tasks. Be reasonable and willing to compromise if needed. In some cases, you will have to decide what is most important to you about your birth is it who will deliver a specific medical provider where you want to deliver the hospital birth center home, or how you deliver your birth plan.

Sometimes you'll need to compromise some of what you want or decide to switch to a medical provider that is more comfortable and familiar with how you want to labor deliver. I talked about this a little bit more in the next section of this course as far as the type of birth you want with where you want to give birth. Remember, as we talked about in the beginning of the section that even if you do have a medical provider and hospital on board with your birth plan, things will not always go according to plan. If you're contemplating switching medical providers, consider these things. You want a medical provider team that you're comfortable with and trust. You want a medical provider team that will respect and support your medical decisions to a reasonable degree, even if it may go against their personal preferences.

And think about too, that just because you've been with an OB GYN for some time or you like them, doesn't mean that they're the right provider or team to deliver your baby. If you are absolutely sure that you want to switch, pick a new doctor or midwife that you've thoroughly researched and switch as soon as you can during pregnancy so that you have time to get comfortable with them. And so they'll have time to get to know you both as a person and medically before you go into labor. Make sure that you don't miss out on any prenatal appointments in the process. And note that some medical facilities will not accept new Pregnant Patients after a certain point in their pregnancy, which is just another reason why you shouldn't delay switching if that's what you definitely want to do. So just my experience, I personally did switch to a different midwife practice during my first pregnancy.

I was originally with an OB GYN that I really liked. However, the main person I saw there did not deliver babies. Out of the three different doctors there they did deliver One of them was very disrespectful to me. The first time I met her, she walked in the room yelling at me for a vaccine. I declined, although the manufacturer of the vaccine told pregnant woman not to get it and stated it hadn't been tested on pregnant woman. She also had this entire conversation with me about how I needed to be careful about not gaining too much weight.

Although I had actually lost weight since I got pregnant and wasn't overweight to get hurt. She then warned me that my baby's brain wasn't going to develop because of my diet. Although I had already seen the nutritionist there Who said I was eating healthy. And on top of everything, I hosted the doctor for my baby as the alien inside of me. So I did not want this person delivering my baby. But I really liked the other ob gyn providers, so I was a bit torn.

The final tip of this gal was that the hospital my current ob gyn delivered that was not where I wanted to go. There was another hospital that was closer that offered a Jacuzzi to labor and in the hospital where my ob gyn delivered dinner. Because I wanted a natural birth, it was important to me to be able to have the option of a Jacuzzi to help me get through the contractions. I ended up switching to a midwife practice that delivered at the hospital I wanted to go to, I was a lot more comfortable with the midwives, and they were more familiar with natural births and agreeable to things on my birth plan. In my case, it worked out to switch my medical provider. But this isn't always best for everyone, even if it means compromising on some other things that you want.

I compromise too. I personally would have liked the have the option of having a water birth but the hospital I went to doesn't allow it. The jacuzzi they have is just for laboring before you start pushing. Overall though, I was able to have most of what I wanted and I was happy with my birth experience. But that was just my experience. your circumstances are unique and so you have to decide what's most important to you for your birth experience.

So Wow, I know that was a lot of information. But to do next, download and fill out the birth plan. workbook. Make a rough draft of your birth plan so that you have a general idea of what you want. discuss any decisions that are important to you with your doctor or midwife. And Section seven, which is the next section, it goes hand in hand with your birth plan as we'll discuss your options for where you can give birth.

So after you have a general idea of what you want for your birth plan, review the next section when you have a chance