Nervous...

[opaloctober]

So today is the first day of my 22nd week. We met with my doula Nicole on Wednesday and she is an angel. I can't wait to work with her. I'm also thinking of using a midwife instead of an OB. There are a few things that are keeping my decision in limbo. I would like a Hep Lock for pain instead of an epidural, and I plan to go naturally for as long

Comments

[sweet_tea79]

FYI, you can't wait to clamp the cord until the cord stops pulsing if you're going to collect cord blood. This is because of the volume of blood required to bank cord blood; if it's drained into the baby, there's none left to bank. Just something to think about.

[designingdreams]

My ob told me the opposite, that is is possible to do both because even after the cord stops pulsating, there is nearly always enough blood left for banking... Perhaps that segment could be re-written to say, "if possible, I would like to do both delayed clamping and banking cord blood, but my preference is _______"?

Also to the OP- you may want to check whch of these things are standard practice a your hospital or birth center. At our hospital, MANY of the concerns you listed are standard, and you can have a more concise (and therefore, easier to read/follow/remember) birthplan. If you list too much info, nurses/doctors/midwives may accidentally overlook something important to you. Not on purpose, just because labor is hectic. If it's something they routinely do, it's not necessary to have in the birth plan as well.

[sweet_tea79]

Hmm, good thought. Where I am, it's either cord blood or delayed clamping. OP, best check with your OB and your hospital's practices!

I do agree with checking with your hospital's and Ob's policies, and see which parts overlap your birthplan. The shorter it is, the easier it is to follow. My birthplan was "No students, no narcotic pain meds." Those 2 things were the most important things for me, and that made it easy for the staff to remember and comply.

[designingdreams]

Yea, at our childbirth prep class, our teacher brought examples of different birth plans and asked us our opinions of them. There was one super long and detailed one (similar structure/length to the OP's here), and a lot of the expectant parents said, "Wow, this lady seems SUPER high maintainance and picky! I don't know how I could remember all this!"

While, of course, you should be able to express all your desires about birth, it's important to remember that the way you say things will effect the staff's opinion (and possibly care) of you.

At our hospital, a TON of the above things are regular policy, so it's not necessary to write them in the birth plan. If I did, it would just distract the staff from the things that I truly 'want'.

We haven't finished our birth plan yet, but the plan is to make it less than one page (probably double spaced for ease and comprehension), bullet-point format. Our most important desires will be at the top of the page, possibly bolded.

[lauralita44]

One of the doulas my husband and I are interviewing had a hypnobirth with a midwife (one of the ones in the practice I go to actually!) in the hospital, so it's totally possible. Your midwife will need to have permission to practice at your hospital, but that's an easy enough question to ask.

At least at my hospital, it's not a problem to have a heplock versus an IV (as long as your practitioner is okay with it); the whole point is just that if you become really dehydrated or they need to get fluids/medicine in quickly, you've already got a pathway set up. You only really NEED an IV if you're prepping to get an epidural or are really dehydrated.

[lauralita44]

oh, and now I read the birth plan and noticed one thing:

"I would like to try alternative means of labor augmentation, like walking or nipple stimulation, before pitocin or artificial rupture of membranes is attempted.

Absolutely under NO circumstances give me PITOCIN."

You might want to change the first part to not even mention pitocin if it's really not an option for you. I don't know your reasons for saying ABSOLUTELY NO PITOCIN but do realize that if you feel that way, you could be choosing a cesarean over a vaginal birth in order to avoid pitocin. Just a thought--if that works for you, rock on! :)

ETA: also, you may not need some of what's in there, or may need to change some of it; once you know where you'll be delivering and such, you may find you don't need to specify some things--for example, at my hospital, if you are breastfeeding, you automatically get put on the IBCLC's schedule, you don't need to request it on your birth plan.

[coendou]

It'll likely be a nurse administering the hep lock anyhow, so if you have a certified nurse midwife she should be able to take care of it.

I would call around to midwife practices in your area and find out where they generally deliver - the one I'm planning to use delivers in a particular hospital as a matter of course. Many don't have their own birth centers or anything. You can also ask the midwife about the policies at the hospital they deliver in, to make sure they're compatible with your birth plan.

[al0gia]

I've had a midwife attended hospital birth so, yes, it can be an option. I could have had any intervention my heart desired.

[acorna_cat]

You can deffinatly get a midwife in a hospital. There are home birth midwives, but I'd check to see if you have hospital based midwifes or midwife groups in your area.

I'd also say before keeping that birth plan find a care provider, and ask questions about hospital policy.

For example I'm going to a hospital, but they're an unusual group and they don't offer pain meds you have to ask for it. They do not have passafyers at the facility if you want them you bring your own etc. So find out the policies before keeping that as your final plan.