Theory of Labor : Birth Plan

I am entering the 37 weeks milestone of my pregnancy. It means the baby will be considered full term and can be delivered normally after that milestone. Yeay for Baby!!

I have been communicating with my baby that, if he can, please do wait until at least he is 37 weeks old before he will be born. It is not that I don't want him to come earlier, I just want my baby to be healthy and all the necessary organ are complete and fully grown. That way, my baby will have bigger chance to be delivered normally and so he does not have to be kept in NICU.

As baby will be ready to be born anytime after week 37, it is advisable to have birth plan ready and discussed it with your midwife or Obgyn. Birth plan is a list of action and things that you want to have or happen during your labor. It can be as extensive as you want it to be. For me I stick to the basic and information that I know from fellow mother. I turned to fellow mother in one of my facebook group, ITBMotherhood, to find the example of birth plan. And I found two very supportive mother that shared me their birth plan. You can also check out the example of birth plan in the internet. The reason that I ask my fellow mother in ITBMotherhood is because we shared same culture and most of us also shared the same religion. So some of the practice that I need to have in my labor are related to my cultural and religious background need to be stated in the birth plan. It is really helpful to have the example as a benchmark so I can check whether I mentioned the important points in my own birth plan.

After compiling so many example, I was ready with my birth plan. The last thing I do is to discussed it my husband and check the grammar with my sister (She is an excellent entrepreneur, both for English and Dutch!). You can check out the example of my birth plan below:
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NAME:
Patient Number:

ATTENDANTS

I'd like the following people to be present during labor and/or birth:

·         Partner:

·         Sister:

AMENITIES

I'd like to:

·         bring and play music or quran in the room

·         dim the lights

·         wear my own clothes during labor and delivery

·         take pictures and/or video during labor and delivery

·         have no pork based diet or medication. I would like to be informed on the alternatives.

HOSPITAL ADMISSION & PROCEDURES

Once I'm admitted, I'd like:

·         my partner and sister to be allowed to stay with me at all times

·         to eat if I wish to

·         to try to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids instead of having an IV

·         to walk and move around as I choose

OTHER INTERVENTIONS

As long as the baby and I are doing fine, I'd like to:

·         have intermittent rather than continuous electronic fetal monitoring

·         be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary

LABOR PROPS

I’d like to try and use all available labor props

PAIN RELIEF

I'd like to try the following pain-management techniques:

·         bath/shower

·         breathing techniques/distraction

·         self-hypnosis

·         massage

·         medication, please Do not rejects my request for pain relief medication at any stage of labor, unless I was medically deems unfit for pain relief medication

If I decide I want medicinal pain relief, I'd prefer:

·         regional analgesia (an epidural and/or spinal block) with needed doses as advised my anesthetic doctor

PUSHING

When it's time to push, I'd like to:

·         be coached on when to push and for how long

·         be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits as long as my baby and I are doing fine

I'd like to try the following positions for pushing (and birth):

·         whatever feels right at the time

VAGINAL BIRTH

During delivery, I'd like:

·         the room to be as quiet as possible

·         Only performed episiotomy if my doctor deems necessary

·         Avoid vacuum extraction unless my doctor deems necessary

After birth, I'd like:

·         My husband can complete calling the athan in the both baby's ear IMMEDIATELY after birth. This gives the staff notice to be quiet and let us complete our religious duty.

·         to hold my baby right away, putting off any procedures that aren't urgent

·         to breastfeed as soon as possible

·         not to get oxytocin (Pitocin) after I deliver the placenta unless it's necessary

·         to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it's clamped and cut

·         my partner to cut the umbilical cord

C-SECTION

If I have a c-section, I'd like:

·         My husband can complete calling the athan in the both baby's ear IMMEDIATELY after birth. This gives the staff notice to be quiet and let us complete our religious duty.

·         If possible, to hold my baby right away, putting off any procedures that aren't urgent

·         To breastfeed in the recovery room and to breastfeed as soon as possible

CORD BLOOD BANKING

I'm planning to donate cord blood for research purposes if needed.

POSTPARTUM

After delivery, I'd like:

·         I would like to have routine newborn procedures delayed until bonding and breastfeeding have occurred.

·         rooming-in with my baby

·         I prefer to have my partner stay with me for the duration of my hospital stay.

·         I would like my guests to be permitted to stay as long as they wish.

FEEDING ISSUES

I plan to breastfeed exclusively

Do not offer my baby:

·         formula

·         sugar water

·         a pacifier

CIRCUMCISION

If my baby's a boy I want him to be circumcised at the hospital

DISCHARGE

I'd like to wait and see how I feel before deciding about the timing of hospital discharge

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I made it based on my needs and condition, so fell free to adjust it to your needs and condition.

I have my weekly midwife appointment last Thursday, 4th of July 2013. And did I mentioned already, that I adore our midwife! He is so enthusiastic about the baby and birth. I am sure from his attitude towards his patient that he loves his job. He always smiling, caring, loving and he does not judge me or scare me. which is important for new mom, because the last thing that I want is being judge of anything that I did or have no knowledge before, or being panic because so many things that I need to avoid. He has his own way of explaining things that I like. He is very patient about my condition (which is complicated due to my super high BMI, blood spotting, history of miscarriage), giving me courage throughout every stage of my pregnancy, and always giving me the support that I need in his gentle way. Oh I can go on and ooon about him. But basically I am blessed that I have him as my midwife.

I came prepared that day, with our birth plan. And on that appointment day, I spent most of the consultation time to discuss the birth plan, what is possible, what is the limitation and what needs to be adjusted. It is really helpful for your medical practitioner too if you hand them your plan, so they will know what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. At the end we agreed on the birth plan with some adjustment.  Somehow the discussion and agreement made me felt more secure about my labor now. I am not sure I can stay sane on the labor day, so planning it ahead give me some assurance that at least on the big day, somebody will know what to do to cater my baby and my needs.

Kisses from AMS!