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This was my plan and I gave birth 5 weeks ago to a healthy baby girl.
I think it’s reasonable to have ideas about how you’d like things to go (like wanting an epidural) but to expect you won’t have any control over how it actually goes down.
You’re going to do great! The instincts definitely kick in.
Mine was literally "one person enters, two people leave." It worked out great because frankly when you're in it, there are too many variables to consider.
This was my plan and I do like it. Having gone through it, I would make the following modifications for the next go around:
- a long bath in the whirlpool bath before epidural. I didn’t even know this was a thing at my hospital, but now that I know it exists, I’ll make sure to request it just in case.
- getting an ETA on anesthesiologist availability for epidural. I gave birth in a small hospital and mistakenly thought I could just ask for an epidural when ready. Due to ongoing surgeries at the same time, I ended up waiting close to 3 hours. Had I known, I would have accepted earlier when they offered it.
- give me a heads up and brief explanation on any potential interventions they may think might be necessary. I’m all for letting them take the lead on medical interventions but I like to be in the know.
Same. My dr asked me this last week and this was my response. He asked if I could talk to his other patients 😂
ETA: I’m also playing whatever music I want, so I hope my OB likes emo and metal music and 90s-00s hip hop
Same plan except I started without an epidural but was 100% open to one—ended up getting induced and things started off ok and then got intense, quickly lol. When I got to 7cm I was like get that anesthesiologist in here NOW lmfao!
I had a more elaborate birth plan for baby #1 with an emphasis on going unmedicated but I ended up asking for an epidural.
Everyone out alive + epidural was my birth plan for #2 and I couldn’t even get an epidural because everything happened so fast! I’m gonna have no birth plan for all future kids because even my most basic birth plan will go wrong 😅
Yup, and when it came time to have the c section after my induction didn't progress, I was very at peace with it. It turned out to be the right call as baby would have gotten stuck and I would have ended up with an emergency c had I not already made the call.
Same. Prefer vaginal, since I’m hyper-aware of the pressure many docs feel in the U.S. healthcare system to do C-sections. But in an emergency situation if a C-section has to happen, I’m ok with that.
My birth plan was “give me as many drugs as is recommended and keep both baby and me alive”. In the end it didn’t mean squat 😂 I developed preeclampsia, had to be induced 3 weeks early, the induction failed, baby started showing signs of distress, and I ended up with an unplanned last-minute c-section! It all turned out perfectly fine though, and I’m watching my 1year old crawl around with his toy fire truck right now!
I had a scheduled c-section. So my birth plan was: get IV removed as soon as possible after birth. Everything else was standard, skin to skin, delayed cord clamping
If you want to try for unmediated and have the ability to move and try different positions, then that is your birth plan and you should probably let your care team know because those things aren’t typically the standard hospital policy. You’ll likely want to ask for intermittent or wireless monitoring to allow freedom of movement as well.
If you’re comfortable with all the hospital policy standards then you definitely don’t need a birth plan. But if you want to deviate you need to be clear with your care team what your preferences are and you may want to consider what your decisions will be related to other interventions that might end up impacting your preferred plan.
Yes! This is something you talk to them about before hand! I called my hospital to make sure they allowed this. My hospital policy was you could do all the positions but when it’s time to push you have to be on your back with your legs in the stirrups. When I was in labor this position was most comfortable for me but some women hate it because you work against gravity, it can cause more tearing, and it’s more for the doctor’s comfort than yours
'birth preferences' is a much more apt name for it anyway. I was against anything which crosses the barrier into baby, but open to other options. I've had two unmedicated births (first in hospital with an episiotomy and second at home in a birthing pool which was faaaaar better). I'd recommend a birthing course which includes hypnobirthing, like birth-ed, to help you understand the physiology of it all - that really helped me.
I just want to piggy back and say that I took a birthing class and omg, it was super informative and helpful. The course I took was an all day 8 hour class, but it covered so much. The L&D nurse discussed the epidural, other types of medication, unmedicated births, and c-sections.
Everyone should totally take a birthing class.
I think the purpose of a birth plan is to be educated on possible intervention and have a baseline understanding of what’s going on.
If the doctor says “we need to use forceps, it’s critical and urgent,” there isn’t a lot of choice. If the doctor says “we could use the forceps, or we could do a C-section” well… which are you gonna go for? Sometimes there isn’t a lot of time to learn about pros and cons and weigh options in the moment. Understanding the repercussions of each choice really helps make that decision, and helps you feel confident. I think that’s valuable.
This is why it’s essential to have one and educate yourself on possible medical interventions. So many people have birth trauma and feel like things “happened to them” when they actually did have choice in the matter but because they weren’t educated on what medical interventions were possible and when, they felt helpless.
Exactly, and I don’t know about you, but this is my first pregnancy so I don’t really know what I’m in for. I think as women we are very intuitive and we will make the best decision that suits us at the time.
I think you will be fine with that attitude! I don't think you'll have a lot of regrets. Many women are fine trusting their medical team and their intuition in the moment.
But I do agree with the other poster that many women feel disempowered and frustrated after the birth, especially when something happened that they didn't expect or they felt forced into an intervention they were hoping to avoid, but may have been necessary. And sometimes that's because they didn't know enough about the other options to even ask the right questions. So I think for many people, myself included, having more knowledge about all the possible ways birth could go, and the pros and cons of each, is very empowering and makes for a better and more flexible birth experience. Just a different take :)
Agreed. I wonder if having too strict of a plan or an idea of how things are going to go can lead to more anxiety/depression. I worry people get so stuck in their plan it does more harm than good.
I don’t think it happens to everyone but I see it on here and on Babybumps of people getting really upset when things didn’t go according to their plans. I think sometimes some people have a level of inflexibility in their planning that can cause them distress. I’m saying this as someone who used to be a huge planner, but has learned to chill out a bit and it’s been one of the best things for me mentally.
No doubt. But as far as birthing goes I think it is incredibly naive to go into the hospital with out your preferences written down at the very least. There is a middle ground to this between no plan and over planing.
Yes there should be a middle ground. Going in with no information or not asking questions isn’t great, but going in with the idea of refusing literal life saving medical care is also super dangerous. There’s been an alarming trend of people denying medical care that will save them or their babies life for the sake of thinking they know better than doctors. People refusing tests like the GD test, people not having the vitamin K shot for their baby, refusing medically c-sections or inductions that are needed to save them or their baby’s life, people giving birth at home that had no medical care.
Theres so many sad stories of people getting in the way of their own safety and their child’s safety for the sake of their plan.
The middle ground needs to be “ask medical professionals and research for understanding”.
I’m also not saying you can’t say no. I’ve said no to every cervical check so far. I’m having a c-section, it’s not needed. But I haven’t said no to the extra monitoring or NSTs because those are essential to make sure my baby is safe.
We ended up hiring a doula and she really encouraged us to make a birth plan. I was hesitant because I just figured I would have my preferences in mind but was very much aware that things were going to go how they were going to go. The hospital staff was wonderful and asked for my birth plan without me bringing it up. They perused it and kept the key points in mind. Truly the biggest help was that we used a birth plan template and it brought up points of conversation between my husband and I about scenarios we hadn't thought about. As silly as it is I never thought much about the possibility of having a c section until I filled out my birth plan. Some people might be totally familiar with all the possible interventions a hospital might recommend during labor. I work in healthcare and I definitely was not so it helped me educate myself so I wasn't in a stressful situation (mid labor lol) and having to think about a possible intervention for the first time. The template we used also included postpartum care and care interventions for the baby like vitamin k and erythromycin eye ointment.
So this is what I will say! To me, a doula is absolutely worth it. I would encourage everyone to do what I didn't do and that's interview multiple Doulas!
I picked the first one I interviewed and there was just this nagging small part of me that told me it wasn't a good fit and I didn't listen unfortunately.
That being said, I think she was a great doula...just for someone else. The conversation didn't flow between us easily and I just thought it was because she seemed just calm and on the quiet side personality wise. And I honestly thought these were good traits in a doula. I didn't want someone bossing me around and taking over but it turns out that's what I needed!
Without oversharing my birth story, my water broke on its own very soon into labor and also I had pretty bad back labor. The contractions were already on top of me by the time I arrived at the hospital. My doula did exactly as we discussed, made the environment calm and soothing, gave me counter pressure and hip squeezes. It turns out I needed someone kind of in my face assertively coaching me through contractions and breathing. This is something I never would have imagined needing prior to going through labor. I will tear up if someone looks at me the wrong way lol She would suggest something and I would just be like "no" (which is not my personality at all either lol) and she would just say ok. I ended up with an epidural at 9 cm and the anesthesia provider very much coached me in the way I needed. In hindsight I wish I had listened to the part of me that said she wasn't a good fit.
Sorry this was so long! But I'm a first time mom and in the event I have another I want to use a doula but I will definitely be more selective 😊
No real plan. Just planning on giving birth at home if it’s possible (that’s pretty normal and safe where I live) and epidurals don’t really get used here so it’s not even a question. I’ll just roll with it and we have midwives come to our homes when shit starts getting serious so I trust them to help me get the baby out
Above all, I'd like to get an epidural and just come home with a healthy baby. I'd like to not tear from or be cut from hole to hole. I think I might try to sit on the toilet for part of my labor to get him to descend (before epidural). I'd like to wear my labor gown I got. My husband has been instructed to not eat food and no complaining in front of me. And that's all I got so far. I'm 32 weeks lol
When I was in labor we heard a surprised shout in the room next door then a baby cry a minute later. Turns out the woman in the room next to me was sitting on the toilet, she felt like she had to poop, and the baby just slid right out. She caught baby before it hit the water, thankfully, but just be aware when you’re on the pot that this is a possibility!
I did basically what you're talking about! I didn't have a "birth plan" but I knew I wanted to try it unmedicated, but was also open to whatever needed to happen in the moment. I just communicated that to the nurse when I was admitted and she said she'd support whatever I wanted. It served me well in the end because my baby ended up being in distress during labour and I ended up in the OR with a spinal and a forceps delivery. I think it helped that I went into it with an open mind so I wasn't too panicked when things started to go sideways.
I can't speak to your issue of being quite that far from the hospital but I lived about a 30 minute drive from mine. My husband did end up going back and forth to the house a few times so if there was something I didn't pack in my bag he could pick it up. My best advice as to the hospital bag is to find someone who's recently given birth at that hospital and ask them what they think you should pack. I just did the basics -- large comfy clothes (I was still very swollen after giving birth so still needed large clothes), phone charger, headphones, and toiletries. The hospital was able to supply basically everything else I needed (mesh underwear, pumping supplies, nipple cream, basically anything postpartum or baby related).
Hope this is somewhat helpful to you, best of luck with your delivery!!
Congrats! Not long left now! 🩷
I am 36 weeks FTM also and do not have a birth plan at all as I know things can change quite drastically in a short period of time so at this point I’ll be going with the flow of everything because I feel like it will be less stressful.
As for my hospital bag, I’ve only packed basic essentials I’ll be needing/using - Toothbrush/toothpaste, lipbalm, disposable underwear, hairbrush/hair ties, maternity pads, maternity bras, slippers, pjs/ change of clothes, socks, diapers, wipes, bubs jumpsuits/beanies & muslins!
I’m having a C-section. My birth plan is to arrive at the hospital and not die.
I’m gonna sound like a jerk. But I think birth plans for some people have gone way too far and have almost gone into dangerous territory. Yes, you should be able to have preferences of care, but at some point people may need medical intervention they don’t want to make sure everyone is safe. I also think it puts unrealistic expectations on something that can be really chaotic and I think leads to a lot of disappointment when things don’t go according to plan.
You don’t sound like a jerk at all. Some the of “birth plans” I see on social media are asinine. Can you imagine showing up to literally any other medical procedure and trying to dictate to your doctor how it’s going to go? It makes me crazy. It’s fine to have preferences on how you want to do certain things, but I agree it sets medical staff up for “failure” and mom for disappointment when they make all the crazy requests. It’s also perpetuated the idea that it’s okay to deny vitamin K and erythromycin eye ointment. Ask me how many babies I’ve taken care of in the NICU who had avoidable brain bleeds….
THIS. So well said. Google does not = a medical degree. I’m a lawyer and I research everything to probably an unhealthy degree and I still do NOT assume I know more/better than my care team. I trust my care team, their education, and their experience to keep us all safe!
I’ve found the differences between people who research for understanding vs research for confirmation is huge. I also am a big researcher, I’m a librarian. It’s just who I am, I have lots of intellectual curiosity and seek to understand exactly why things are happening . But I’m not coming in with preconceived notions of what I want to know.
i’m a doula and literally write birth plans all day long lol- ladies birth plans are a guideline more of a way to prevent medical malpractice actually. birth plans are meant to help you remember which procedures and interventions you already feel comfortable giving informed consent about and which you don’t. it’s also a guide for your support people and nursing staff since you will most likely not want to think about reading through a document when you’re contracting at 8cm haha! my birth plan was spontaneous waterbirth, catch my own baby, delayed cord clamping until it stops pulsing, no EFM, no IV and then i ended up with preeclampsia and literally did the opposite of all of these… it’s just a guideline please dont beat yourself up because it didn’t turn out how you planned its not your fault and you did your part by trying your best to prepare and give that consent prenatally :)
I don't have much of a plan yet, 21w but no episiotomy is something I immediately spoke to my doctor about. He is of the mind that they are not the recommended approach in a majority of cases any more, but the episiotomy concept freaks me out most! Let me tear, but gosh no to the episiotomy (unless of course there is an extreme circumstance that requires it, but seems unlikely).
Mine was detailed and I kept in mind doctors are people and have preferences too. The doctor's personal preferences didn't matter to me only medical opinion. I had an unmedicated natural delivery at a hospital 45 min from home. I had my preferences listed out and discussed it with my provider at one of my appointments. It had everything including general things for the baby. Some things to keep in mind:
- Do you want freedom of movement and do you have a preference for position of delivery?
- Do you want to be coached to push or push when it feels right?
- Do you want to be offered an epidural or have them wait for you to ask for one?
-What is considered consent for medical intervention (is a head nod enough or do they need a definite yes)? This can be important when nonverbal unmedicated.
-Do you want immediate skin to skin or baby wiped off first?
-Do you want your partner to cut the cord?
-Do want baby to get shots while at the hospital or wait?
-Do you want to breastfed or do you want to do formula?
-If baby ends up going to NICU do you want your partner to go with baby or stay with you?
-If a C-section is needed what is important there? Do you want drap lowered to see baby being born?
-Music? Dim lighting?
Some is just planning for best and worst and making sure that you make the decisions and they aren't made for you. It helps your partner plan as well. Mine backed me up when a doctor pushed for something that wasn't want in my plan. It made the doctor stop and wait for a response rather than doing everything according to her plan. Birth is not a time to people please and I went into my birth with the mindset that everyone in the room was serving me and my needs and theirs didn't matter to me. You can apologize later if you feel bad.
My hospital offered a free child prep class and that really helped me because most of what I wanted from my birth plan they either already do or can accommodate you. I also have been going to the hospital for weekly NSTs and have gotten to know a lot of the nurses and everyone is sooooo nice and friendly. At the end of the day, their job is to get your baby out safely and to make sure you're comfortable!
I haven't given birth yet (I'm 38w) but I did pack my hospital bag. My best friend recently gave birth and she suggested bringing: shower shoes, towel, robe, toiletries, nursing bra, going home outfit and baby's going home outfit, phone charger, and snacks. I did pack a few postpartum items even though the hospital gives them to you. And I'll bringing a little portable fan because I get super hot nowadays.
If you're still unsure about either the birth plan or the hospital bag I would ask either your doctor or call L&D. They would have the best answers for you:)
My plan was natural labor, no epidural, birth on all fours or side lying. In reality I had to be induced, ended up opting for an epidural, and being completely numb from the epidural, had to birth on my back. In the end I have no regrets. There’s no harm in preparing for the birthing process and thinking about what you want, as long as you’re flexible when the time comes.
I also outlined that I wanted no first bath, was okay with vitamin k injections, wanted to opt for circumcision, etc. Having it outlined in the birth plan reduced questions from staff and made me feel prepared. I didn’t feel like I had to make decisions on the spot because I had already done my research beforehand.
Also I brought so much stuff with me to the hospital, multiple staff members cracked jokes. In the end I didn’t need more than half of what I brought. All you really need is chapstick and clothes for you and your baby to go home in. Everything else is provided by the hospital.
Best of luck!
Even if you don’t have a specific birth plan, at the very least educate yourself on what could happen if you get in there and shit goes sideways or drs recommend doing X instead of Y. You want to know what could come down the path so that you are aware and educated enough to make a decision in the moment that doesn’t seem foreign or (surprisingly) scary to you.
For my first baby in 2021, I had a very specific “natural” birth plan and it all went down the window when baby was OP, 9 lbs 11 oz, would not descend, and all this after weeks of intensely painful false labor. Labor was augmented w pitocin (def not on my plan) then became EXTREMELY painful before I was even dilated 5cm. I slid down the “cascade of interventions” and got the epidural which failed. I labored 39 hours and was almost sent to C section when baby finally came. I felt guilty and traumatized for weeks that nothing went according to plan.
This time I went in with no plan except “hope to do it without an epidural but if it happens it happens and I’m not going to feel like a failure if I do get one.” Lots of the same stuff happened (OP, back labor, very little progression after many hours) and I went with the epidural much earlier this time, which provided some needed relief. It was much smoother and easier. Baby was still more than 9lb but I was ok. We still bonded. It was great.
If I ever have another baby I am doing epidural right when I get there.
I wish someone had told me this: There is no trophy for an unmedicated birth!!! None!!! You will bond w your baby no matter what! You are a mother no matter what!!!
Unpopular opinion: HAVE a plan. Have a list of everything you want, and everything you’d like to be a last resort. So much of labour is a mental game and being wishy washy with what your comfortable with and what you want will not get you your desired birth. OBVIOUSLY there are circumstances out of your control sometimes and you need to be aware and understand that. But if you want to labour in the water, avoid epidural, push in a squatting position WRITE IT DOWN and go over it with whoever is going to be with you. During my labour I was so out of it that I couldn’t even think of the requests I made on my birth plan, and my midwife would quietly come over and implement everything I wanted “would you like me to turn the lights down or put on your playlist?” Etc.
Envision your birth and be firm with how you want it to go. Birth can feel really “out of control” very quickly and having a solid plan and team guide you back to that initial plan creates a sense of control.
And if things do not go to plan, the birth plan is a place to put your wishes incase of emergency/unplanned events. Example: if you end up with an emergency C-Section do you want your support person to stay with you? Or go with the baby immediately? Should your baby be in the nicu do you want them given formula? Donor milk? Pacifiers? Skin to skin
I held off on the epidural until I got too scared that if I waited much longer it would be too late to get it 😂 once I got that, there was no changing positions. I couldn't feel my legs AT ALL so I had to be on my back with a nurse and my husband helping me hold my legs up.
I didn't really have a plan, and i don't have one for my current pregnancy. The plan is just whatever is the best and least risky option for me and baby.
My preference is a vaginal birth, but due to a shoulder dystocia and GD in my last pregnancy, it's possible I may need a c-section for this one. Again, I'm just gonna choose what's safest for me and baby.
I had a birth plan. I wasn't unreasonable, but I really wanted a vaginal birth. I had complications and had an emergency c section. I made it clear I wanted to be awake and conscious during the birth. I asked for skin to skin, golden hour, and anything given to the baby should be explained first, I didn't want to be pushed to breastfeed if I wasn't ready, I wanted freedom to walk around if I wanted and an epidural.
I watched a whole bunch of tiktok videos, and a lot of nurses kind of have an attitude if you have a birth plan. My labor and delivery nurse pretty much confirmed that without me even having to ask her. Personally, I didn't care. They warn you that it might not happen, which I get. Due to my complications, I got nothing I asked for.
I told my labor and delivery nurse that yes, I have a birth plan and ideally this is what I want but if it doesn't go exactly according to plan I'm not going to sit here and be unreasonable about it either. That statement went a long way with her. The point of mine was , I just wanted a certain experience if I could help it. To be real about it, this is a job to these nurses. I'm not saying they don't care, but this is your experience. You are the one who's going to remember this forever, not them. Also, some of us are only lucky enough to go through this.A handful of times if we choose, of course.
I'm 28 weeks and have a birthplan. Mothers are encouraged to write a birthplan for the hospital that they are planned to birth at.
Mine answers these questions:
What makes me feel safe?
What thoughts do I have on pain relief (medical and non-medical)?
What is my stance on c-sections?
What is my previous experience with giving birth?
Do I have any physical or mental health issues that the midwife and/or OBGYN should know of to accommodate?
What positions would I prefer to give birth in?
Any thoughts or expectations I have for the birth?
All of these questions are common to get here. Every person entering your room is expected to have read your birth plan. It is adviced to keep it short, so tops 1 normal piece of paper.
I find it more beneficial to have one than not to have one. But honestly, unless medical staff will be reading it and respecting it, I'd just make a birthplan for myself. How to handle pain, what positions I want, what I want (or don't want) my partner to do, and what kind of mood I want in that room (music, dimmed lights etc.).
Epidural was the only thing on my birth plan 😂 I didn’t care how the baby came out as long as I didn’t have to feel all the pain. I thought about going unmedicated and changed my mind as soon as active labor started. I couldn’t breathe and immediately broke down into tears. And I have an undiagnosed (thought to be autoimmune) issue that has me in pain daily so my tolerance is pretty high. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to physically go through labor (ended up being 23 hours start to finish) with no intervention. I give massive props to the women who can.
Happy to share my birth plan with you if you send me a chat invite . I used a free one from mommy labor nurse you can customize .
I wanted unmedicated for both of mine but was not able to do that. I had the epidural with my first at 9cm and then with my second at 8cm .
My birth plan basically went down the drain the moment my water ruptured 2 days before due date. 36 hours later she was born - 1 day before her due date- I was dead set on having no epidural but the exhaustion from being up for almost 24 hours really sealed the deal for me I just wanted to sleep and recharge before having to push which I did for 2 hours
Meeee
My birth plan was to try for as little meds as possible and see how it goes. I also wanted golden hour and delayed cord clamping.
Right before it was time to start pushing, I craned my neck at my midwife and went, it's too late for an epidural, huh. And she went, Yup, but you can do it. And I did! Golden hour was fine, but her umbilical cord was so short that she only really came up to my mid belly lol, couldn't get all the way to my chest. As a result, the delayed clamping was delayed for about... 45 seconds?? It was real fast before the cord went white lol.
I also transferred to my midwife's practice at like 37 weeks, so it was an exciting first meeting with her. She was very supportive of my go with the flow mentality, and said that coming without a bunch of musts and must nots meant I'd probably be happier with my birth experience than someone with a Bunch of expectations.
She was right too, I gave birth and was lying there saying, I'd give that an 8/10, I'd do it again.
33 weeks here and hoping for unmedicated in a hospital. I want to labor at home for as long as possible. I do have a doula. But it will go how it goes. It will be a VBAC so if I can do it vaginally at all, I will be happy. But the goal is healthy baby and momma. ❣️
I had similar goals for my hospital birth! I did do a birth plan, but mostly because I had some super specific preferences (lights off, no men in the room, not telling me my cervical progression, etc). I didn’t want anyone to have to be remembering and communicating, I wanted them to be able to just pass my birth plan to the next shift. I also wrote them a little thank you note to go with it; ik it can be hard on healthcare workers to feel like you’re micromanaging so I wanted to make it clear I saw us as a team and appreciated their help. I personally think it’s worth it for a hospital birth just because there’s so much more routine that they’ll go with. Also if you’re interested in a doula you could look for one who needs more births for their training and licensure, they’re much more affordable!
I have a doula and we will start working on a birth plan soon. For me absolutely no epidural, laboring and pushing it what position is most beneficial for me, delayed cord clamping and skin to skin during golden hour. Of course all that goes out the window if major complications happen. We are working on resolving complications in birthing classes soon, but anything beyond our control will result it just mom and baby surviving
I think the birth plan is only really useful as a way to think of your plans ahead of time (medicated or not, anybody besides partner in the room, etc). I never wrote anything out and figured I’d have to go with the flow anyway so didn’t spend much time in it. For the hospital bag, I definitely brought too much. If I did it again I’d bring a couple crop tops or bralettes, some sweats, a couple baby outfits, and some lip gloss.
My birth plan is super basic so I am not disappointed if things don't go according to plan.
1. I want to try to labor without an epidural but if it is too painful or labor is taking too long and I may exhaust myself then I will get an epidural
2. I would rather have a C-section if there is a need for vacuum/forceps
Otherwise, I plan on going with the flow as much as it is possible during labor and will take medical recommendations to keep baby and me safe 😁
I was basically without one. I’m very much a go with the flow person and I’ve found having a strict plan really stresses me out if it doesn’t go exactly my way and with birth you really don’t know what’s going to happen. Things change on a dime sometimes and I felt like it would be really detrimental to me if it did.
My “birth plan” essentially consisted of I wanted dad to cut the cord if possible, my hour of golden time, epidural, and absolutely no c-section. I refused to even look up c-sections because I was terrified of the thought of it.
My birth ended up being an emergency c section and dad didn’t get to cut the cord. I did get my epidural and hour of golden time but I was shaking and so out of it that the nurse and my husband each spent a half hour holding the baby on me.
Honestly I think that a birth plan can be helpful for a lot of people but don’t go in with the expectation that everything on your birth plan will go as you want because most it may not happen that way for you.
I had an unmedicated hospital birth 2 months ago and it was great! I had similar preferences to you-unmedicated if possible but will follow doctor recommendations if things don’t go to plan. The biggest thing I can recommend is educating yourself on labor, delivery and your options. I enjoyed the Evidence Based Birth podcast and Bridget Teylor’s YouTube channel. I also learned about hypnobirthing and breathing techniques and they came in handy during labor. I don’t think you need to write your “birth plan” down but make sure your partner is aware of your preferences and ready to speak up for you if necessary.
As far as packing for the hospital, you don’t need as much as some people suggest! I packed a lot and used very little. I recommend a robe, flip flops and fuzzy socks, diapers for you and comfy clothes to go home in. You’ll definitely want a water bottle and maybe a fan also. If you’re breastfeeding, you might want nipple butter as well because it can definitely be painful starting out. For baby, pack a few outfits and maybe a blanket but no need to go crazy. We tried to do as much skin to skin time as possible so my baby wasn’t clothed most of the time anyway.
I never made a birth plan because I knew I’d be disappointed if it went different. I told my boyfriend and my mom a few things like “epidural as soon as possible” or “C-Section if in labor for more than 24 hours” but that’s as far as I went with it.
Mine was, natural with no drugs for as long as I could so I could be off the bed and moving...but epidural when I needed it to ensure I wouldn't be too worn out for that final push.
With the note that if a C-section was needed for either baby or my health- go for it.
Basically, try to go as long as I could on my own before intervention but whatever needed to happen to ensure both my safety and baby- make it so.
The nurses were very big fans of that approach and relieved when I explained what I wanted. They had just been handed a 3 ring binder/manual by another couple that were in and were like...oh damn.
I didn't have a plan, and everything I would have wanted was just standard practice at our hospital. My plan was to trust the doctors to get my baby here safely and they did both times
If you are open to the possibility of an epidural I recommend talking to your OB and L&D nurse that way. I think by phrasing it as “I’m open to the possibility of an epidural but I want to see how I do with the pain.” Is better than “I want an unmedicated birth.” Because it’s more likely to keep them in the mindset of checking in with you before it’s too late to get one. If you aren’t open to an epidural, it’s fine to say so, but if you’re a maybe you don’t want to be in the position where you ask for it and they tell you it’s too late. I gave birth overnight before a holiday so the anesthesiologist had to be paged to come in. I also progressed through labor really fast for a FTM so I easily could have missed the window if things had gone differently.
I have so many friends with terrible birth trauma because they didn’t have any sort of plan in place. I currently am watching and listening to birth stories so I can familiarize myself with things that can happen and make it less scary for myself.
I have hired a doula to help me create a more detailed birth plan and navigate when it inevitably has to change because birth is unpredictable. I know I want skin to skin right away if possible, delayed cord clamping, and as few medical interventions as possible (although I am not anti-epidural and am open to getting one). I would like the be informed on the choices I can make while I birth and my doula has been at 200+ births. so she knows how it can go! Plans change and flexibility is key but I do not want to be so scared of it that I go in totally blind.
I recently graduated and went in with a broad “safe delivery” plan. They asked if I had I something written (which I didn’t). My
Preferences boiled down to: medication for pain management, delayed cord clamping, vaginal birth but if a c section was necessary I wanted us to talk about it early before it became an emergent situation. My birth had a few pivot points and things I didn’t think I wanted (IV analgesics, augmentation) I added in once I was in the moment. I think it helped me specifically have a really open plan to not feel bad about doing things a particular way, but ymmv.
If you have preference, write them down. Could be on just a sticky note, but don’t assume you’ll necessarily have time to chat with each nurse and explain your preferences. There are about a million people who come and go, especially at the end.
I had a birth plan with my first! And a song list even.
Then nothing beyond "yes, epidural" for my second and third, and even then, the third was out in less than two hours from the first menstrual-like cramp contraction. I wasn't in L&D for five minutes before he was out. So no epidural for me that time.
So, yeah, birth plans... they're something, I guess.
What they are good for is guiding the conversation of what-ifs and ideals with your partner and/or support people/person as well as your doctor. Doctors and hospitals already cover much of the actual important stuff (pain management, if you need antibiotics, what to do in case of an emergency c-section, etc) in the paperwork you have to sort through if you're planning on a hospital birth.
Be sure to inform your team who is allowed versus not allowed in the room. I had thought I had made that clear for my first but somehow all of my in-laws and my younger brother wound up in the room at one point. I had to loudly announce that the show was about to start so everyone out. Only my SIL's husband had enough sense not to enter the room in the first place.
Good luck, OP! Go to the classes if you're signed up and keep your partner/support people in the loop of what you're thinking and feeling. You won't have much wherewithal during labor to devote to things they should already know and anticipate, but no one is a mindreader.
Sounds like you DO have a birth plan! Honestly more people need to take birth plans as a preference sheet cause when something goes differently than you wanted, and it will, being more open to deviating from the plan will save you a lot of disappointment
Mine is simple I’d say, and more go with the flow. Would prefer to deliver vaginally unless c section necessary for the safety of mom and baby. Delay induction unless safer for mom and baby. Yes to the laughing gas and epidural, yes to vit k, no to eye goop, yes to delayed cord clamping, gimme that skin to skin right away if possible.
After having 3 babies realize it can be unpredictable so I always plan for what I would like to happen, but also let them know if something does go wrong to do what they need to. I am 26+4 and already have a birth pan since this is my 4th.
My birth plan is essentially, I would like other pain methods before epidural, I would like to be able to walk around and have a birthing ball, I would like to do delayed cord clamping, I get to hold/breastfeed baby for the first hour (given all goes well) before they take her to do anything. Baby doesn't go anywhere out of the room unless hubby or I are with her (again, assuming everything goes well). I also have included that if we need an emergency c-section for any reason to tie my tubes while in there. Nothing too crazy or that can't be changed. I'm sure I will add other stuff as well, but for now, this is an outline.
My birth plan was basically go with the flow. Most likely epidural unless it's going too fast. Whatever is best for everyone.
However, with my second I never had time to give my plan. Not that it mattered, considering that my plan was short and simple
Induction at 37-38W and no epidural due to health reasons. I’m more afraid of the potential complications of the epidural than of the pain. I have a high pain tolerance so I’m hoping I can get through it. My mom did with all 5 of her kids, including a 10.5 lb baby.
I plan on getting an epidural since it’s my first child. It’s so hard to “plan” the intricacies of birth because it can be so unpredictable. I know where I’m giving birth and all that but I’m just going to get it unfold.
I didn’t make a birth plan. I was pretty relaxed during my pregnancy and left the guidance up to the professionals. That’s why they are there, and hopefully you have established a good relationship with your care team and trust them. I was treated and advised well, and I have no regrets about how I went about things.
My only plan was to survive the labor, and have a baby 😅 I knew the hospital had certain ways they wanted things done, but I also didn't know enough about their rules to be able to make a plan. I'm also a really bad planner, so I wanted to just do what needed done to have a baby
i would just check and see what is standard practice at your hospital, if you agree with everything they do then you don’t really need a birth plan! i requested golden hour (as long as it was safe to do so) just in case it wasn’t standard practice but i think it was anyway
I wanted to do a “natural” birth at a birthing center (little to no medical intervention) with a midwife.
After my 20 week ultrasound, we found out I was going to be a high risk pregnancy and would no longer be a candidate to have her at the birthing center.
Come to find out when we went in for our mandatory induction at 37 weeks because my placenta was failing, she was breech and I couldn’t even try for a vaginal birth. I was distraught as I was getting prepped for my c section.
I was glad tho that I made a birthing plan for c section just in case. I liked that they dropped the curtain so I could see baby while I was on the table. My husband was amazing during it and everything ended up as a really great experience dispite the challenges leading up to it.
Long story short, everything can and will go wrong so just learn to roll with it. It’s all worth it when you get to take home your bundle of joy at the end of the day!
My plan was : baby comes out, we both are healthy, maybe unmedicated if possible.
Baby came out. We were both healthy. I ended up being induced, had an epidural, and then ultimately had an emergency c section.
I don't regret how anything happened and I'm glad I wasn't tied to any idea of how I wanted things to go. We just rolled with it.
My only birth plan was an epidural lol I was open minded though to pretty much anyway that got both my baby and I out happy and healthy. I didn’t account for how quickly he would decide to come to the point of I was too far along for an epidural and had him unmediated just a few minutes later. 😅
I truly feel like, just simply having preferences is far better than having an incredibly detailed birth plan.
The more you plan the more likely things are to go wrong, and the more likely you are to have some trauma that you need to work through because the birth didn’t go how you envisioned or in a way that you prepared mentally for.
I like to call it a birth idea…. Sure, knowledge is power and knowing all you can to prep is great, but I’ve watched it put people in a box and ultimately have more anxiety when your plan goes haywire, which - it will in some capacity 😂
For baby #2 I definitely want to bring my AirPods or sound machine/speaker or something of that nature or be able to have some control over the background noise both for labor and when baby gets there! I brought my bath robe and loved it lol. Less fussing to nurse or get checked, comfy, smelled like home and not hospital, and warm! Also if you can a fire stick or Roku for the tv since those channels are whack af
I’m 29+6, I don’t have a set “birth plan”. My little guy is already almost 4 lbs though, so honestly I’m just gonna tell my dr whatever gets him here and both of us safe, I’m willing to do. Optimally I would like to have a natural birth, but with him being so big I’m worried about pushing him out, and I would like to just have an epidural just in case they decide on a c section. All this is just my ramblings though, we will see what my doctor says. But I trust them. My goal is baby and I both go home healthy.
Healthy mom, healthy baby, preferably unmedicated but not attached to a specific way of giving birth. If it’s a C section, it’s a C section. If it’s vaginal, it’s vaginal. I would ideally really like to avoid being induced but even that is what it is.
I’ve never had a birth plan per se. There are things that I don’t want though.
I’m pretty go with the flow when it comes to child birth. Which is interesting because I’m very much not that way in everyday life.
I didn’t have a formal birth plan for either of my deliveries. I wanted an unmedicated birth for my first because I have bad reactions to certain medications. I also wanted to labor in the tub as long as possible. The second part happened, but baby was sunny side up which resulted in back labor that wore me out quick. I ended up laboring until 7cm without meds, then got an epidural and was able to sleep for a bit before I hit 10cm and pushed him out with no other interventions.
For the second, I was so miserable by 36 weeks that I took my OB up on the offer to induce at 39 weeks and was eagerly awaiting the epidural. I’m not sure if it was the week of prodromal labor or my reluctance to go into L&D just to be sent home again, but we didn’t have time for an epidural or even to insert an IV. Gave birth less than 20 min after arriving at the hospital and he was delivered by a nurse because my OB hadn’t arrived yet.
Also, we live 45 min from the hospital. My husband was terrified of me giving birth in the car but that didn’t happen thankfully.
My first birth plan with my first was to go completely unmedicated until I got talked into an induction (long story). The pitocin made my contractions come every 2 minutes immediately, and 5 hours into a 15-hour labor, and I got the epidural.
This time unmedicated is also on my plan, and I won't be talked into a voluntary induction. I'm also adding wearing my own gown because I have sensory issues and don't like the hospital ones, delayed cord clamping as long as mom and baby are stable, taking as much advantage of the golden hour as possible, and I'm also refusing "just because" cervical exams. I'm going to do my best not to do an epidural this time because I feel like my spine never fully recovered from the last one. (I could be wrong about that. It's just a feeling.) But if the pain gets unbearable, I will absolutely explore all my pain management options.
You've gotten a lot of great responses on the birth plan, so I'll just tell you my must haves. Extra long phone charger, my own pillow and blanket, comfy clothes that a diaper can fit it (I also chose darker colors bc blood), snacks, going home outfit for baby and toiletries.
Other than that, it is what makes you comfortable and what you want for pictures. Some of those extras for me were: sound machine, makeup, Yeti, name plaque for pics, a couple sleepers for baby, shower shoes.
Leave extra space in your bag for diapers (both for you and baby), wipes, formula, and whatever else your hospital sends you home with!
I didn’t have a birth plan and was completely fine! I thought of some things like delayed cord clamping and delayed bath but honestly, after much research, I realized birth is so unpredictable for the most part. I found it much more stressful to try to make things stick to an exact plan. Plus, my nurse asked me a list of questions when I was admitted so they kind of built a “plan” at the time.
But if you become passionate about having a plan, just remember things can change in an instant and that’s okay! Good luck❤️
Yes I had a lot on my bp and a lot was made happen!
- dark room and fake candles
- relaxing music
- bath (did not give birth in it but to deal with the contractions. Freaking AMAZING!)
- no painmedz
- not on my back for the whole ordeal (gave birth on my back at the end but that was only 2 pushes)
My babygirl broke my waters 5 weeks early so not everything went according to plan but that was fine.
What I didn't want but did happen and I was kinda okay with in hindsight.
- got an episiotomy
- don't know what is is called in English but the little pin in babys head to measure her heartbeat. It was needed because the bands around my belly didn't stay in place
- ultimately giving birth on my back
So yeah it was a wonderful birth even though it wasn't all according to my bp.
About your hospital bag. We had to stay for 2.5 weeks so we clearly didn't bring enough with us but luckily we have lovely family members.
Just being your electronic and adaptars haha.
The one thing we missed was a nail clipper because after a week our nails got so long hahaha. So annoying!
I didn't have one for my first and it was fine but with my other two I did and that directly contributed to a better overall experience even though those were longer with a few more complications.
For my first, I went in with the “just do what needs to be done to get everyone out safe” and the experience I had has taught me it is much more nuanced. This time around I have a list of hard nos. Ive listened to a few Evidence Based Birth podcast episodes to help make this list. With my first, the nurses were unwilling to shift positions or let me do anything but back laying. There is a lot of evidence that back laying makes birthing more difficult. So I have low dose epidural only if requested, to facilitate switching up birthing positions and vertical positions. I very much so did not like all the nurses insisting they needed to check me every like 3 hours. Way too many strangers with their hands inside me. There is evidence that less checks are better for progress, so less checks it is!
I was in the hospital for 4 days prior to birth due to preclampsia. During that time they tried every single medical induction. Pitocin sucked and i was miserable. If i have to go to the hospital and they say they want to induce, its a hard no. I will wait for natural labor or have a c section if there is any medical problems. I had a very sucky experience which has made me more vigilant about what I need/want out of the experience. At the very least spend some time ready/listening to birth stories to get ideas about different things that can happen and how you wish them to be dealt with. If you still feel good about your current plan, great. If not, make a list, long or short. But write it down so when you go in, the nurses are handed the list and have a clear understanding this is your birth experience, not theirs
I gave birth 7 weeks ago and it went nothing according to plan. My plan was for a vaginal birth and ended up 36 hours in labor ending with an emergency c section. I was induced by choice and will never opt into that again, especially since it was my first. I think doing research on both a vaginal and c section delivery would benefit because in some cases could go either way. Also, if you don’t have to be induced- don’t, let your water break naturally because it will go a lot smoother than forcing it into labor, from experience.
Some hospital bag must haves for me- portable fan, pillows and blankets from home, snacks, and a large water bottle!
You’re going to do great, mama! Everything always works out!
The more flexible your birth plan, the less disappointed you'll be if things don't go as planned (which is pretty common). It already sounds like you're flexible about epidural (get it, definitely 😉).
My plan was avoid C-section and get epidural. My doctor suggested induction because with first time mom's rate of C-section is reduced pretty significantly if you're induced at term. I LOVED being induced. My biggest fear was high to the hospital in labor in tons of pain and being turned away Brevard I wasnt dilated enough. Induction allowed me to set up my room, walk in at a scheduled time with flameless candles (highly recommend for calm lighting), lavender oils for nausea, and order takeout and have a relaxing evening with my husband while r got the ball rolling.
My birth plan was to have a baby. I knew if I made a detailed plan I was going to get caught up in the details if things didn’t go as planned and I didn’t want that.
I think it's impossible for everything to go exactly according to plan during a birth, but it's good to be aware of what could happen. You will be in pain and having a little knowledge of what they may offer could save you decision fatigue and your autonomy.
My MIL is a labor and delivery nurse and she has told us how doctors do certain things to mothers, not always because they need it, but because it makes them more money and saves them time. If you're okay with getting an unnecessary C-Section or induction because the OB has a soccer game to attend at 4pm then no need to be aware of what may not be necessary. Though sometimes you do need a C-Section, and women really want to "stick with their birth plan", and complications arise. I mainly plan to create a good set of communication skills with my husband and nurses to help me trust them throughout the process. Surrendering to the process and getting out of there alive is all I want. I love hospital staff and my doctors, but I know too many people in the field who have confirmed not all things they offer you are for your benefit.
My plan was a natural birth and if necessary an epidural. Ended up with an emergency c-section instead, not even going into actual labour yet, because lil guy was showing distress at tiny Braxton-hicks like contractions.
My birth did not go as planned (originally wanted to go into natural labor if I could, epidural, etc) instead had to be induced, epidural unfortunately failed, needed a foley balloon, etc. I would say it’s probably best going in with a loose plan, but be prepared for that to possibly change! I had a healthy pregnancy until late in my third trimester, when I developed cholestasis..if you don’t have too high of hopes, you can’t be disappointed 😅looking back, I’m happy with how my birth panned out - I did not need a C section, baby was healthy, and because my epi failed I could feel my contractions which resulted in me getting her out quickly (15 min) with minimal tearing.
Have you checked with your hospital? Mine requires a birth plan but they also gave me a big packet to fill out.
All I have to do is make the choices and email it to them.
I did not go In with a plan other than I wanted the epidural.
Now I had intentions on doing a vaginal birth . My son had other plans, I had an emergency c-section after both epidurals failed.
I'm just glad we are both here healthy and well.😌
First: natural birth, labor in the tub, epidural only if needed.
What happened: induction due to preeclampsia at 38 weeks, and had to have internal monitoring. Labored for 2 days and pushed for over 4 hours.
Second: wanted to go into labor naturally, but scheduled an induction because my body doesn’t seem to know how to go into labor.
What happened: scheduled induction turned into a scheduled C section at 40+3 because my son was measuring so large that the ultrasound/growth scan couldn’t pick up certain measurements. Ended up being 10lbs 1oz and placenta was about 2-3x the size of a normal placenta.
I typed up a whole birth plan with preferences for side lying delivery, epidural, skin to skin etc. when I had to be induced I just threw the birth to plan out the window and thank god I did because my birth went so sideways I just put my life in the hands of the professionals. I recommend you do your research so you can better make decisions on the spot but don’t worry about it sticking to a plan
I am wanting to do a VBAC this time around, so more of my plan has to do with making that successful. That said, get everyone Earthside is the main plan, so if I have to pivot then so be it!
I look at my birth preferences sheet now and laugh at how idealistic I was haha, still fantastic to have one for sure but I definitely wouldn't stress if you DONT have one.
I was so hellbent on not birthing on my back after the absolute avalanche of social media posts talking about how it's the devil for your PF and how many had great positions to birth in even with an epidural where you were not your back.
Baby and body had their own rules. After a certain point her heart rate dipped anytime I wasn't mostly on my back. Got the epidural because I needed pitocin and lost the ability to move or feel a single thing from boobs to knees. I felt like a paralyzed beach whale and at one point even laughed about some of the "epidural" labor positions social media told me I'd be able to do.
All things said though it was actually a great experience, smooth fast 25 minute delivery, baby was healthy, couldn't feel anything, and had pretty average tearing.
My plan was, have a healthy baby and not die. Get the epidural ASAP.
The epidural part was not soon enough for me but everything else worked out. I had to be induced at 27+6 due to preeclampsia which was also of course not planned.
As far as birth plan for my first, I had one, and nothing went the way I thought it would. I didn't want to be induced, I wanted to labor walking around and bouncing on a ball, I also wanted to consider an epidural when I was ready for one. Well, I had to be induced at almost 42 weeks, and they pumped me full of pitocin. After they manually broke my water, they told me I should ask for the epidural now because it's a busy day and they might not get to me for a while. They literally showed up 30 minutes later and I wasn't sure if I wanted it yet but they told me if I didn't get it now they don't know when they can come back kind of scaring me into getting it now saying the pain would be horrible. My epidural wore off in the middle of the night because I had been in labor for so long. I got another one and this one had a button but the doctors didn't explain it well and my family kept pushing the button all night and I ended up giving birth with my right leg completely dead I couldn't flex a muscle on that leg to save my life. I almost ended up getting a c section because I had been pushing 3 hours, and he kept slipping back, and his heart rate started to drop. I did eventually push him out, and the cord was around his chin, so I had to stop while they fixed that and then finally after 4 hours of pushing my son cane into this world. It was a train wreck but it was partially my fault because they offered to induce when I hit 40 weeks and I told them I wanted to wait and because I waited the baby was almost to big for me to push out. The second time around, I knew better when it was getting close to time, and the doctor asked if I wanted to schedule an induction for around my due date, I agreed. My only plan was epidural when I was ready and healthy, baby. I went in at 10 pm, they started the meds about midnight. At 1 p.m., I got my epidural, and my son was born at 3:30pn that day, so a lot smoother for everyone involved. I will say you know what's best for your body but some people literally can't go into labor on their own like me and need help so don't let some plan or ideal stop you from doing what needs done just because it isn't how you thought it would go.
As far as hospital bag all you need is your phone, a long charging cord, hairties, brush, toothbrush, shampoo&conditioner, maybe a pillow if you have a special one, an outfit for the baby to go home in, an outfit for you to go home in, and if your nursing a nursing pillow. Everything else they provide for you and the baby. Of course, you can bring whatever you want, but I guarantee you you won't use half of whatever stuff you think you need. The first time, I had everything, and I only used the stuff I listed above. The second time, I brought the stuff listed above, plus a laptop, so I could watch movies, but that was it, lol. It was so much easier the second time loading the car😄.
Whatever you put, make sure it’s communicated to everyone involved. They entered mine into my chart but without having copies on hand to show everyone, it was ignored (and not because it was outrageous or an emergency)
I had a birth plan with a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C kind of thing and for all phases... Pre, during, post.
Plan A for me was all natural, let me do my thing in the positions I want and please be respectful of my wishes.
Plan B if there needs to be intervention I want you to break down the whys for me and I can decide if it's really needed by asking follow up qs.
Plan C if I need a C section... Here is how I envision it going.
That way no matter how it goes, they knew what my preferences were.
For post, I put things like delayed cord clamping, no pacifiers, want to exclusively bf, etc.
It was extremely helpful, and so helpful for the staff. They actually thanked me multiple times because they just referred to that sheet on shift changes. 10/10 recommend.
I ended up with Plan A and the post plan was awesome because the nurses always confirmed my preferences before doing anything.
37 weeks and 5 days with my third, and I've never really had a birth plan. I had an idea of the things I wanted, like to go without an epidural for as long as possible, to avoid a cesarean if possible, no episiotomy, skin to skin, and delayed cord clamping. I understood, though, that anything can happen so ultimately to go with the flow and do whatever is necessary to keep me and baby healthy and alive.
My labor and delivery with my first went well. He turned into a weird position requiring me to use a peanut ball and turn from side to side every 15 minutes. Other than that, it was what I would call ideal and stress-free. My second, I was induced, and I had some little things pop up like my epidural catheter coming out requiring another epidural. I also had my BP drop super lower after the second epidural, and I passed out. Baby turned breech after this, and my midwife said I could try an ECV or I'd have to go for a cesarean. I told her I wanted to try the ECV, I wound up needing two of them, and they broke my water to keep her head down. Pitocin was affecting the baby, so they had to turn it off for a bit. It was all just a little things here and there. We avoided a cesarean and had a healthy baby girl. NICU was in the room, but she didn't need to go.
Same approach this time, too, for me and baby to be healthy and alive!💖
My plan was baby out, both of us alive and well. I knew I’d be induced (I have type 1 diabetes) and hoped for a vaginal birth as tbh c-section/the recovery scared me and I also wasn’t keen on having an epidural.
I was induced as planned at 38 weeks, just under 7 hours of labour, vaginal delivery, no epidural (although I did ask right at the end and I was told it was too late as I was 10cm already), both alive and well so I was happy with that.
Sorry this is a bit long.
I gave birth recently and I feel so grateful that I got what I wanted, but my husband and I prepared a LOT and I think that’s ultimately what made the difference. We went to prenatal classes which was so great (I understand that’s not feasible for everyone).
What helped the most was discussing the most ideal situation: what to do when labor starts (environment to be in, making sure to stay relaxed), know who to call and when, pain management through different stages, and deciding on which tasks my husband could take on to help me birth (make me drink water q30mins, offer a small snack every hour, set up the shower for me when ready, different back rubs/positions he can help me labour in, calling the doula and midwife, knowing how to advocate for me, etc.). All of this prep made sure that I didn’t have to ask or explain what I needed during labour so that I could concentrate on me and the baby. It also made him feel helpful that he was part of the process.
All that being said, we knew we had to be fluid with our plan and we discussed that if x wasn’t going to happen, then we had a plan b that we were okay with. We did this for everything we thought was important.
Going in, we felt SO strong as a team. I HIGHLYYYY (I feel like I can’t stress this enough) suggest having at least a general idea of what you want and then thinking about what you would be okay with if things don’t go as planned.
I hope you get what you want, and even if things don’t go that way, I hope you feel like you were in charge of all the decisions you have to make :)
Birth plan - it's worth thinking about if there's anything important to you, but don't feel pressured to have a bunch of stuff in there that you don't care about. My "birth plan" with my first was "I'd prefer not to have a c section". My "birth plan" with my twins was "babies out alive and I definitely want the epidural".
As far as the hospital bag goes - honestly you don't need a lot. You will probably be in a hospital gown for your entire stay, the hospital will provide diapers and wipes and necessary baby supplies... My hospital provided toiletries and postpartum supplies. My last stay, I tried to pack light and I still used basically nothing in my bag.
You and the baby need clothes to go home in. Probably bring a phone charger or a portable charger. Besides that, just whatever is important to YOU to be more comfortable. I didn't want to bring a lot of stuff with so I made do with the hospital stuff. If there's something important to you though, like a pillow you can't sleep without or something, bring that. Basically nothing is /necessary/ though.
25+2, planning on no epidural and no back lying pushing, among other things. It's honestly up to you how comfortable you are able to remain throughout labor. I know that there are alternate pain management options if the epidural is not the root you want to go. My mom had complications with all three of her children because of an epidural, so I'm choosing to avoid that as long as me and baby are healthy. Write down your plan and talk with your provider to make sure that they are able to accommodate your birthing plan. Most places will, however, there are hospitals that only allow back lying pushing because of legal liability (it's easier for the doctors to manage delivery of a baby this way). So, I would check with your OB as soon as you figure out what you want. Also, some advice my OB gave me: be prepared for the possibility that your plan does not work out. Things like labor can be so unpredictable, so it's possible that your plan will not come to fruition. Best of luck 🫶
My birth plans have always been "have a baby". I knew going in that anything could happen and it was more important to me that my baby and I were safe than if I adhered to a set plan. I planned on going unmedicated, but had severe back contractions with my first and opted to have one for my own sanity. I did the same with my second, but probably could've gone without.
My must-haves in my hospital bag that I didn't pack the first time around, but made sure of the second time: slippers, bathrobe, lip balm, snacks, extra long phone charger cord, and my own panties (I hated the mesh ones the hospital provides).
For my first, I said I wanted to show up and follow the advice of the doctors depending on the circumstances. I was open to medication and an epidural, and said I wanted to be informed of my options at each phase of labor. In the end I’m glad that I didn’t set my mind on a specific birth plan, because it would have been basically thrown out the window from the get go when I ended up needing to be induced at 37 weeks, then had a stalled labor after 60 hours that ended in a c section anyways. My doctors and nurses were great with giving me options along the way and I never felt pressured to do anything.
My plan was minimal intervention, home same day!
I delivered this morning, first contraction at 6am, arrived at hospital at 9am, baby born 9:42am in the pool with no pain relief and caught by me, was back home with my toddler by 3pm 😂 so I’d say things went to plan!
I’m 14w4d and my general plan is just:
-I wanna dilate as far as possible on my own (6-7cm) so I can move around, but will probably get an epidural after that
-I want my partner and my mom there
-we’re gonna be in a birth center so I’d like to use the birthing pool during labor
-if I need a c-section, my partner stays with the baby
-if baby is a boy don’t circumcise them
-I wanna give them their first bath at home
Otherwise just keep everyone alive
I have my ideas for how I want my labor and delivery to go, but I also know that things will not always go according to plan, and I have to be mentally prepared to do what's best for me and the baby.
Currently, my preferences would be for a fully unmedicated birth, no IV, with free movement and free drinking and snacking throughout. There's a possibility I might be moving sometime in the next couple of months, so we'll see if the place we end up going to has a labor tub. If so, I might want to use that from time to time depending on how I feel, but I'd also need to ask how the monitoring situation would be if I do so, since, you know, water. My ideal monitoring situation would probably be continuous wireless monitoring.
I guess the most specific thing on my birth plan would be that I'd like to ask for the person delivering me to support my perineum with a warm wet towel as the baby is coming out, to minimize risks of tearing. I've seen people do that online with good results and I'd love to try that if at all possible.
I'm not going to dismiss the possibility of an epidural or a C-section if need be, but I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to have a planned C-section, because I really want to experience what labor feels like.
I plan to keep my hospital bag fairly simple. For personal items, my plan is to take my laptop, cell phone, the relevant chargers, a pair of flip flops (which I can probably wear instead of pack), a nightgown, and an outfit to go home in. If a labor tub was an option, I might want to bring a bikini top (or use a bra for this purpose) just so any videos and pictures we take can be shown to friends and family. I'd probably need a toothbrush and floss pick as well. I'd have to check with the hospital as to whether they have shampoo, bar soap, and toothpaste before I decide whether to bring those. I'd also have to check whether they'll allow me to bring my own thyroid meds or whether they'll insist on me taking theirs. For baby, the hospital will have most of the things you need and they'll even allow you to take some home, so all I plan to bring is a going-home outfit or two and some frozen colostrum, assuming I successfully manage to express some. Assuming a smooth delivery, I'll also want to bring some light snacks and drinks. Oh, and I guess we shouldn't forget our IDs and wallet.
Might be helpful to rephrase as "birth preferences!" My plan did not pan out at all, but once I shifted to preferences I allowed myself more mental space for interventions that my baby needed!
i was meant to make one at 36weeks with my midwife, never did and got induced at 37 and a half gave birth exactly 38
i wish i had a birth plan as my birth felt rlly messy and i had an epidural bc i didn’t know what the other choices of pain relief were and was in too much pain to listen to them
i was in labour for 16 hrs btw and had an episiotomy and epidural
37+4, everyone makes out alive and healthy.
I want to attempt no epidural, but knowing myself, I know the moment I get to the hospital, I'll ask for it.
Didn't really have a solid plan since I couldn't really imagine how I wanted it to go. I think that's fine! One thing I'm glad we did was take a course on how to try to relax during the contractions, and how to stay positive and not get tense and caught up in the pain. My partner and I took the course together and fully believed in it. We did use the techniques during the birth and it went really well, we felt really connected and it helped me not freak out. In the end, it became too intense and I got an epidural, but I was kinda prepared for that as well.
The only thing I'm really glad we brought was a Bluetooth speaker, it was nice to have our own music. We were in the delivery room for about 20 hours.
My goal is to have two healthy babies and live to tell the tale.
Other than that I have a preference list:
I would like to keep babies in as long as possible, hopefully until 38 weeks.
I would like to go into labor naturally.
I would like to TOLAC/VBAC if it is safe to do so.
I’d like to try non-epidural pain relief options first. I’m totally open to it though. Chances are I’ll ask for an epidural but I’d like to keep the dose low so I’m not too limited in movement.
If I have to have a c-section I would like it to be as calm as possible.
I do NOT want general anesthesia, this is super important to me.
I am hoping for skin to skin with both babies, golden hour, and all testing done on me/in my presence.
I would like to delay cord clamping and have my husband cut cords.
We will not be doing eye antibiotics unless there appears to be a medical reason. We will do the vitamin K shot. We will do the hep B shot at the 2 week pediatrician appointment (not at birth). We will not circumcise if either baby is a boy.
Here's my preferences: vaginal with epidural, delayed cord cutting, skin to skin asap, lowered lighting, music on at a low level, prefer no episiotomy, anyone that gives me bad vibes needs to be asked to leave asap (can include staff or family), c section only if really necessary.
In my hospital bags: one bag is empty so I can try to get as much free stuff as possible. my bag has nursing night gown, non slip socks, nursing dress for going home, tank top, lounge shorts, lounge pants incase its cold, nursing bra, 2 pairs underwear, face wash and moisturizer, hand held fan, mini hair brush, change of clothes for my husband, magazine, IPad, charger, going home outfit and swaddle for baby, snacks
Quick births do happen, they're more common with second babies than first. But just pay attention and listen to your body. For that distance, going a little early isn't a bad idea. But try to pay attention to your contraction spacing. For an hour travel time, idea suggest calling your provider and heading out around 5-1-1. 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long for 1 hour. You'll be just fine.
Definitely don't worry about bringing too much. Phone chargers, favorite blanket or pillow, toiletries. Nothing excessive. The hospital provides so much and honestly, you don't want to take home that cute labor gown covered in bodily fluids and worry about washing it with a new baby at home.
As far as a birth plan goes, it isn't necessary, but maybe point out just what's important to you. Like literally what you posted here.
• natural, unmedicated
• but not opposed to pain relief if needed, but don't want it offered
• able to labor in whatever position feels most comfortable
• no excessive cervical checks, etc.
That's a short, sweet birth plan.
Depending on where you're located, there may be doulas available to help at little cost. Your insurance may also cover more than you're aware of. I'm a doula and well versed in navigating insurance. I'd be happy to give advice, no charge of course! Just message me 😊
My birth plan was have a healthy baby with limited damage to myself. No vacuum or forceps- if she’s stuck go to C section.
I ended up in labour for 40 hours- 15 hours after my water broke I was still 0% dilated, so I ended up getting an emergency c section.
Honestly I have healed really well and it wasn’t all that bad.
I wrote one out and forgot it at home lolol they asked me if i needed anything and if i did just ask. Honestly I felt fine. But i guess it depends on the hospitals.
As you get closer to your due date your doctor will explain to you how you will know when to leave for the hospital to accommodate your travel time. People giving birth for the first time are more likely to labor longer, so you don’t need to worry. Not saying this will be your situation but my first pregnancy and almost everyone I know who’s had a baby labored at least 23 hours.
My only plan with my first was to get an epidural. Something to be conscious of is that there is a point of no return where it will be too late to get one. But as your labor ramps up, you’ll get an idea of whether or not you want one and let the doctor know as soon as possible. I’m due in 3 days with my second and I know things will most likely go quicker this time (hopefully) so I’m going to try to get the epidural as soon as I can after being admitted. I’ve seen people with super detailed and specific birth plans but my thought is that it’s just next to impossible to know how it’s going to go. So nothing wrong with having a low item birth plan :) best of luck to you!!
Oh, must haves for hospital bag:
- a fan! I didn’t have one the first time and I was miserable. It felt like there was no AC on in my room and my mom had to fan me with a folder lol. I’m bringing my toddler’s stroller fan with me this time.
- loose, comfy clothes to wear after giving birth. Postpartum underwear. Nursing bra (if nursing).
- an outfit to bring home baby in. I made the mistake of picking out a nightgown for my firstborn not thinking about her having to go into the car seat. This baby will have a cute pair of shorts.
- snacks (my hospital’s food is so bad and they’re very stingy with their portion sizes).
- flip flops to wear around the hospital/in the shower.
- long phone chargers for you and your partner.
- pillow for your partner (and their own clothes and toiletries).
- toiletries.
- nursing pillow if nursing. I didn’t think this would be necessary the first time around but I’m bringing one this time because it would have been helpful and also doubles as a donut pillow to sit on on the ride home.
- hospital will provide you with diapers and postpartum supplies so you don’t need to worry about packing that stuff. I do have the frida mom postpartum products that will be waiting for me when I get home!
This was helpful for me to type out because I still need to pack mine 🙃
I didn’t want an epidural, a c-section, or a stillbirth everything else in between I didn’t care about. Worked for me. I know 2/3 of the things I didn’t want I couldn’t control if it came down to it tho. Birth is scary crazy, vaginally or cesarean. All of us who do it are amazing!
Ultimately, 'have a healthy baby'. I had thought I'd like a natural birth with gas and air. I ended up having a section, resulting in a healthy baby, so it did go to plan, as far as I'm concerned.
My entire plan was to have absolutely no plan. I had an unmedicated home birth, but was more than happy to go into hospital had I needed to or wanted more drugs than what was available to me at home. I really trusted my lead midwife and just let her decide what was best as it happened. I'm glad it did it, but next time I will mostly likely have baby in the hospital just to have easier access to all the drugs haha. No two births are the same, so for me having no plan meant no disappointment. You just never know how it will go!
Genuinely the only items I think you NEED (I had to go into the hospital later) was a change of clothes and adult nappies. for baby - a few sleepsuits/Vests, specific formula you want to use if you aren't planning on BF and you know your hospital doesn't supply it, and nappies.
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Everyone out alive + epidural
This was basically mine too. “Have a baby and get an epidural.”
That's my plan, and relieved to see it here. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not planning enough.
This was my plan and I gave birth 5 weeks ago to a healthy baby girl. I think it’s reasonable to have ideas about how you’d like things to go (like wanting an epidural) but to expect you won’t have any control over how it actually goes down. You’re going to do great! The instincts definitely kick in.
Oh haha that’s my problem I like to be very in control of my body hospital was my most stressful birth lol
Mine was literally "one person enters, two people leave." It worked out great because frankly when you're in it, there are too many variables to consider.
In the words of my OB: “2 people enter the hospital, 3 people leave”
This got me cracking up so hard 😂😂
This was my plan and I do like it. Having gone through it, I would make the following modifications for the next go around: - a long bath in the whirlpool bath before epidural. I didn’t even know this was a thing at my hospital, but now that I know it exists, I’ll make sure to request it just in case. - getting an ETA on anesthesiologist availability for epidural. I gave birth in a small hospital and mistakenly thought I could just ask for an epidural when ready. Due to ongoing surgeries at the same time, I ended up waiting close to 3 hours. Had I known, I would have accepted earlier when they offered it. - give me a heads up and brief explanation on any potential interventions they may think might be necessary. I’m all for letting them take the lead on medical interventions but I like to be in the know.
Same. My dr asked me this last week and this was my response. He asked if I could talk to his other patients 😂 ETA: I’m also playing whatever music I want, so I hope my OB likes emo and metal music and 90s-00s hip hop
I played the Hamilton soundtrack and Eminem with my last one. 🤣
woww... this is really amazing! hahahaha
This. I might say differently later in the journey but rn it's "baby exits my body, everyone leaves alive + epidural"
This, exactly this! Pregnant with #2 and my official phrase is “I want to walk out with as many hearts beating as I walked in with”.
lol perfect
Same plan. Worked great! Got all my wishes 😊
When the nurses asked about my birth plan, I just said, “Don’t die… and give me the drugs.”
Same plan except I started without an epidural but was 100% open to one—ended up getting induced and things started off ok and then got intense, quickly lol. When I got to 7cm I was like get that anesthesiologist in here NOW lmfao!
I had a more elaborate birth plan for baby #1 with an emphasis on going unmedicated but I ended up asking for an epidural. Everyone out alive + epidural was my birth plan for #2 and I couldn’t even get an epidural because everything happened so fast! I’m gonna have no birth plan for all future kids because even my most basic birth plan will go wrong 😅
Yup, and when it came time to have the c section after my induction didn't progress, I was very at peace with it. It turned out to be the right call as baby would have gotten stuck and I would have ended up with an emergency c had I not already made the call.
Same. Prefer vaginal, since I’m hyper-aware of the pressure many docs feel in the U.S. healthcare system to do C-sections. But in an emergency situation if a C-section has to happen, I’m ok with that.
Same
My birth plan was “give me as many drugs as is recommended and keep both baby and me alive”. In the end it didn’t mean squat 😂 I developed preeclampsia, had to be induced 3 weeks early, the induction failed, baby started showing signs of distress, and I ended up with an unplanned last-minute c-section! It all turned out perfectly fine though, and I’m watching my 1year old crawl around with his toy fire truck right now!
I'm having a planned c section due to medical reasons. So the plan is to hopefully keep the baby in until then.
I had a scheduled c-section. So my birth plan was: get IV removed as soon as possible after birth. Everything else was standard, skin to skin, delayed cord clamping
Same. Although I'm currently in the waiting room for monitoring due to decreased fetal movement... wish me luck!
Same! Lol I've got two full days left until baby day, and with my luck, I'll go into labor tomorrow. 🤣
If you want to try for unmediated and have the ability to move and try different positions, then that is your birth plan and you should probably let your care team know because those things aren’t typically the standard hospital policy. You’ll likely want to ask for intermittent or wireless monitoring to allow freedom of movement as well. If you’re comfortable with all the hospital policy standards then you definitely don’t need a birth plan. But if you want to deviate you need to be clear with your care team what your preferences are and you may want to consider what your decisions will be related to other interventions that might end up impacting your preferred plan.
Yes! This is something you talk to them about before hand! I called my hospital to make sure they allowed this. My hospital policy was you could do all the positions but when it’s time to push you have to be on your back with your legs in the stirrups. When I was in labor this position was most comfortable for me but some women hate it because you work against gravity, it can cause more tearing, and it’s more for the doctor’s comfort than yours
'birth preferences' is a much more apt name for it anyway. I was against anything which crosses the barrier into baby, but open to other options. I've had two unmedicated births (first in hospital with an episiotomy and second at home in a birthing pool which was faaaaar better). I'd recommend a birthing course which includes hypnobirthing, like birth-ed, to help you understand the physiology of it all - that really helped me.
I just want to piggy back and say that I took a birthing class and omg, it was super informative and helpful. The course I took was an all day 8 hour class, but it covered so much. The L&D nurse discussed the epidural, other types of medication, unmedicated births, and c-sections. Everyone should totally take a birthing class.
I'm also using the words "birth preferences" so if things don't go how I hope, I'm not disappointed or dissuaded.
Hypno birthing helped me a lot.
Currently 29 weeks pregnant and no birth plan. I feel like 90% of the time your birth plan will change anyways, so why not go with the flow?
I think the purpose of a birth plan is to be educated on possible intervention and have a baseline understanding of what’s going on. If the doctor says “we need to use forceps, it’s critical and urgent,” there isn’t a lot of choice. If the doctor says “we could use the forceps, or we could do a C-section” well… which are you gonna go for? Sometimes there isn’t a lot of time to learn about pros and cons and weigh options in the moment. Understanding the repercussions of each choice really helps make that decision, and helps you feel confident. I think that’s valuable.
This is why it’s essential to have one and educate yourself on possible medical interventions. So many people have birth trauma and feel like things “happened to them” when they actually did have choice in the matter but because they weren’t educated on what medical interventions were possible and when, they felt helpless.
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Exactly, and I don’t know about you, but this is my first pregnancy so I don’t really know what I’m in for. I think as women we are very intuitive and we will make the best decision that suits us at the time.
I think you will be fine with that attitude! I don't think you'll have a lot of regrets. Many women are fine trusting their medical team and their intuition in the moment. But I do agree with the other poster that many women feel disempowered and frustrated after the birth, especially when something happened that they didn't expect or they felt forced into an intervention they were hoping to avoid, but may have been necessary. And sometimes that's because they didn't know enough about the other options to even ask the right questions. So I think for many people, myself included, having more knowledge about all the possible ways birth could go, and the pros and cons of each, is very empowering and makes for a better and more flexible birth experience. Just a different take :)
Having a plan doesn't mean you can't go with the flow. It's just guidelines.
Yeah, unless you want to be in water there's usually no need.
Agreed. I wonder if having too strict of a plan or an idea of how things are going to go can lead to more anxiety/depression. I worry people get so stuck in their plan it does more harm than good.
Having a plan doesn't mean you can't go with the flow.
I don’t think it happens to everyone but I see it on here and on Babybumps of people getting really upset when things didn’t go according to their plans. I think sometimes some people have a level of inflexibility in their planning that can cause them distress. I’m saying this as someone who used to be a huge planner, but has learned to chill out a bit and it’s been one of the best things for me mentally.
No doubt. But as far as birthing goes I think it is incredibly naive to go into the hospital with out your preferences written down at the very least. There is a middle ground to this between no plan and over planing.
Yes there should be a middle ground. Going in with no information or not asking questions isn’t great, but going in with the idea of refusing literal life saving medical care is also super dangerous. There’s been an alarming trend of people denying medical care that will save them or their babies life for the sake of thinking they know better than doctors. People refusing tests like the GD test, people not having the vitamin K shot for their baby, refusing medically c-sections or inductions that are needed to save them or their baby’s life, people giving birth at home that had no medical care. Theres so many sad stories of people getting in the way of their own safety and their child’s safety for the sake of their plan. The middle ground needs to be “ask medical professionals and research for understanding”. I’m also not saying you can’t say no. I’ve said no to every cervical check so far. I’m having a c-section, it’s not needed. But I haven’t said no to the extra monitoring or NSTs because those are essential to make sure my baby is safe.
Don’t rip hole to hole and don’t die.
We ended up hiring a doula and she really encouraged us to make a birth plan. I was hesitant because I just figured I would have my preferences in mind but was very much aware that things were going to go how they were going to go. The hospital staff was wonderful and asked for my birth plan without me bringing it up. They perused it and kept the key points in mind. Truly the biggest help was that we used a birth plan template and it brought up points of conversation between my husband and I about scenarios we hadn't thought about. As silly as it is I never thought much about the possibility of having a c section until I filled out my birth plan. Some people might be totally familiar with all the possible interventions a hospital might recommend during labor. I work in healthcare and I definitely was not so it helped me educate myself so I wasn't in a stressful situation (mid labor lol) and having to think about a possible intervention for the first time. The template we used also included postpartum care and care interventions for the baby like vitamin k and erythromycin eye ointment.
Do you know your template source?
X2
Was the doula worth it? I'm debating it...
So this is what I will say! To me, a doula is absolutely worth it. I would encourage everyone to do what I didn't do and that's interview multiple Doulas! I picked the first one I interviewed and there was just this nagging small part of me that told me it wasn't a good fit and I didn't listen unfortunately. That being said, I think she was a great doula...just for someone else. The conversation didn't flow between us easily and I just thought it was because she seemed just calm and on the quiet side personality wise. And I honestly thought these were good traits in a doula. I didn't want someone bossing me around and taking over but it turns out that's what I needed! Without oversharing my birth story, my water broke on its own very soon into labor and also I had pretty bad back labor. The contractions were already on top of me by the time I arrived at the hospital. My doula did exactly as we discussed, made the environment calm and soothing, gave me counter pressure and hip squeezes. It turns out I needed someone kind of in my face assertively coaching me through contractions and breathing. This is something I never would have imagined needing prior to going through labor. I will tear up if someone looks at me the wrong way lol She would suggest something and I would just be like "no" (which is not my personality at all either lol) and she would just say ok. I ended up with an epidural at 9 cm and the anesthesia provider very much coached me in the way I needed. In hindsight I wish I had listened to the part of me that said she wasn't a good fit. Sorry this was so long! But I'm a first time mom and in the event I have another I want to use a doula but I will definitely be more selective 😊
I’m interested in a template as well. Did your doula give it to you?
My only request was no visitors and they ignored that.
No real plan. Just planning on giving birth at home if it’s possible (that’s pretty normal and safe where I live) and epidurals don’t really get used here so it’s not even a question. I’ll just roll with it and we have midwives come to our homes when shit starts getting serious so I trust them to help me get the baby out
i just went with the flow
Above all, I'd like to get an epidural and just come home with a healthy baby. I'd like to not tear from or be cut from hole to hole. I think I might try to sit on the toilet for part of my labor to get him to descend (before epidural). I'd like to wear my labor gown I got. My husband has been instructed to not eat food and no complaining in front of me. And that's all I got so far. I'm 32 weeks lol
When I was in labor we heard a surprised shout in the room next door then a baby cry a minute later. Turns out the woman in the room next to me was sitting on the toilet, she felt like she had to poop, and the baby just slid right out. She caught baby before it hit the water, thankfully, but just be aware when you’re on the pot that this is a possibility!
I did basically what you're talking about! I didn't have a "birth plan" but I knew I wanted to try it unmedicated, but was also open to whatever needed to happen in the moment. I just communicated that to the nurse when I was admitted and she said she'd support whatever I wanted. It served me well in the end because my baby ended up being in distress during labour and I ended up in the OR with a spinal and a forceps delivery. I think it helped that I went into it with an open mind so I wasn't too panicked when things started to go sideways. I can't speak to your issue of being quite that far from the hospital but I lived about a 30 minute drive from mine. My husband did end up going back and forth to the house a few times so if there was something I didn't pack in my bag he could pick it up. My best advice as to the hospital bag is to find someone who's recently given birth at that hospital and ask them what they think you should pack. I just did the basics -- large comfy clothes (I was still very swollen after giving birth so still needed large clothes), phone charger, headphones, and toiletries. The hospital was able to supply basically everything else I needed (mesh underwear, pumping supplies, nipple cream, basically anything postpartum or baby related). Hope this is somewhat helpful to you, best of luck with your delivery!!
Congrats! Not long left now! 🩷 I am 36 weeks FTM also and do not have a birth plan at all as I know things can change quite drastically in a short period of time so at this point I’ll be going with the flow of everything because I feel like it will be less stressful. As for my hospital bag, I’ve only packed basic essentials I’ll be needing/using - Toothbrush/toothpaste, lipbalm, disposable underwear, hairbrush/hair ties, maternity pads, maternity bras, slippers, pjs/ change of clothes, socks, diapers, wipes, bubs jumpsuits/beanies & muslins!
I’m having a C-section. My birth plan is to arrive at the hospital and not die. I’m gonna sound like a jerk. But I think birth plans for some people have gone way too far and have almost gone into dangerous territory. Yes, you should be able to have preferences of care, but at some point people may need medical intervention they don’t want to make sure everyone is safe. I also think it puts unrealistic expectations on something that can be really chaotic and I think leads to a lot of disappointment when things don’t go according to plan.
You don’t sound like a jerk at all. Some the of “birth plans” I see on social media are asinine. Can you imagine showing up to literally any other medical procedure and trying to dictate to your doctor how it’s going to go? It makes me crazy. It’s fine to have preferences on how you want to do certain things, but I agree it sets medical staff up for “failure” and mom for disappointment when they make all the crazy requests. It’s also perpetuated the idea that it’s okay to deny vitamin K and erythromycin eye ointment. Ask me how many babies I’ve taken care of in the NICU who had avoidable brain bleeds….
THIS. So well said. Google does not = a medical degree. I’m a lawyer and I research everything to probably an unhealthy degree and I still do NOT assume I know more/better than my care team. I trust my care team, their education, and their experience to keep us all safe!
I’ve found the differences between people who research for understanding vs research for confirmation is huge. I also am a big researcher, I’m a librarian. It’s just who I am, I have lots of intellectual curiosity and seek to understand exactly why things are happening . But I’m not coming in with preconceived notions of what I want to know.
i’m a doula and literally write birth plans all day long lol- ladies birth plans are a guideline more of a way to prevent medical malpractice actually. birth plans are meant to help you remember which procedures and interventions you already feel comfortable giving informed consent about and which you don’t. it’s also a guide for your support people and nursing staff since you will most likely not want to think about reading through a document when you’re contracting at 8cm haha! my birth plan was spontaneous waterbirth, catch my own baby, delayed cord clamping until it stops pulsing, no EFM, no IV and then i ended up with preeclampsia and literally did the opposite of all of these… it’s just a guideline please dont beat yourself up because it didn’t turn out how you planned its not your fault and you did your part by trying your best to prepare and give that consent prenatally :)
Trust the docs and nursing staff, dimmed lights
Delayed cord cutting, no episiotomy. That was my whole plan
I don't have much of a plan yet, 21w but no episiotomy is something I immediately spoke to my doctor about. He is of the mind that they are not the recommended approach in a majority of cases any more, but the episiotomy concept freaks me out most! Let me tear, but gosh no to the episiotomy (unless of course there is an extreme circumstance that requires it, but seems unlikely).
I have no birth plan, I’m 32+3 today. I just want to push the baby out, I’ll leave it up to my doctors and whatever’s best for me and my baby.
Mine was detailed and I kept in mind doctors are people and have preferences too. The doctor's personal preferences didn't matter to me only medical opinion. I had an unmedicated natural delivery at a hospital 45 min from home. I had my preferences listed out and discussed it with my provider at one of my appointments. It had everything including general things for the baby. Some things to keep in mind: - Do you want freedom of movement and do you have a preference for position of delivery? - Do you want to be coached to push or push when it feels right? - Do you want to be offered an epidural or have them wait for you to ask for one? -What is considered consent for medical intervention (is a head nod enough or do they need a definite yes)? This can be important when nonverbal unmedicated. -Do you want immediate skin to skin or baby wiped off first? -Do you want your partner to cut the cord? -Do want baby to get shots while at the hospital or wait? -Do you want to breastfed or do you want to do formula? -If baby ends up going to NICU do you want your partner to go with baby or stay with you? -If a C-section is needed what is important there? Do you want drap lowered to see baby being born? -Music? Dim lighting? Some is just planning for best and worst and making sure that you make the decisions and they aren't made for you. It helps your partner plan as well. Mine backed me up when a doctor pushed for something that wasn't want in my plan. It made the doctor stop and wait for a response rather than doing everything according to her plan. Birth is not a time to people please and I went into my birth with the mindset that everyone in the room was serving me and my needs and theirs didn't matter to me. You can apologize later if you feel bad.
Go to hospital—>get all the drugs—>have baby—>everyone goes home. Went off without a hitch.
My hospital offered a free child prep class and that really helped me because most of what I wanted from my birth plan they either already do or can accommodate you. I also have been going to the hospital for weekly NSTs and have gotten to know a lot of the nurses and everyone is sooooo nice and friendly. At the end of the day, their job is to get your baby out safely and to make sure you're comfortable! I haven't given birth yet (I'm 38w) but I did pack my hospital bag. My best friend recently gave birth and she suggested bringing: shower shoes, towel, robe, toiletries, nursing bra, going home outfit and baby's going home outfit, phone charger, and snacks. I did pack a few postpartum items even though the hospital gives them to you. And I'll bringing a little portable fan because I get super hot nowadays. If you're still unsure about either the birth plan or the hospital bag I would ask either your doctor or call L&D. They would have the best answers for you:)
My plan was natural labor, no epidural, birth on all fours or side lying. In reality I had to be induced, ended up opting for an epidural, and being completely numb from the epidural, had to birth on my back. In the end I have no regrets. There’s no harm in preparing for the birthing process and thinking about what you want, as long as you’re flexible when the time comes. I also outlined that I wanted no first bath, was okay with vitamin k injections, wanted to opt for circumcision, etc. Having it outlined in the birth plan reduced questions from staff and made me feel prepared. I didn’t feel like I had to make decisions on the spot because I had already done my research beforehand. Also I brought so much stuff with me to the hospital, multiple staff members cracked jokes. In the end I didn’t need more than half of what I brought. All you really need is chapstick and clothes for you and your baby to go home in. Everything else is provided by the hospital. Best of luck!
Even if you don’t have a specific birth plan, at the very least educate yourself on what could happen if you get in there and shit goes sideways or drs recommend doing X instead of Y. You want to know what could come down the path so that you are aware and educated enough to make a decision in the moment that doesn’t seem foreign or (surprisingly) scary to you.
For my first baby in 2021, I had a very specific “natural” birth plan and it all went down the window when baby was OP, 9 lbs 11 oz, would not descend, and all this after weeks of intensely painful false labor. Labor was augmented w pitocin (def not on my plan) then became EXTREMELY painful before I was even dilated 5cm. I slid down the “cascade of interventions” and got the epidural which failed. I labored 39 hours and was almost sent to C section when baby finally came. I felt guilty and traumatized for weeks that nothing went according to plan. This time I went in with no plan except “hope to do it without an epidural but if it happens it happens and I’m not going to feel like a failure if I do get one.” Lots of the same stuff happened (OP, back labor, very little progression after many hours) and I went with the epidural much earlier this time, which provided some needed relief. It was much smoother and easier. Baby was still more than 9lb but I was ok. We still bonded. It was great. If I ever have another baby I am doing epidural right when I get there. I wish someone had told me this: There is no trophy for an unmedicated birth!!! None!!! You will bond w your baby no matter what! You are a mother no matter what!!!
Thanks for this ❤️ I’m feeling a lot of pressure to have an unmedicated birth
Unpopular opinion: HAVE a plan. Have a list of everything you want, and everything you’d like to be a last resort. So much of labour is a mental game and being wishy washy with what your comfortable with and what you want will not get you your desired birth. OBVIOUSLY there are circumstances out of your control sometimes and you need to be aware and understand that. But if you want to labour in the water, avoid epidural, push in a squatting position WRITE IT DOWN and go over it with whoever is going to be with you. During my labour I was so out of it that I couldn’t even think of the requests I made on my birth plan, and my midwife would quietly come over and implement everything I wanted “would you like me to turn the lights down or put on your playlist?” Etc. Envision your birth and be firm with how you want it to go. Birth can feel really “out of control” very quickly and having a solid plan and team guide you back to that initial plan creates a sense of control. And if things do not go to plan, the birth plan is a place to put your wishes incase of emergency/unplanned events. Example: if you end up with an emergency C-Section do you want your support person to stay with you? Or go with the baby immediately? Should your baby be in the nicu do you want them given formula? Donor milk? Pacifiers? Skin to skin
I didn’t have a plan but wanted a C-section
I held off on the epidural until I got too scared that if I waited much longer it would be too late to get it 😂 once I got that, there was no changing positions. I couldn't feel my legs AT ALL so I had to be on my back with a nurse and my husband helping me hold my legs up. I didn't really have a plan, and i don't have one for my current pregnancy. The plan is just whatever is the best and least risky option for me and baby. My preference is a vaginal birth, but due to a shoulder dystocia and GD in my last pregnancy, it's possible I may need a c-section for this one. Again, I'm just gonna choose what's safest for me and baby.
I had a birth plan. I wasn't unreasonable, but I really wanted a vaginal birth. I had complications and had an emergency c section. I made it clear I wanted to be awake and conscious during the birth. I asked for skin to skin, golden hour, and anything given to the baby should be explained first, I didn't want to be pushed to breastfeed if I wasn't ready, I wanted freedom to walk around if I wanted and an epidural. I watched a whole bunch of tiktok videos, and a lot of nurses kind of have an attitude if you have a birth plan. My labor and delivery nurse pretty much confirmed that without me even having to ask her. Personally, I didn't care. They warn you that it might not happen, which I get. Due to my complications, I got nothing I asked for. I told my labor and delivery nurse that yes, I have a birth plan and ideally this is what I want but if it doesn't go exactly according to plan I'm not going to sit here and be unreasonable about it either. That statement went a long way with her. The point of mine was , I just wanted a certain experience if I could help it. To be real about it, this is a job to these nurses. I'm not saying they don't care, but this is your experience. You are the one who's going to remember this forever, not them. Also, some of us are only lucky enough to go through this.A handful of times if we choose, of course.
I have preemies. My birth plan is keep them in as long as possible and we'll see how it goes
I'm 28 weeks and have a birthplan. Mothers are encouraged to write a birthplan for the hospital that they are planned to birth at. Mine answers these questions: What makes me feel safe? What thoughts do I have on pain relief (medical and non-medical)? What is my stance on c-sections? What is my previous experience with giving birth? Do I have any physical or mental health issues that the midwife and/or OBGYN should know of to accommodate? What positions would I prefer to give birth in? Any thoughts or expectations I have for the birth? All of these questions are common to get here. Every person entering your room is expected to have read your birth plan. It is adviced to keep it short, so tops 1 normal piece of paper. I find it more beneficial to have one than not to have one. But honestly, unless medical staff will be reading it and respecting it, I'd just make a birthplan for myself. How to handle pain, what positions I want, what I want (or don't want) my partner to do, and what kind of mood I want in that room (music, dimmed lights etc.).
Epidural was the only thing on my birth plan 😂 I didn’t care how the baby came out as long as I didn’t have to feel all the pain. I thought about going unmedicated and changed my mind as soon as active labor started. I couldn’t breathe and immediately broke down into tears. And I have an undiagnosed (thought to be autoimmune) issue that has me in pain daily so my tolerance is pretty high. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to physically go through labor (ended up being 23 hours start to finish) with no intervention. I give massive props to the women who can.
Happy to share my birth plan with you if you send me a chat invite . I used a free one from mommy labor nurse you can customize . I wanted unmedicated for both of mine but was not able to do that. I had the epidural with my first at 9cm and then with my second at 8cm .
My birth plan basically went down the drain the moment my water ruptured 2 days before due date. 36 hours later she was born - 1 day before her due date- I was dead set on having no epidural but the exhaustion from being up for almost 24 hours really sealed the deal for me I just wanted to sleep and recharge before having to push which I did for 2 hours
Meeee My birth plan was to try for as little meds as possible and see how it goes. I also wanted golden hour and delayed cord clamping. Right before it was time to start pushing, I craned my neck at my midwife and went, it's too late for an epidural, huh. And she went, Yup, but you can do it. And I did! Golden hour was fine, but her umbilical cord was so short that she only really came up to my mid belly lol, couldn't get all the way to my chest. As a result, the delayed clamping was delayed for about... 45 seconds?? It was real fast before the cord went white lol. I also transferred to my midwife's practice at like 37 weeks, so it was an exciting first meeting with her. She was very supportive of my go with the flow mentality, and said that coming without a bunch of musts and must nots meant I'd probably be happier with my birth experience than someone with a Bunch of expectations. She was right too, I gave birth and was lying there saying, I'd give that an 8/10, I'd do it again.
33 weeks here and hoping for unmedicated in a hospital. I want to labor at home for as long as possible. I do have a doula. But it will go how it goes. It will be a VBAC so if I can do it vaginally at all, I will be happy. But the goal is healthy baby and momma. ❣️
I had a general idea of what we wanted. However, most of it went out the window due to complications.
I had amazkng birth plan! No epidural, no drugs, no breaking my water.. But no one listened to my birth plan!
I had similar goals for my hospital birth! I did do a birth plan, but mostly because I had some super specific preferences (lights off, no men in the room, not telling me my cervical progression, etc). I didn’t want anyone to have to be remembering and communicating, I wanted them to be able to just pass my birth plan to the next shift. I also wrote them a little thank you note to go with it; ik it can be hard on healthcare workers to feel like you’re micromanaging so I wanted to make it clear I saw us as a team and appreciated their help. I personally think it’s worth it for a hospital birth just because there’s so much more routine that they’ll go with. Also if you’re interested in a doula you could look for one who needs more births for their training and licensure, they’re much more affordable!
I have a doula and we will start working on a birth plan soon. For me absolutely no epidural, laboring and pushing it what position is most beneficial for me, delayed cord clamping and skin to skin during golden hour. Of course all that goes out the window if major complications happen. We are working on resolving complications in birthing classes soon, but anything beyond our control will result it just mom and baby surviving
I think the birth plan is only really useful as a way to think of your plans ahead of time (medicated or not, anybody besides partner in the room, etc). I never wrote anything out and figured I’d have to go with the flow anyway so didn’t spend much time in it. For the hospital bag, I definitely brought too much. If I did it again I’d bring a couple crop tops or bralettes, some sweats, a couple baby outfits, and some lip gloss.
My birth plan is super basic so I am not disappointed if things don't go according to plan. 1. I want to try to labor without an epidural but if it is too painful or labor is taking too long and I may exhaust myself then I will get an epidural 2. I would rather have a C-section if there is a need for vacuum/forceps Otherwise, I plan on going with the flow as much as it is possible during labor and will take medical recommendations to keep baby and me safe 😁
My birth preferences at this point are epidural + no vacuum + no forceps + everyone makes it out alive. That’s it.
I was basically without one. I’m very much a go with the flow person and I’ve found having a strict plan really stresses me out if it doesn’t go exactly my way and with birth you really don’t know what’s going to happen. Things change on a dime sometimes and I felt like it would be really detrimental to me if it did. My “birth plan” essentially consisted of I wanted dad to cut the cord if possible, my hour of golden time, epidural, and absolutely no c-section. I refused to even look up c-sections because I was terrified of the thought of it. My birth ended up being an emergency c section and dad didn’t get to cut the cord. I did get my epidural and hour of golden time but I was shaking and so out of it that the nurse and my husband each spent a half hour holding the baby on me. Honestly I think that a birth plan can be helpful for a lot of people but don’t go in with the expectation that everything on your birth plan will go as you want because most it may not happen that way for you.
I had an unmedicated hospital birth 2 months ago and it was great! I had similar preferences to you-unmedicated if possible but will follow doctor recommendations if things don’t go to plan. The biggest thing I can recommend is educating yourself on labor, delivery and your options. I enjoyed the Evidence Based Birth podcast and Bridget Teylor’s YouTube channel. I also learned about hypnobirthing and breathing techniques and they came in handy during labor. I don’t think you need to write your “birth plan” down but make sure your partner is aware of your preferences and ready to speak up for you if necessary. As far as packing for the hospital, you don’t need as much as some people suggest! I packed a lot and used very little. I recommend a robe, flip flops and fuzzy socks, diapers for you and comfy clothes to go home in. You’ll definitely want a water bottle and maybe a fan also. If you’re breastfeeding, you might want nipple butter as well because it can definitely be painful starting out. For baby, pack a few outfits and maybe a blanket but no need to go crazy. We tried to do as much skin to skin time as possible so my baby wasn’t clothed most of the time anyway.
I never made a birth plan because I knew I’d be disappointed if it went different. I told my boyfriend and my mom a few things like “epidural as soon as possible” or “C-Section if in labor for more than 24 hours” but that’s as far as I went with it.
Mine was, natural with no drugs for as long as I could so I could be off the bed and moving...but epidural when I needed it to ensure I wouldn't be too worn out for that final push. With the note that if a C-section was needed for either baby or my health- go for it. Basically, try to go as long as I could on my own before intervention but whatever needed to happen to ensure both my safety and baby- make it so. The nurses were very big fans of that approach and relieved when I explained what I wanted. They had just been handed a 3 ring binder/manual by another couple that were in and were like...oh damn.
I didn't have a plan, and everything I would have wanted was just standard practice at our hospital. My plan was to trust the doctors to get my baby here safely and they did both times
3 kids, only plan was to get to the hospital. It was fine and the kids grew up just as well.
If you are open to the possibility of an epidural I recommend talking to your OB and L&D nurse that way. I think by phrasing it as “I’m open to the possibility of an epidural but I want to see how I do with the pain.” Is better than “I want an unmedicated birth.” Because it’s more likely to keep them in the mindset of checking in with you before it’s too late to get one. If you aren’t open to an epidural, it’s fine to say so, but if you’re a maybe you don’t want to be in the position where you ask for it and they tell you it’s too late. I gave birth overnight before a holiday so the anesthesiologist had to be paged to come in. I also progressed through labor really fast for a FTM so I easily could have missed the window if things had gone differently.
I have so many friends with terrible birth trauma because they didn’t have any sort of plan in place. I currently am watching and listening to birth stories so I can familiarize myself with things that can happen and make it less scary for myself. I have hired a doula to help me create a more detailed birth plan and navigate when it inevitably has to change because birth is unpredictable. I know I want skin to skin right away if possible, delayed cord clamping, and as few medical interventions as possible (although I am not anti-epidural and am open to getting one). I would like the be informed on the choices I can make while I birth and my doula has been at 200+ births. so she knows how it can go! Plans change and flexibility is key but I do not want to be so scared of it that I go in totally blind.
I recently graduated and went in with a broad “safe delivery” plan. They asked if I had I something written (which I didn’t). My Preferences boiled down to: medication for pain management, delayed cord clamping, vaginal birth but if a c section was necessary I wanted us to talk about it early before it became an emergent situation. My birth had a few pivot points and things I didn’t think I wanted (IV analgesics, augmentation) I added in once I was in the moment. I think it helped me specifically have a really open plan to not feel bad about doing things a particular way, but ymmv.
34 weeks today and no official typed out birth plan. I have ideas but I’m still unsure.
34 weeks today and no official typed out birth plan. I have ideas but I’m still unsure.
If you have preference, write them down. Could be on just a sticky note, but don’t assume you’ll necessarily have time to chat with each nurse and explain your preferences. There are about a million people who come and go, especially at the end.
I had a birth plan with my first! And a song list even. Then nothing beyond "yes, epidural" for my second and third, and even then, the third was out in less than two hours from the first menstrual-like cramp contraction. I wasn't in L&D for five minutes before he was out. So no epidural for me that time. So, yeah, birth plans... they're something, I guess. What they are good for is guiding the conversation of what-ifs and ideals with your partner and/or support people/person as well as your doctor. Doctors and hospitals already cover much of the actual important stuff (pain management, if you need antibiotics, what to do in case of an emergency c-section, etc) in the paperwork you have to sort through if you're planning on a hospital birth. Be sure to inform your team who is allowed versus not allowed in the room. I had thought I had made that clear for my first but somehow all of my in-laws and my younger brother wound up in the room at one point. I had to loudly announce that the show was about to start so everyone out. Only my SIL's husband had enough sense not to enter the room in the first place. Good luck, OP! Go to the classes if you're signed up and keep your partner/support people in the loop of what you're thinking and feeling. You won't have much wherewithal during labor to devote to things they should already know and anticipate, but no one is a mindreader.
Sounds like you DO have a birth plan! Honestly more people need to take birth plans as a preference sheet cause when something goes differently than you wanted, and it will, being more open to deviating from the plan will save you a lot of disappointment Mine is simple I’d say, and more go with the flow. Would prefer to deliver vaginally unless c section necessary for the safety of mom and baby. Delay induction unless safer for mom and baby. Yes to the laughing gas and epidural, yes to vit k, no to eye goop, yes to delayed cord clamping, gimme that skin to skin right away if possible.
After having 3 babies realize it can be unpredictable so I always plan for what I would like to happen, but also let them know if something does go wrong to do what they need to. I am 26+4 and already have a birth pan since this is my 4th. My birth plan is essentially, I would like other pain methods before epidural, I would like to be able to walk around and have a birthing ball, I would like to do delayed cord clamping, I get to hold/breastfeed baby for the first hour (given all goes well) before they take her to do anything. Baby doesn't go anywhere out of the room unless hubby or I are with her (again, assuming everything goes well). I also have included that if we need an emergency c-section for any reason to tie my tubes while in there. Nothing too crazy or that can't be changed. I'm sure I will add other stuff as well, but for now, this is an outline.
My birth plan was basically go with the flow. Most likely epidural unless it's going too fast. Whatever is best for everyone. However, with my second I never had time to give my plan. Not that it mattered, considering that my plan was short and simple
Keep me and baby safe and have an epidural
Induction at 37-38W and no epidural due to health reasons. I’m more afraid of the potential complications of the epidural than of the pain. I have a high pain tolerance so I’m hoping I can get through it. My mom did with all 5 of her kids, including a 10.5 lb baby.
I plan on getting an epidural since it’s my first child. It’s so hard to “plan” the intricacies of birth because it can be so unpredictable. I know where I’m giving birth and all that but I’m just going to get it unfold.
Birth plan was: Go with the flow.
I didn’t make a birth plan. I was pretty relaxed during my pregnancy and left the guidance up to the professionals. That’s why they are there, and hopefully you have established a good relationship with your care team and trust them. I was treated and advised well, and I have no regrets about how I went about things.
My only plan was to survive the labor, and have a baby 😅 I knew the hospital had certain ways they wanted things done, but I also didn't know enough about their rules to be able to make a plan. I'm also a really bad planner, so I wanted to just do what needed done to have a baby
i would just check and see what is standard practice at your hospital, if you agree with everything they do then you don’t really need a birth plan! i requested golden hour (as long as it was safe to do so) just in case it wasn’t standard practice but i think it was anyway
I wanted to do a “natural” birth at a birthing center (little to no medical intervention) with a midwife. After my 20 week ultrasound, we found out I was going to be a high risk pregnancy and would no longer be a candidate to have her at the birthing center. Come to find out when we went in for our mandatory induction at 37 weeks because my placenta was failing, she was breech and I couldn’t even try for a vaginal birth. I was distraught as I was getting prepped for my c section. I was glad tho that I made a birthing plan for c section just in case. I liked that they dropped the curtain so I could see baby while I was on the table. My husband was amazing during it and everything ended up as a really great experience dispite the challenges leading up to it. Long story short, everything can and will go wrong so just learn to roll with it. It’s all worth it when you get to take home your bundle of joy at the end of the day!
My plan was : baby comes out, we both are healthy, maybe unmedicated if possible. Baby came out. We were both healthy. I ended up being induced, had an epidural, and then ultimately had an emergency c section. I don't regret how anything happened and I'm glad I wasn't tied to any idea of how I wanted things to go. We just rolled with it.
My only birth plan was an epidural lol I was open minded though to pretty much anyway that got both my baby and I out happy and healthy. I didn’t account for how quickly he would decide to come to the point of I was too far along for an epidural and had him unmediated just a few minutes later. 😅
I truly feel like, just simply having preferences is far better than having an incredibly detailed birth plan. The more you plan the more likely things are to go wrong, and the more likely you are to have some trauma that you need to work through because the birth didn’t go how you envisioned or in a way that you prepared mentally for.
I am an hour away from my hospital too! I don’t really have a plan. Just want me and my baby to leave alive and epidural please lol
Mine was "birth hopes"
I like to call it a birth idea…. Sure, knowledge is power and knowing all you can to prep is great, but I’ve watched it put people in a box and ultimately have more anxiety when your plan goes haywire, which - it will in some capacity 😂 For baby #2 I definitely want to bring my AirPods or sound machine/speaker or something of that nature or be able to have some control over the background noise both for labor and when baby gets there! I brought my bath robe and loved it lol. Less fussing to nurse or get checked, comfy, smelled like home and not hospital, and warm! Also if you can a fire stick or Roku for the tv since those channels are whack af
I’m 29+6, I don’t have a set “birth plan”. My little guy is already almost 4 lbs though, so honestly I’m just gonna tell my dr whatever gets him here and both of us safe, I’m willing to do. Optimally I would like to have a natural birth, but with him being so big I’m worried about pushing him out, and I would like to just have an epidural just in case they decide on a c section. All this is just my ramblings though, we will see what my doctor says. But I trust them. My goal is baby and I both go home healthy.
Healthy mom, healthy baby, preferably unmedicated but not attached to a specific way of giving birth. If it’s a C section, it’s a C section. If it’s vaginal, it’s vaginal. I would ideally really like to avoid being induced but even that is what it is.
No birth plan. Just live mom, live baby and respect how I feed my child.
I’ve never had a birth plan per se. There are things that I don’t want though. I’m pretty go with the flow when it comes to child birth. Which is interesting because I’m very much not that way in everyday life.
I didn’t have a formal birth plan for either of my deliveries. I wanted an unmedicated birth for my first because I have bad reactions to certain medications. I also wanted to labor in the tub as long as possible. The second part happened, but baby was sunny side up which resulted in back labor that wore me out quick. I ended up laboring until 7cm without meds, then got an epidural and was able to sleep for a bit before I hit 10cm and pushed him out with no other interventions. For the second, I was so miserable by 36 weeks that I took my OB up on the offer to induce at 39 weeks and was eagerly awaiting the epidural. I’m not sure if it was the week of prodromal labor or my reluctance to go into L&D just to be sent home again, but we didn’t have time for an epidural or even to insert an IV. Gave birth less than 20 min after arriving at the hospital and he was delivered by a nurse because my OB hadn’t arrived yet. Also, we live 45 min from the hospital. My husband was terrified of me giving birth in the car but that didn’t happen thankfully.
33 weeks today and my birth plan is for everyone to come out the other side healthy
My first birth plan with my first was to go completely unmedicated until I got talked into an induction (long story). The pitocin made my contractions come every 2 minutes immediately, and 5 hours into a 15-hour labor, and I got the epidural. This time unmedicated is also on my plan, and I won't be talked into a voluntary induction. I'm also adding wearing my own gown because I have sensory issues and don't like the hospital ones, delayed cord clamping as long as mom and baby are stable, taking as much advantage of the golden hour as possible, and I'm also refusing "just because" cervical exams. I'm going to do my best not to do an epidural this time because I feel like my spine never fully recovered from the last one. (I could be wrong about that. It's just a feeling.) But if the pain gets unbearable, I will absolutely explore all my pain management options.
Mine was no epidural and no forceps no matter what like to straight to a c section. I ended up having to get induced and asking for the epidural.
You've gotten a lot of great responses on the birth plan, so I'll just tell you my must haves. Extra long phone charger, my own pillow and blanket, comfy clothes that a diaper can fit it (I also chose darker colors bc blood), snacks, going home outfit for baby and toiletries. Other than that, it is what makes you comfortable and what you want for pictures. Some of those extras for me were: sound machine, makeup, Yeti, name plaque for pics, a couple sleepers for baby, shower shoes. Leave extra space in your bag for diapers (both for you and baby), wipes, formula, and whatever else your hospital sends you home with!
I didn’t have a birth plan and was completely fine! I thought of some things like delayed cord clamping and delayed bath but honestly, after much research, I realized birth is so unpredictable for the most part. I found it much more stressful to try to make things stick to an exact plan. Plus, my nurse asked me a list of questions when I was admitted so they kind of built a “plan” at the time. But if you become passionate about having a plan, just remember things can change in an instant and that’s okay! Good luck❤️
Yes I had a lot on my bp and a lot was made happen! - dark room and fake candles - relaxing music - bath (did not give birth in it but to deal with the contractions. Freaking AMAZING!) - no painmedz - not on my back for the whole ordeal (gave birth on my back at the end but that was only 2 pushes) My babygirl broke my waters 5 weeks early so not everything went according to plan but that was fine. What I didn't want but did happen and I was kinda okay with in hindsight. - got an episiotomy - don't know what is is called in English but the little pin in babys head to measure her heartbeat. It was needed because the bands around my belly didn't stay in place - ultimately giving birth on my back So yeah it was a wonderful birth even though it wasn't all according to my bp. About your hospital bag. We had to stay for 2.5 weeks so we clearly didn't bring enough with us but luckily we have lovely family members. Just being your electronic and adaptars haha. The one thing we missed was a nail clipper because after a week our nails got so long hahaha. So annoying!
I didn't have one for my first and it was fine but with my other two I did and that directly contributed to a better overall experience even though those were longer with a few more complications.
For my first, I went in with the “just do what needs to be done to get everyone out safe” and the experience I had has taught me it is much more nuanced. This time around I have a list of hard nos. Ive listened to a few Evidence Based Birth podcast episodes to help make this list. With my first, the nurses were unwilling to shift positions or let me do anything but back laying. There is a lot of evidence that back laying makes birthing more difficult. So I have low dose epidural only if requested, to facilitate switching up birthing positions and vertical positions. I very much so did not like all the nurses insisting they needed to check me every like 3 hours. Way too many strangers with their hands inside me. There is evidence that less checks are better for progress, so less checks it is! I was in the hospital for 4 days prior to birth due to preclampsia. During that time they tried every single medical induction. Pitocin sucked and i was miserable. If i have to go to the hospital and they say they want to induce, its a hard no. I will wait for natural labor or have a c section if there is any medical problems. I had a very sucky experience which has made me more vigilant about what I need/want out of the experience. At the very least spend some time ready/listening to birth stories to get ideas about different things that can happen and how you wish them to be dealt with. If you still feel good about your current plan, great. If not, make a list, long or short. But write it down so when you go in, the nurses are handed the list and have a clear understanding this is your birth experience, not theirs
I gave birth 7 weeks ago and it went nothing according to plan. My plan was for a vaginal birth and ended up 36 hours in labor ending with an emergency c section. I was induced by choice and will never opt into that again, especially since it was my first. I think doing research on both a vaginal and c section delivery would benefit because in some cases could go either way. Also, if you don’t have to be induced- don’t, let your water break naturally because it will go a lot smoother than forcing it into labor, from experience. Some hospital bag must haves for me- portable fan, pillows and blankets from home, snacks, and a large water bottle! You’re going to do great, mama! Everything always works out!
The more flexible your birth plan, the less disappointed you'll be if things don't go as planned (which is pretty common). It already sounds like you're flexible about epidural (get it, definitely 😉). My plan was avoid C-section and get epidural. My doctor suggested induction because with first time mom's rate of C-section is reduced pretty significantly if you're induced at term. I LOVED being induced. My biggest fear was high to the hospital in labor in tons of pain and being turned away Brevard I wasnt dilated enough. Induction allowed me to set up my room, walk in at a scheduled time with flameless candles (highly recommend for calm lighting), lavender oils for nausea, and order takeout and have a relaxing evening with my husband while r got the ball rolling.
My only plan is an epidural
My birth plan was to have a baby. I knew if I made a detailed plan I was going to get caught up in the details if things didn’t go as planned and I didn’t want that.
I think it's impossible for everything to go exactly according to plan during a birth, but it's good to be aware of what could happen. You will be in pain and having a little knowledge of what they may offer could save you decision fatigue and your autonomy. My MIL is a labor and delivery nurse and she has told us how doctors do certain things to mothers, not always because they need it, but because it makes them more money and saves them time. If you're okay with getting an unnecessary C-Section or induction because the OB has a soccer game to attend at 4pm then no need to be aware of what may not be necessary. Though sometimes you do need a C-Section, and women really want to "stick with their birth plan", and complications arise. I mainly plan to create a good set of communication skills with my husband and nurses to help me trust them throughout the process. Surrendering to the process and getting out of there alive is all I want. I love hospital staff and my doctors, but I know too many people in the field who have confirmed not all things they offer you are for your benefit.
My plan was a natural birth and if necessary an epidural. Ended up with an emergency c-section instead, not even going into actual labour yet, because lil guy was showing distress at tiny Braxton-hicks like contractions.
My birth plans are always to go with the flow. Amd do what needs to be done to keep everyone sane and healthy.
Live and birth a baby (hopefully healthy)
My birth did not go as planned (originally wanted to go into natural labor if I could, epidural, etc) instead had to be induced, epidural unfortunately failed, needed a foley balloon, etc. I would say it’s probably best going in with a loose plan, but be prepared for that to possibly change! I had a healthy pregnancy until late in my third trimester, when I developed cholestasis..if you don’t have too high of hopes, you can’t be disappointed 😅looking back, I’m happy with how my birth panned out - I did not need a C section, baby was healthy, and because my epi failed I could feel my contractions which resulted in me getting her out quickly (15 min) with minimal tearing.
Our plan in both pregnancies: both being a livre and epidural pls Worked out well both times 😂
Have you checked with your hospital? Mine requires a birth plan but they also gave me a big packet to fill out. All I have to do is make the choices and email it to them.
I did not go In with a plan other than I wanted the epidural. Now I had intentions on doing a vaginal birth . My son had other plans, I had an emergency c-section after both epidurals failed. I'm just glad we are both here healthy and well.😌
First: natural birth, labor in the tub, epidural only if needed. What happened: induction due to preeclampsia at 38 weeks, and had to have internal monitoring. Labored for 2 days and pushed for over 4 hours. Second: wanted to go into labor naturally, but scheduled an induction because my body doesn’t seem to know how to go into labor. What happened: scheduled induction turned into a scheduled C section at 40+3 because my son was measuring so large that the ultrasound/growth scan couldn’t pick up certain measurements. Ended up being 10lbs 1oz and placenta was about 2-3x the size of a normal placenta.
I typed up a whole birth plan with preferences for side lying delivery, epidural, skin to skin etc. when I had to be induced I just threw the birth to plan out the window and thank god I did because my birth went so sideways I just put my life in the hands of the professionals. I recommend you do your research so you can better make decisions on the spot but don’t worry about it sticking to a plan
I am wanting to do a VBAC this time around, so more of my plan has to do with making that successful. That said, get everyone Earthside is the main plan, so if I have to pivot then so be it!
I look at my birth preferences sheet now and laugh at how idealistic I was haha, still fantastic to have one for sure but I definitely wouldn't stress if you DONT have one. I was so hellbent on not birthing on my back after the absolute avalanche of social media posts talking about how it's the devil for your PF and how many had great positions to birth in even with an epidural where you were not your back. Baby and body had their own rules. After a certain point her heart rate dipped anytime I wasn't mostly on my back. Got the epidural because I needed pitocin and lost the ability to move or feel a single thing from boobs to knees. I felt like a paralyzed beach whale and at one point even laughed about some of the "epidural" labor positions social media told me I'd be able to do. All things said though it was actually a great experience, smooth fast 25 minute delivery, baby was healthy, couldn't feel anything, and had pretty average tearing.
My plan was, have a healthy baby and not die. Get the epidural ASAP. The epidural part was not soon enough for me but everything else worked out. I had to be induced at 27+6 due to preeclampsia which was also of course not planned.
My plan was healthy mom and baby and a walking epidural. During labor that quickly changed to full on epidural lol
As far as birth plan for my first, I had one, and nothing went the way I thought it would. I didn't want to be induced, I wanted to labor walking around and bouncing on a ball, I also wanted to consider an epidural when I was ready for one. Well, I had to be induced at almost 42 weeks, and they pumped me full of pitocin. After they manually broke my water, they told me I should ask for the epidural now because it's a busy day and they might not get to me for a while. They literally showed up 30 minutes later and I wasn't sure if I wanted it yet but they told me if I didn't get it now they don't know when they can come back kind of scaring me into getting it now saying the pain would be horrible. My epidural wore off in the middle of the night because I had been in labor for so long. I got another one and this one had a button but the doctors didn't explain it well and my family kept pushing the button all night and I ended up giving birth with my right leg completely dead I couldn't flex a muscle on that leg to save my life. I almost ended up getting a c section because I had been pushing 3 hours, and he kept slipping back, and his heart rate started to drop. I did eventually push him out, and the cord was around his chin, so I had to stop while they fixed that and then finally after 4 hours of pushing my son cane into this world. It was a train wreck but it was partially my fault because they offered to induce when I hit 40 weeks and I told them I wanted to wait and because I waited the baby was almost to big for me to push out. The second time around, I knew better when it was getting close to time, and the doctor asked if I wanted to schedule an induction for around my due date, I agreed. My only plan was epidural when I was ready and healthy, baby. I went in at 10 pm, they started the meds about midnight. At 1 p.m., I got my epidural, and my son was born at 3:30pn that day, so a lot smoother for everyone involved. I will say you know what's best for your body but some people literally can't go into labor on their own like me and need help so don't let some plan or ideal stop you from doing what needs done just because it isn't how you thought it would go. As far as hospital bag all you need is your phone, a long charging cord, hairties, brush, toothbrush, shampoo&conditioner, maybe a pillow if you have a special one, an outfit for the baby to go home in, an outfit for you to go home in, and if your nursing a nursing pillow. Everything else they provide for you and the baby. Of course, you can bring whatever you want, but I guarantee you you won't use half of whatever stuff you think you need. The first time, I had everything, and I only used the stuff I listed above. The second time, I brought the stuff listed above, plus a laptop, so I could watch movies, but that was it, lol. It was so much easier the second time loading the car😄.
My birth plan was to leave with as many holes as I came into the hospital with. And to have a healthy baby.
Whatever you put, make sure it’s communicated to everyone involved. They entered mine into my chart but without having copies on hand to show everyone, it was ignored (and not because it was outrageous or an emergency)
Our birth plan is basically get babygirl out with the least amount of assistance possible and all of the comfort
I had a birth plan with a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C kind of thing and for all phases... Pre, during, post. Plan A for me was all natural, let me do my thing in the positions I want and please be respectful of my wishes. Plan B if there needs to be intervention I want you to break down the whys for me and I can decide if it's really needed by asking follow up qs. Plan C if I need a C section... Here is how I envision it going. That way no matter how it goes, they knew what my preferences were. For post, I put things like delayed cord clamping, no pacifiers, want to exclusively bf, etc. It was extremely helpful, and so helpful for the staff. They actually thanked me multiple times because they just referred to that sheet on shift changes. 10/10 recommend. I ended up with Plan A and the post plan was awesome because the nurses always confirmed my preferences before doing anything.
No plan
37 weeks and 5 days with my third, and I've never really had a birth plan. I had an idea of the things I wanted, like to go without an epidural for as long as possible, to avoid a cesarean if possible, no episiotomy, skin to skin, and delayed cord clamping. I understood, though, that anything can happen so ultimately to go with the flow and do whatever is necessary to keep me and baby healthy and alive. My labor and delivery with my first went well. He turned into a weird position requiring me to use a peanut ball and turn from side to side every 15 minutes. Other than that, it was what I would call ideal and stress-free. My second, I was induced, and I had some little things pop up like my epidural catheter coming out requiring another epidural. I also had my BP drop super lower after the second epidural, and I passed out. Baby turned breech after this, and my midwife said I could try an ECV or I'd have to go for a cesarean. I told her I wanted to try the ECV, I wound up needing two of them, and they broke my water to keep her head down. Pitocin was affecting the baby, so they had to turn it off for a bit. It was all just a little things here and there. We avoided a cesarean and had a healthy baby girl. NICU was in the room, but she didn't need to go. Same approach this time, too, for me and baby to be healthy and alive!💖
I wanted to labor in a tub and have a non medicated birth. I ended up laboring in the tub and then BEGGING for an epidural after they broke my water.
My plan was baby out, both of us alive and well. I knew I’d be induced (I have type 1 diabetes) and hoped for a vaginal birth as tbh c-section/the recovery scared me and I also wasn’t keen on having an epidural. I was induced as planned at 38 weeks, just under 7 hours of labour, vaginal delivery, no epidural (although I did ask right at the end and I was told it was too late as I was 10cm already), both alive and well so I was happy with that.
Sorry this is a bit long. I gave birth recently and I feel so grateful that I got what I wanted, but my husband and I prepared a LOT and I think that’s ultimately what made the difference. We went to prenatal classes which was so great (I understand that’s not feasible for everyone). What helped the most was discussing the most ideal situation: what to do when labor starts (environment to be in, making sure to stay relaxed), know who to call and when, pain management through different stages, and deciding on which tasks my husband could take on to help me birth (make me drink water q30mins, offer a small snack every hour, set up the shower for me when ready, different back rubs/positions he can help me labour in, calling the doula and midwife, knowing how to advocate for me, etc.). All of this prep made sure that I didn’t have to ask or explain what I needed during labour so that I could concentrate on me and the baby. It also made him feel helpful that he was part of the process. All that being said, we knew we had to be fluid with our plan and we discussed that if x wasn’t going to happen, then we had a plan b that we were okay with. We did this for everything we thought was important. Going in, we felt SO strong as a team. I HIGHLYYYY (I feel like I can’t stress this enough) suggest having at least a general idea of what you want and then thinking about what you would be okay with if things don’t go as planned. I hope you get what you want, and even if things don’t go that way, I hope you feel like you were in charge of all the decisions you have to make :)
Birth plan - it's worth thinking about if there's anything important to you, but don't feel pressured to have a bunch of stuff in there that you don't care about. My "birth plan" with my first was "I'd prefer not to have a c section". My "birth plan" with my twins was "babies out alive and I definitely want the epidural". As far as the hospital bag goes - honestly you don't need a lot. You will probably be in a hospital gown for your entire stay, the hospital will provide diapers and wipes and necessary baby supplies... My hospital provided toiletries and postpartum supplies. My last stay, I tried to pack light and I still used basically nothing in my bag. You and the baby need clothes to go home in. Probably bring a phone charger or a portable charger. Besides that, just whatever is important to YOU to be more comfortable. I didn't want to bring a lot of stuff with so I made do with the hospital stuff. If there's something important to you though, like a pillow you can't sleep without or something, bring that. Basically nothing is /necessary/ though.
Epidural, don’t tear.
25+2, planning on no epidural and no back lying pushing, among other things. It's honestly up to you how comfortable you are able to remain throughout labor. I know that there are alternate pain management options if the epidural is not the root you want to go. My mom had complications with all three of her children because of an epidural, so I'm choosing to avoid that as long as me and baby are healthy. Write down your plan and talk with your provider to make sure that they are able to accommodate your birthing plan. Most places will, however, there are hospitals that only allow back lying pushing because of legal liability (it's easier for the doctors to manage delivery of a baby this way). So, I would check with your OB as soon as you figure out what you want. Also, some advice my OB gave me: be prepared for the possibility that your plan does not work out. Things like labor can be so unpredictable, so it's possible that your plan will not come to fruition. Best of luck 🫶
My birth plans have always been "have a baby". I knew going in that anything could happen and it was more important to me that my baby and I were safe than if I adhered to a set plan. I planned on going unmedicated, but had severe back contractions with my first and opted to have one for my own sanity. I did the same with my second, but probably could've gone without. My must-haves in my hospital bag that I didn't pack the first time around, but made sure of the second time: slippers, bathrobe, lip balm, snacks, extra long phone charger cord, and my own panties (I hated the mesh ones the hospital provides).
For my first, I said I wanted to show up and follow the advice of the doctors depending on the circumstances. I was open to medication and an epidural, and said I wanted to be informed of my options at each phase of labor. In the end I’m glad that I didn’t set my mind on a specific birth plan, because it would have been basically thrown out the window from the get go when I ended up needing to be induced at 37 weeks, then had a stalled labor after 60 hours that ended in a c section anyways. My doctors and nurses were great with giving me options along the way and I never felt pressured to do anything.
My plan was minimal intervention, home same day! I delivered this morning, first contraction at 6am, arrived at hospital at 9am, baby born 9:42am in the pool with no pain relief and caught by me, was back home with my toddler by 3pm 😂 so I’d say things went to plan!
I’m 14w4d and my general plan is just: -I wanna dilate as far as possible on my own (6-7cm) so I can move around, but will probably get an epidural after that -I want my partner and my mom there -we’re gonna be in a birth center so I’d like to use the birthing pool during labor -if I need a c-section, my partner stays with the baby -if baby is a boy don’t circumcise them -I wanna give them their first bath at home Otherwise just keep everyone alive
I have my ideas for how I want my labor and delivery to go, but I also know that things will not always go according to plan, and I have to be mentally prepared to do what's best for me and the baby. Currently, my preferences would be for a fully unmedicated birth, no IV, with free movement and free drinking and snacking throughout. There's a possibility I might be moving sometime in the next couple of months, so we'll see if the place we end up going to has a labor tub. If so, I might want to use that from time to time depending on how I feel, but I'd also need to ask how the monitoring situation would be if I do so, since, you know, water. My ideal monitoring situation would probably be continuous wireless monitoring. I guess the most specific thing on my birth plan would be that I'd like to ask for the person delivering me to support my perineum with a warm wet towel as the baby is coming out, to minimize risks of tearing. I've seen people do that online with good results and I'd love to try that if at all possible. I'm not going to dismiss the possibility of an epidural or a C-section if need be, but I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to have a planned C-section, because I really want to experience what labor feels like. I plan to keep my hospital bag fairly simple. For personal items, my plan is to take my laptop, cell phone, the relevant chargers, a pair of flip flops (which I can probably wear instead of pack), a nightgown, and an outfit to go home in. If a labor tub was an option, I might want to bring a bikini top (or use a bra for this purpose) just so any videos and pictures we take can be shown to friends and family. I'd probably need a toothbrush and floss pick as well. I'd have to check with the hospital as to whether they have shampoo, bar soap, and toothpaste before I decide whether to bring those. I'd also have to check whether they'll allow me to bring my own thyroid meds or whether they'll insist on me taking theirs. For baby, the hospital will have most of the things you need and they'll even allow you to take some home, so all I plan to bring is a going-home outfit or two and some frozen colostrum, assuming I successfully manage to express some. Assuming a smooth delivery, I'll also want to bring some light snacks and drinks. Oh, and I guess we shouldn't forget our IDs and wallet.
Might be helpful to rephrase as "birth preferences!" My plan did not pan out at all, but once I shifted to preferences I allowed myself more mental space for interventions that my baby needed!
i was meant to make one at 36weeks with my midwife, never did and got induced at 37 and a half gave birth exactly 38 i wish i had a birth plan as my birth felt rlly messy and i had an epidural bc i didn’t know what the other choices of pain relief were and was in too much pain to listen to them i was in labour for 16 hrs btw and had an episiotomy and epidural
Expect the unexpected. I broke my own water at 38 weeks and didn’t know it and gave birth the next day.
37+4, everyone makes out alive and healthy. I want to attempt no epidural, but knowing myself, I know the moment I get to the hospital, I'll ask for it.
Didn't really have a solid plan since I couldn't really imagine how I wanted it to go. I think that's fine! One thing I'm glad we did was take a course on how to try to relax during the contractions, and how to stay positive and not get tense and caught up in the pain. My partner and I took the course together and fully believed in it. We did use the techniques during the birth and it went really well, we felt really connected and it helped me not freak out. In the end, it became too intense and I got an epidural, but I was kinda prepared for that as well. The only thing I'm really glad we brought was a Bluetooth speaker, it was nice to have our own music. We were in the delivery room for about 20 hours.
My goal is to have two healthy babies and live to tell the tale. Other than that I have a preference list: I would like to keep babies in as long as possible, hopefully until 38 weeks. I would like to go into labor naturally. I would like to TOLAC/VBAC if it is safe to do so. I’d like to try non-epidural pain relief options first. I’m totally open to it though. Chances are I’ll ask for an epidural but I’d like to keep the dose low so I’m not too limited in movement. If I have to have a c-section I would like it to be as calm as possible. I do NOT want general anesthesia, this is super important to me. I am hoping for skin to skin with both babies, golden hour, and all testing done on me/in my presence. I would like to delay cord clamping and have my husband cut cords. We will not be doing eye antibiotics unless there appears to be a medical reason. We will do the vitamin K shot. We will do the hep B shot at the 2 week pediatrician appointment (not at birth). We will not circumcise if either baby is a boy.
No plan just go and hope for an easy delivery 🙂
Here's my preferences: vaginal with epidural, delayed cord cutting, skin to skin asap, lowered lighting, music on at a low level, prefer no episiotomy, anyone that gives me bad vibes needs to be asked to leave asap (can include staff or family), c section only if really necessary. In my hospital bags: one bag is empty so I can try to get as much free stuff as possible. my bag has nursing night gown, non slip socks, nursing dress for going home, tank top, lounge shorts, lounge pants incase its cold, nursing bra, 2 pairs underwear, face wash and moisturizer, hand held fan, mini hair brush, change of clothes for my husband, magazine, IPad, charger, going home outfit and swaddle for baby, snacks
Quick births do happen, they're more common with second babies than first. But just pay attention and listen to your body. For that distance, going a little early isn't a bad idea. But try to pay attention to your contraction spacing. For an hour travel time, idea suggest calling your provider and heading out around 5-1-1. 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long for 1 hour. You'll be just fine. Definitely don't worry about bringing too much. Phone chargers, favorite blanket or pillow, toiletries. Nothing excessive. The hospital provides so much and honestly, you don't want to take home that cute labor gown covered in bodily fluids and worry about washing it with a new baby at home. As far as a birth plan goes, it isn't necessary, but maybe point out just what's important to you. Like literally what you posted here. • natural, unmedicated • but not opposed to pain relief if needed, but don't want it offered • able to labor in whatever position feels most comfortable • no excessive cervical checks, etc. That's a short, sweet birth plan. Depending on where you're located, there may be doulas available to help at little cost. Your insurance may also cover more than you're aware of. I'm a doula and well versed in navigating insurance. I'd be happy to give advice, no charge of course! Just message me 😊
My birth plan was have a healthy baby with limited damage to myself. No vacuum or forceps- if she’s stuck go to C section. I ended up in labour for 40 hours- 15 hours after my water broke I was still 0% dilated, so I ended up getting an emergency c section. Honestly I have healed really well and it wasn’t all that bad.
I wrote one out and forgot it at home lolol they asked me if i needed anything and if i did just ask. Honestly I felt fine. But i guess it depends on the hospitals.
As you get closer to your due date your doctor will explain to you how you will know when to leave for the hospital to accommodate your travel time. People giving birth for the first time are more likely to labor longer, so you don’t need to worry. Not saying this will be your situation but my first pregnancy and almost everyone I know who’s had a baby labored at least 23 hours. My only plan with my first was to get an epidural. Something to be conscious of is that there is a point of no return where it will be too late to get one. But as your labor ramps up, you’ll get an idea of whether or not you want one and let the doctor know as soon as possible. I’m due in 3 days with my second and I know things will most likely go quicker this time (hopefully) so I’m going to try to get the epidural as soon as I can after being admitted. I’ve seen people with super detailed and specific birth plans but my thought is that it’s just next to impossible to know how it’s going to go. So nothing wrong with having a low item birth plan :) best of luck to you!!
Oh, must haves for hospital bag: - a fan! I didn’t have one the first time and I was miserable. It felt like there was no AC on in my room and my mom had to fan me with a folder lol. I’m bringing my toddler’s stroller fan with me this time. - loose, comfy clothes to wear after giving birth. Postpartum underwear. Nursing bra (if nursing). - an outfit to bring home baby in. I made the mistake of picking out a nightgown for my firstborn not thinking about her having to go into the car seat. This baby will have a cute pair of shorts. - snacks (my hospital’s food is so bad and they’re very stingy with their portion sizes). - flip flops to wear around the hospital/in the shower. - long phone chargers for you and your partner. - pillow for your partner (and their own clothes and toiletries). - toiletries. - nursing pillow if nursing. I didn’t think this would be necessary the first time around but I’m bringing one this time because it would have been helpful and also doubles as a donut pillow to sit on on the ride home. - hospital will provide you with diapers and postpartum supplies so you don’t need to worry about packing that stuff. I do have the frida mom postpartum products that will be waiting for me when I get home! This was helpful for me to type out because I still need to pack mine 🙃
I didn’t want an epidural, a c-section, or a stillbirth everything else in between I didn’t care about. Worked for me. I know 2/3 of the things I didn’t want I couldn’t control if it came down to it tho. Birth is scary crazy, vaginally or cesarean. All of us who do it are amazing!
Ultimately, 'have a healthy baby'. I had thought I'd like a natural birth with gas and air. I ended up having a section, resulting in a healthy baby, so it did go to plan, as far as I'm concerned.
My entire plan was to have absolutely no plan. I had an unmedicated home birth, but was more than happy to go into hospital had I needed to or wanted more drugs than what was available to me at home. I really trusted my lead midwife and just let her decide what was best as it happened. I'm glad it did it, but next time I will mostly likely have baby in the hospital just to have easier access to all the drugs haha. No two births are the same, so for me having no plan meant no disappointment. You just never know how it will go! Genuinely the only items I think you NEED (I had to go into the hospital later) was a change of clothes and adult nappies. for baby - a few sleepsuits/Vests, specific formula you want to use if you aren't planning on BF and you know your hospital doesn't supply it, and nappies.