Labour suggestions? Birth wish list ideas?

HERE is a copy of my FAVOURITE birth plan.....

ACTIVE BIRTH

# I’d like the freedom to choose positions, use the shower or bath and walk around in labour as desired.

#I’m happy to have intermittent external fetal monitoring unless continuous monitoring is medically necessary.

# Please don’t offer drugs; I am aware of the options for pain relief and will ask for it if needed.

# I wish to be free of time limits and not have my labour augmented unless in a medical emergency.

# I’d only like an episiotomy if there is a genuine medical emergency. Please allow time for the perineum to stretch naturally.

INDUCTION / AUGMENTATION

If baby and I are well, I would like my baby to decide his/her own due date. I am happy to discuss a plan should my pregnancy reach the end of term at 42 weeks. Should labour induction become necessary at any time, I'd like to start with the least artificial means first - i.e. nipple stimulation, acupuncture, massage or a stretch and sweep before a medical induction. I would like time to allow the natural inductions work.

If this is unsuccessful and a medical induction or augmentation becomes medically necessary I’d like:

# To only have my waters to be broken at first instance if my cervix is open. I would like to be given a generous amount of time for labour to establish upon rupture of membranes (i.e. more than just a few hours) before other forms of medical induction / augmentation. I would like to go home if all is well, until labour is established.

# If I require Syntocinon, I would like a very low dose, to be increased gradually and slowly. Once my labour is established I would like to choose to stop the dose being increased, lower the dose or stop the drip to allow my body to continue to labour without artificial oxytocin. Please put the cannula in my arm and not my hand so I have more freedom of movement.

CAESAREAN

# If a caesarean becomes necessary I’d like:

# For my partner to be with me. We’d also like to have our Birth Attendant with us, who has been present in caesareans previously and is there to help enhance our experience of birth, no matter what form it takes

# For discussion to be respectful and minimal - only what is required medically and to inform me of what is happening

# For the screen lowered so we can witness the birth of our baby

# Unless prevented by medical emergency, I would like my baby to be placed on my chest while you complete the procedure

# To be sure that a double layer suture is used and not a single layer in order to improve my chances for a future VBAC

# For the cord to stop pulsating before clamping for reasons mentioned

# The opportunity to breastfeed our baby in recovery. If you do not have the staff to enable this, I wish to have my Birth Attendant with me so I can breastfeed in recovery

BIRTH AND SOON AFTER

Presuming baby and I are well, we’d like:

# For my partner to ‘catch’ our baby

# For my partner to cut the cord

# To hold our baby immediately after the birth

# For all newborn procedures (weighing and measuring) to wait until I have had time to bond with and breastfeed our baby

# Not to have the routine Syntocinon injection to help deliver the placenta

# To wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before clamping, to allow my baby to receive the valuable blood and iron stores.

# For our baby to have vitamin K as an oral dose.

# For baby to be given only breastmilk – strictly no water or formula.

# To defer Hepatitis B injections until baby’s first vaccinations at 2 months because we’d like the amount of injections baby has at birth to be minimal.

In regards to the labour positions i suggest you remain healthy with light stretches as you do need to be healthy and strong to do some labour positions as they maybe too uncomfortable for you, but look up on google for "labour positions" and im sure you will find some images to help you but once you go into labour just try out all different positions and you will find what you prefer. You will find your rhythm. I myself only liked walking back and forth in the room which was excellent as there was less pain and it helped my baby move down with each contraction and when a contraction came in i just held onto something and swayed my hips and squatted a little. It was wonderful As for the pushing phase the only thing i would tell you is to stay OFF your back. Lying on your back not only makes your pelvis opening smaller and harder for your baby to come through as they often can get stuck behind your coccyx bone BUT it is also much harder on you as you are pushing your baby uphill, there is more pressure on your perineum so more chance of tearing, more exhausting for you as said before you are pushing uphill which then makes your pushing efforts less efficient. Google Active Birth as well ;)

Birth Wish List

I'm 38 weeks pregnant right now, so I'm in the home stretch. Some good positions for labor (not birth) are squatting, sitting, using a labor ball, hands and knees, and the "slow dance". The slow dance is where you put your arms around your labor partner's shoulders while standing and put all of your weight on them, while shuffling back and forth. Just like a high school slow dance. Good birthing positions are a squat, and laying back with support. Don't EVER lay back all the way with your legs up. Position the bed so that you are at a 75 degree angle or so. That way gravity is still on your side, and you have control over your pushing. Laying on your back with your legs up will put gravity against you and make labor longer and more painful than it needs to be. When it comes to birthing positions, just think about what position it would be most comfortable for you to poop in. That really helps. Also, distraction is the key. Always try to be distracted, and get back rubs the entire time. =]

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A well BOOK to learn in the course of down time. A conventional could be special. Anything through Jean Craighead-George or Scott O'Dell. Maybe she might check out fable novels. Katherine Kurtz wrote a few special novels suitable for youngsters and teenagers. Please spare your youngster the junk that's promoted advert-naseum on dad and mom and children.

this is my birth plan....some of the things are subject to change, as i know things dont always go as planned. but maybe you can get a few ideas from mine.

no epidural

would like husband to cut cord, but if isnt possible its okay

our daughter will not go to nursery other than the first time they take her. other than that she will be with us 24/7

no bottles are to be given to her without our consent

nobody is allowed in our room without our permission

thats about it. i might give in to the epidural, and like i said, if my husband cant cut the cord its not a huge deal. just remember that if you go in hoping for your labor and delivery to be EXACTLY how you expect, you are just gonna be disappointed. so keep an open mind, but have a nice "blueprint" of how you want things to be.

use a shower or bath, use a ball or bean bag to lean on. and don't completely rule out the drug free labour coz sometimes things dont go ur way.

i agree with that birth plan...but i would add: everyone is to wash their hands before holding the baby, and no pacifiers!