| Birth Plan Thoughts |
[Sep. 11th, 2008|09:28 pm]
|
I want to sit down with my husband and figure out our birth preferences before my 28 week appointment so that I can discuss them with the midwife and find out what their standard practices are.
My thoughts so far are
I assume I will be free to walk around during labor.
I assume I will be able to move around and change position at will throughout labor.
I assume I will be able to eat and drink during labor.
Will we be prechoosing music to play during labor?
Do we care about the noise level?
Do we care about the light level?
When do the midwives like to do vaginal exams?
I do not want an IV.
I assume I will wear my glasses or not as I feel comfortable.
I assume that all procedures and options will be discussed before decisions are made.
When do the midwives like to do doppler checks?
I assume there will be no AROM
When do the midwives recommend labor augmentation? What do they usually recommend?
When and how do the midwives 'guide' pushing?
Will they suggest positions for pushing?
I assume that the baby will be on me immediately after birth
Who will 'catch'?
Who will cut the cord?
I assume the cord will have finished pulsating before we cut it.
What do we want to do with the placenta?
I assume that the baby will not be taken away from me after birth--all exams done at bedside
I assume that the baby will not be washed
I assume that there will be no pitocin after the birth
I assume we will breastfeed as soon as possible.
We will make decisions on stitches based on the situation.
I do not want eye medication for my child.
Vit K injection decision will be made based on the situation.
I do not want Hep B vaccine for my child.
I assume newborn screening will be done a few days after the birth.
What do we want to do with Ben during labor? During the birth? After the birth?
What do the midwives bring to a home birth?
What breastfeeding help do they offer?
How many people would come to our house?
How long after the birth will they stay?
...do you guys have any suggestions of things I am forgetting that we need to know our preferences on? |
|
|
| Comments: |
The thing that shocked me last time was the midwife got out her little hand mirror and started asking me if I wanted to see the baby's head. Fair enough. I said no. THEN she starts asking everyone else present if they'd like to move around and see. THAT blew me away. So, yeah, for me, I'd want to know the usual protocol around touching/looking at baby's head.
I'll add it. My shock last time was being counted at and told to hold my breath while pushing...I didn't expect that from homebirth midwives!
somethig similar happneed at my first home birth. I didn't have nayone else present (aside from my husband) but I had said in advance I didn't want a mirror. she pulled it out anyway, in the end, and a) I couldn't see a darn thing in that little miror, but b) I had such a small belly, I could see everything just fine without the mirror, and c) I was glad I did. it was kind of neat, and I couldn't watch my next two births as they were on hands and knees.
My issue was her offering other people the chance to come stare at my perineum. Not just dh, but my mom was there, my dad, and a good friend. I didn't exactly have qualms being naked in them, but there were some things I didn't think were appropriate to offer to them as if I were the participant in a birth version of Show and Tell. | |
dec_at_home2008
