Another Baby Post – The Birth of a Birth Plan

I feel like all I do is talk about baby, but it is all I think about now days. Now that we are actually in our “due month” it is time to get serious about having this baby.

Christian and I (and Cole) meet with our doulas this past Monday. As a side note, there is nothing cuter than hearing my 7 year son run around the house asking when are the doulas going to get here. He was also kind enough to keep us on track during our conversation by remind us that we are supposed to be talking about birth plans. We let Cole take part in beginning of the meeting to keep him feeling connected, and then we quickly tucked him into bed.

The entire purpose of the get together was to really learn how they can support Christian and I during the birthing process. What are our hopes for labor? How do we react to stress and pain? If X happens, what would we like the outcome to be. The doula will be with us at our home during early labor and will follow us to the hospital until Chet is born. Although I’m thrilled to have them there, I’m really happy that Christian can have some of the weight lifted of his shoulders. They can remind him of different comfort techniques. They can encourage him to ask certain questions. They are there for us and only us. I really feel lucky to have found two woman who are our perfect match for Chet’s delivery.

During our conversation, we also finalized all the things I want on my birth plan.  I want to give birth to Chet in the most natural way possible. I feel like I owe it to my baby to bring him into this world at a pace that he sets with the support of my body in the most peaceful way I can imagine – drug free without any rushing.  I only want medical intervention if there is life threatening situations for either Chet or myself.

For those of you who are curious, here are the requests I’ve made on my birth plan:

• My ideal labor will include a natural birthing process without the use of medication or drugs
• My ideal labor will include the presences of my husband and my doula
• I would prefer to not be hooked up to an IV, but I do want a port in case of an emergency
• I hope to be free to move and change positions as I feel comfortable
• I prefer to wear my own clothes during labor that can be cut off or removed if necessary
• I would like to use the shower, music, and a birthing ball as a relaxation comfort technique
• I would prefer to avoid giving birth on my back
• I would prefer the fetal heart tones be monitored by a nurse and not a monitor
• Unless medically necessary and discussed with both myself and my support team, I do not want a routine episiotomy
• Please keep baby attached to the placenta until cord stops pulsating
• Please place baby on mother’s chest as soon as possible
• Please delay all procedures that are not critical until baby has breast-fed
• Baby will not be circumcised
• We prefer to have the baby in our room
• Please do not give formula or pacifier to baby
• If my labor is much harder and longer than I had expected, I plan to continue to follow our ideal birth plan.
• Please do not offer any drugs or medication to mother at any point during the labor process
• If I must have a cesarean birth, I would like to be informed of the medical reasons why the cesarean is being preformed.
• I’d prefer my husband or myself be a part of the decision process if a cesarean birth is being considered.

That’s my birth plan in a nutshell. There is a reason behind all of our choices above that are incredibly important to our family. I won’t bore you with all the “whys” that are associated with each decision, but feel free to ask away if you are curious. I really do like sharing!

When having a baby it is so important that each family make choices that work for their family. This is what works for Christian and me. We’ve taken the time to educate ourselves on the process, to research each decision, and we both feel incredibly confident going into the hospital to have our baby. I know the real world isn’t ideal and there is the possibility of needing medical invention (exactly why we choose a hospital birth as opposed to home birth), but I also know that we have prepared ourselves for every possible situation.

Now that Chet is considered to be a full-term baby, I get to enjoy the month of December (and maybe even part of January) waiting for my baby to let me and my body know he’s ready to join us in the world.

I really can’t wait to see his sweet little face.

(and if you are looking for a doula in the Hampton Roads area or education classes, I can’t recommend our doulas enough! They were recommended to me by 3 different people for good reason. You can read about their company, Birth Insight, here)