Are you sure you didn't take my birth plan from my second ds? LOL. That sounds almost like what I wrote...only in the end I got there so late they didn't have time to do anything to me = )

Julia Joy wrote:My wishes for Karina’s birth:
 
Husband coached hospital birth with a GP ((you can omit this with my suggestion of an opening paragraph below but you can rephrase it to say "Husband and ____ (if there is another support person) to remain with mother throughout the labor and birth))

Julia Joy wrote:[color=#000000]I will be trying to labour at home as long as possible <font color="#FF0000">((this is not necessary to put on paper, because a birth plan doesn't affect anyone til you get to the hospital and they truly dont care that you've labored at home as long as possible))[/color]</font>

Julia Joy wrote: No artificial induction or augmentation of labour 

Julia Joy wrote:No epidural, as few medical interventions as possible (including narcotics - but I am keeping an open mind about these because I am a sissy - that's also partly why I want to labour at home as long as I can)  (((Try saying: Please do not offer pain medication as we are attempting an unmedicated birth. If I decide I would like medication I will ask. Please avoid asking me my pain scale.)))

Julia Joy wrote:((Prefer a)) Private room for labour, delivery and postpartum 

Julia Joy wrote:((Please)) No medical students ((or residents))

Julia Joy wrote:[color=#000000]No continuous fetal monitoring - doppler as necessary<font color="#FF0000"> ((Try saying: Intermittent monitoring by doppler preferred. If continuous monitoring becomes necessary we'd prefer a telemetry unit to allow freedom of movement if available. We'd prefer to avoid ALL internal monitoring.))[/color]</font>

Julia Joy wrote:I do not want to be tied to an IV pole - hep lock please ((Try saying: Hep Lock or Saline Lock preferred. If I require IV antibiotics, I'd prefer to be free of routine IV fluids between doseages .... you don't need the extra language about being tied to a pole here))

Julia Joy wrote:No episiotomy ((Try saying: Please help me avoid an episiotomy by using warm compress, perineal support and mother directed pushing free of counting prompts and excessive breath holding periods. I would prefer to tear rather than having an episiotomy.))

Julia Joy wrote:Please remember to bring me an ice pack for after the birth ((this is routine and it's something you can verbally ask for if they fail to do it, it doesn't need to be in a birth plan at all))

Julia Joy wrote:Breastfeeding and rooming-in with baby ((try saying: Breast only, please no artifical nipples, sugar water or formula. On a second line say: Baby to remain with mother throughout our hospital stay)) ((Whatelse do you want for baby? medications?))

Is this the language you plan on using as your final draft when you turn it into a doctor or nurse? It's a little, um.... whats a good word.... rough.... rude.... dictator-ish.... all of which tend to turn providers off to helping you.  ((I gave you re-wording suggestions in red text above))

The point of a birth plan is too communicate your wishes so that everyone on your birth team is aware of your preferences and to create an open dialogue with your care provider.

Opening statements like the following will greatly improve their willingness to work with you:

"my husband/partner/boyfriend and I are hoping to achieve a natural childbirth. We plan on having an intervention free birth and ask you to help us achieve our goals. The following is our list of preferences in the event of no medical complications.
We are aware that from time to time emergencies do happen during childbirth and in the event an emergency does arise we hope to stay as close to our birth preferences as possible."

People don't become nurses or doctors to try and hurt people. Truly, thats not their goal. But medicine and money being what it is, they've become misguided. Most care providers and nurses are more receptive to assisting you if you ask for their help rather than ordering them around and telling them how to do their jobs.


I would also suggest having a line for your GP and you to sign on, that way you've had the conversation with him/her and it becomes a sorta agreement between you two. 



Just a doulas suggestions.... take it or leave it.

Um, yeah, what she said!   Brie always manages to respond in very good ways.  There isn't anything further that I can think of to add...

I do not have any birth plan suggestions to add.  I'm really happy to hear you found a DR that sounds like a better fit for you though. 

If you feel very strongly about your plan, I would take it... somewhere.. to have the hospital look it over. My hospital required an IV.  And as far as 'well this is what's best for you and the baby', that's a phrase that's been used over and over to try to cooerce you into doing whatever it is they want you to do. What mother is going to say um.. I don't want to do the best for my baby?  But I understand where you're coming from. They came to me after I delivered my preemie son which they took off to the great unknown immediately following birth although he was fine to tell me his blood sugar was low.  Instead of offering to bring him to me to nurse, they told me he was still having tests done and he needed formula. I of course agreed.  We've always had nursing issues. It could have been that he was preemie or maybe not.. I wish I would have spoken up instead of falling for the 'well its what's best for him' talk.

Thanks for the suggestions ladies. I didn't mean for it to come off dictatorish - it was just my first attempt at kind of trying to write out my thoughts and not really supposed to be a formal document. I'll definitely revise it and have my new doctors look it over once I have it worded better though.