Birth Plan

Hi everyone, we've been working on a birth plan.. We're very much aware that things may not go to plan, but it really helps us (well, me!) to have a sense of an ideal so that I can approach the experience more positively and without too much anxiety. For various reasons we're hoping for a birth that has minimal interventions. Deb is such a wonderful practitioner and I absolutely trust her to advise us well... so I'm not worried about being forced into anything - but having some preferences is, I think, going to be helpful. Of course it could all go out the window when I curse and scream for the epidural... when I'm in the early stages of labor :)

Would love your suggestions for additions, etc. I've written up a c-section plan, too, just in case....

The Oliver-Campbell Family Birth Preferences

Thank you for helping us with the process of bringing our little one into the world! As first time parents we’re full of excitement and anticipation. We of course have a birthing ‘ideal’, but we are very much aware that the best-laid plans are just that, plans. That said, we’re hoping for a straightforward birthing experience and have jotted down some of our preferences…
We’ve been preparing for the birth using Hypnobabies. Some of it is a little hokey(!), but we’ve been finding it really helpful. We’re hoping that you will be willing to use some of the language, techniques, suggestions, scripts, etc. We’ve attached a few examples to this plan...
In the event of an emergency – or some complication – we will of course yield to any request for life saving interventions, or a course of intervention which might avoid, for example, a cesarean section. We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Deb Rothenberg attend the birth, and trust her judgment implicitly. And we are very grateful that we have the opportunity to birth here, and we thank you for your support in advance.

Hydration and Nutrition: We prefer that Alex be allowed to eat freely and to hydrate with water and juice. We’d also prefer to have a Heparin Lock, in case an IV is needed.

Monitoring: It’s our preference for the baby to be monitored intermittently rather than constantly.

Room Environment: Since we’re using a self-hypnosis technique we’d prefer to have a very quiet and low key environment. We would like the choice to play some soft music, to dim the lights (Alex is also a little self-conscious and is very modest!), and for folks in the room to use low voices. We also would very much appreciate if people in the room could refer to ‘contractions’ as birthing waves and to ‘labor’ as birthing, as this will help the hypnobabies techniques.

Comfort Measures: it is our strong desire to have an un-medicated birthing experience. In addition to hypnobabies, Alex would very much appreciate help and encouragement with other natural strategies: using the rub, chair, shower, birthing ball, different positions, and so forth.
Please do not offer Alex any pain medications. Should the need arise, however, and the baby is at risk, then of course we will yield to any need. To communicate how she is feeling, Alex may ask for medications from time to time. Please encourage her to use alternative measures. Should Alex decide to request medications sincerely, she will have a way of communicating that with Richard, and he will confirm the request.

Episiotomy: It is our strong preference to avoid this procedure. We’d appreciate your help to avoid this and possible tearing using hot compresses, oil, different positions, etc.

After the baby is born:

We would prefer to allow the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before clamping it. Richard may or may not wish to cut the umbilical cord…!

If there are no seeming problems, we wish to delay routine procedures to allow for skin-to-skin time.

It is our strong desire to exclusively breastfeed and we’d appreciate your help, instruction and encouragement.

We will not be circumcising our son.

PLAN B…

Cesarean:

If a C-Section is not an emergency, please give us time to think about it before asking for our written consent.

We would prefer that Richard be present at all times during the c-section.

Ideally, I would like to remain conscious during the procedure.

I would like the baby to be shown to me immediately after he’s born, and I would like to have contact with the baby as soon as it is possible in the delivery room.

If my baby is healthy, I would like to hold my baby and nurse him immediately in recovery… and I’d very much appreciate help with this.

Thank you!