It's official. You're pregnant. After the elation wears off, "Ohmygoshnowwhat?!" is likely to be your next reaction. Relax, it's normal. You might as well get used to it, because baby is full of surprises.
Developing a birthing plan, however, can help give you a little more control of the situation. You can figure out how you want your delivery to go, and then share your thoughts with your partner and your physician. That way everyone is on the same page. Of course, you can't control every aspect of the labor and delivery process and you'll need to be flexible, just in case the doctor and your birth team need to change course a little.
The following topics can help take you through the process. Make sure you discuss them when you meet with your OB/GYN doctor so you can find common ground and see what will work in your situation and what won't. After you've made your birthing plan, make sure you give a copy to your doctor, have one put in your hospital file and put one in the bag you'll be taking to the hospital.
ONCE I’M SETTLED INTO MY PRIVATE BIRTHING SUITE:
- I’d like it if my partner could stay with me at all times
- I don’t want to be on a strict meal timeline, as I prefer to eat when I want
- Rather than have an IV, I’d like to stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids if at all possible
- Unless there are complications, I want the freedom to be mobile up until my delivery
- As long as things are progressing normally, I prefer intermittent to continuous electronic fetal monitoring
WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DELIVER:
During my labor, I’d like the following people to be present:
- Partner
- Parents
- Sibling(s)
- Only my physician and birthing team
Other delivery topics:
- If I don’t need a C-section, I’d like to wear my contact lenses during the delivery
- I’d like to have a heparin or saline lock
- I'd like my pushing to be instinctive and natural
- When it’s time to push I’d rather be coached on when to push and for how long
- As long as my baby and I are OK, I want the pushing stage to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits
