Birth Plans
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Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15950
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Topic: Birth Plans
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Subject: Birth Plans
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:30pm
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Its getting to that time where Im going to start thinking about my birth plan. I have a fair idea of what I want.
To those who have had babys already, did you do a birth plan? And what sort of things is it good to include in it and such? ------------- |
Replies:
Posted By: sonyaw
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:39pm
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with my 1st i was a sook n screamed for pethadine then epidural no birth plan as such..
but with my second son had a good birth plan with a great midwife, i had a waterbirth which i loved it was wonderful all with no drugs which is what i wanted as i wanted to experience birth and actually feel something... yes i moaned at her for a epidural but she wouldnt let me lol bugga but am grateful now that she didnt give in to me, as the only reason i wanted one was through total and utter tiredness not the pain. plus i was too far to get one anyway... i really want to do the water birth thing again it takes alot off your body between contractions as you feel weightless so if your midwife will let you i recommend it big time!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
SHAY 9 QUIN 7 2 angels @9wk 1 day on 30-04-09 our angel 6-06-07 |
Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:51pm
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I didn't do one, but just talked through a lot of stuff with my midwife - I totally trusted her (she was part of a homebirth group). I gave birth at a hospital that didn't do epis etc, so by choosing to go there it made it pretty clear I wanted to try it as natural as possible (unless there was an emergency). -------------   
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Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:52pm
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Honestly? Birth Plan. It just isn't going to go the way you hope it will. So make sure you go into it with alot of flexibility in mind.
Make it clear what drugs you do want Who's cutting the cord Whats happening with the placenta Water Birth etc? Good luck, make sure you talk it thru with your partner before you talk to mw, so you have a clear plan of what you would to happen. You might be one of the lucky ones that has the perfect birth and everything goes to plan. Hope so  ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:53pm
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I happen to have my birth plan still. Here's what it contains:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Place: Wellington Hospital birthing unit. Support people: DH (on the day my mum came along too as DH's support person, I would highly recommend getting a support person for your DP - for me it meant DH could stay with me and hold my hand while mum did other support person stuff like heating my wheat packs and getting water etc. and it also meant I was never alone in the delivery room, DH did not have to leave my side at all) Pain relief: As natural as possible we discussed that I would use pain relief if required but I'd start with nothing and work my way up from there Placenta: planned physiological. Don't want to keep. Active 3rd stage required. Vit K: IM 1mg Hospital stay: will stay one night Breast feeding: plans to breast feed Post natal support: DH & Mum NB: Need IV luer inserted on arrival. If urgent c-section required will need aneasthetic (not spinal or epidural) & will need DDAVP. these were extra requirements because I have a blood disorder, it's also why I had a managed 3rd stage ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My midwife and I also discussed other things prior to the birth which we didn't write down such as different natural pain management techniques and using a hot cloth on the perenium to prevent tears. We kept an open dialogue and I was really comfortable with her which was a huge help. It's great to have a birth plan in place but be flexible with it and if nothing goes to plan don't worry about it. Hope this helps. p.s. love you new ticker pic. -------------  
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 9:57pm
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I agree with Mel! My plan was to have it as natural as possible, to go with the flow and keep an open mind, my m/w advised this and I am so pleased I followed her guidance as I had full trust in her.
I was determined not to have a c section and what did I end up with!!! an emergency c section!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: rosewood
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:06pm
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When my waters were broken and my DD had opened her bowels inside me and it meant that I couldnt have the water birth and a lot of the other things that we had hoped for as stated on my birth plan.
The only thing that did go to plan was that my hubby told me what we had had. I didnt want a mw or stranger telling me what I had had. Just be flexible and it should go to plan?!?!?! ------------- Gill http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:15pm
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I didn't have a birth plan as such with Maya, I just talked about stuff like Vit K, delivery of the placenta, pain relief etc. with my midwife.
With the gremlins I had a birth plan made for me by my midwife and OB, which of course I had some say in but mostly it was them organising a medically managed labour. The plan was basically insert epidural to allow them to use synto to speed up/slow things down if need be, break waters to start labour, put foetal scalp monitor on twin 1 and CTG on twin 2, start synto one hour post membrane rupture if labour not establishing, then the post birth stuff like delivery of the placenta, paed to check babies etc. And surprisingly enough it all went to plan, except for the epidural failing and Twin 1 taking 1 1/2 hours to push out coz Twin 2 was bearing down sideways on her. This time I'm not planning on having a birth plan as such either, except that it will be drug free (I am allergic to pethadine and the gas makes me vomit and no epi this time!) and that I will have the injection for the placenta and bub will have vit k. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:25pm
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I didn't really have a birth plan either just discussed that I wanted as little pain relief as possible but that it should be available if I wanted it. Vit K for Jack and we would wait and see how I felt at the time regarding the injection for the placenta. CSection if required for my or baby's safety but preferably not.
Mum came in with DH and I as a second support person which I also really recommend. I was never alone and Mum was able to hold Jack while Tony held my hand when I was stitched afterwards. By having guidelines rather than a plan meant that we could be flexible. ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:26pm
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Well my original one was really simple. I'd wake up in the morning with the baby sitting at the end of the bed smiling at me. Apparently that isn't a real birth plan.
We went through the whole who would be there, Vitamin K, what drugs if any etc. My actual birth was quite different from 'the plan' but it was nice to have a lot of those decisions already made. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: KweenJ3
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 10:47pm
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I didnt really have much of a plan as such with my 1st, mw and i had talked over place of birth which she said had to be hospital being so young ( 16) and being my 1st etc and I said I wanted pain relief as Im a huge wimp and was pretty much relaxed about the rest ie types of birth and if forceps etc were needed which they werent... She also knew that I wanted my fiance to cut cord and I wanted family members in the room, my mum, dad, nana etc..... With my 2nd i was like sweet whatever kinda thing, only could have gas even tho I kinda wanted something stronger as it was all happening SOO fast!!!!! Only had fiance in room and mw that was it and he got to cut cord again so that was kewl.. Oh but I did specify that I wanted to go home straight after the birth so had carlos that morn at 958am and was home tucked in bed with my bub and 13 month old daughter getting visitors at 130pm that arvo.... This time round i have to have bubs at hospital, much to my dissappointment as was hoping to try for home birth, anywho i have history of high blood pressure in my pregnancies so its a precaution thing for bubs and i so all good.. Have asked to be discharged to post natal birth unit afterwards where i wanna stay for a rest and relax till i want to go home and im also happy to have drugs if need be hehe!!!! ------------- Jacinda, 26, Mum to Aiesha 10yrs, Carlos 9yrs and Brooklen 22 months:) |
Posted By: sonyaw
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 11:04pm
oh and i cut my #2 sons cord....such a buzz ------------- http://lilypie.com">
SHAY 9 QUIN 7 2 angels @9wk 1 day on 30-04-09 our angel 6-06-07 |
Posted By: HippyMama
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 11:20pm
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I had a totally detailed and written out one the first time, didn't get to make one the second time (angel baby), but I reckon when it comes to the next baby I won't make such a big deal of it and just go over things verbally with the midwife. I might make a few notes for myself, but that'd be it. ------------- Mama to two earth walkers & two angels. Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being. ~ Kittie Franz Next Slingbabies! Meet - Friday 4th May !! |
Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 02 April 2008 at 11:39pm
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Ours was very flexible... but our time at the hospital prior to Daniels birth was very brief so it pretty much went out the window. Daniel arrived within 40 minutes of our arrival and our MW was on her night off. But after he was born the best things we had... Waiting for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before being cut. This means all the blood goes to bub and it also means you get a lot of skin on skin before they take bub for his checks. Also requested vit k orally. Enjoy! |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 7:35am
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Thanks Everyone
Im birthing at a place that doesnt do epi's if I want one its about a half hour drive in an ambulence to get to middlemore to have one. So Im hoping my birth will be as natural a possible. Im having a water birth, and I know that I want DF to catch the baby or help me catch him and I would like DF to cut the cord Im going into my labour/birth with an open mind for sure so Im not going to be sad or angry if things dont go to my birth plan, my main requirments are just basicly get the baby here safe and make sure Im safe ------------- |
Posted By: hooper
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 7:41am
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hey, i had a plan but that went out the window, this time iam hoping it all goes a bit better, but its just nice to have everything i want written down. ------------- Desiree 
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Posted By: chonny
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 1:02pm
i had the exact same thing happen to me. I told my midwife i wanted a water birth, so wanted to laboru int he water etc as much as i could, i wanted to be active during the labour (walking around etc) and not lying on a bed. Ideally i didn't want an epi or forceps or anythign unless i needed it for the baby's safety. She was great as she didn't like drs etc coming in the room either. I stayed at home for the first part as long as i thought i could manage on my own. When i called the m/w, i had two contractions where i couldn't speak (that's how the gauge if you're ready for hospiatl or not) and so she said she would irng the hospital and call me back once she'd had a shower etc (6am). She called back and we went into the hospital half an hour later (got there bout 7.30am). they broke my waters at 12 adn at 1 i had not progressed and kept wanting to push. Because there was meconium (sp?) in the waters she didn't wanna risk baby being distressed. it's either maturity or distress. of course he was as calm as could be. anyho, i was told since i hadn't progressed i wasn't allowed to push with each contraction. of course holding it in was more painful. but i needed to pee you see, and i knew to pee i would need to push. made for an interesting predicament, so i gave in and we decided to get the epi. dh was great, kept telling me i hadn't failed, i needed it for the baby. Well it took an hour to get it into me, and m/w actually reckoned that by the time they gave it to me, i was probably fully dilated. I'd been in the shower and messed myself etc, then was lying in the bed and ko'd on the gas (YUCK!) and came to with major contraction. then the gave epi, and 45 mins alter started pushing, 45 after that he was born. Had told m/w i wanted dh to cut the cord and tell me what we had, but she gave baby to me straight away of course, and i had felt the sacks but stil asked dh to tell me. (never told him that yet). My mum came to the hospital, but we hadn't planned for her to b in da room. when i got the epi, dh needed a break so asked mum to sit with me. she ended up being in there, which i was ok about. it was so special tho coz she got to see him crowning and b born. She didn't look until i said she could. she was very good, but it was great that there was someone to b with me so dh could have a break. also, it meant someone to love and cuddle baby while i was getting stitched up. mum also helped hide vincent while they gave him wit k jab. I didn't want oral as it takes three doses coz they dribble it. but i didn't want to know it was being done! also she held him while dh n i ate food, and she took photos. ooops, that's really long, sorry. just thought i would share with you what we had. This time we birthing at a birthing unit, and like sheza, it half hour drive by ambo if anythign goes wrong or need epi etc. hoping to finally get water birth. still real early so haven't fully discussed things yet -------------   
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rosewood wrote:Posted By: Kelpa
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 3:08pm
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Eeeek...I had one for Paige it was to have it all as natural as possible..PEACE......LOVE AND MUNG BEANS.......sit in the Tub..bla blah..BIG JOKE as couldnt bear showers or baths.....then when eventually all started tooo early anyway was only 1 - 2cm dialated and thought I was dying so had epi really early and then gel, had waters broke by M/W as nothing else happened and away we went..so nothing like I planned!!! LOL
Blake I had no idea....as he was prem..everything was a shock but thought I was going to need everything altho didnt want another EPI and managed to do it all on just gas (which had made me freak out the first time after one WHIFF of it) GO FOR THE GAS I SAY......SUCK ON THAT GAS....HE HE -------------  
 
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Posted By: JPP
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 8:12pm
I had a detailed one for my 1st birth which all went out the window when I woke up with a shock to my waters breaking, vomiting every other minute (slept until transition) and demanded an epi right now right now right now! 
With #2 I had no plan other than NO epi even if I ask for one. I would like to try pethedine though if it got too much (gas makes me throw up). Had pethedine and suprise apparently I'm someone it doesnt really do much too except.... make me throw up  So this time around the choice for me is easy - new birth plan: no drugs I'm sick of throwing up (no pun intended lol) knowing I didnt want them while talking about ttc with DH and that this is the last baby before the snip, I decided to do a home birth. Other than that it's just go with the flow and no I don't want the placenta thank you  DH would like to catch if that alright with midwife, something I would love to happen!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 03 April 2008 at 9:59pm
ROFL! I wish it were though. Sheza I agree with what the others have said. Make sure you are flexible and keep in mind that the most important thing is having a healthy baby and healthy mum and that no matter how they come out it's only the beginning of the journey. And don't beat yourself up later if you opt for things that you didn't originally plan. It's not like you've done this before and know what to expect - everyone's experience is different. -------------  
 
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 8:21am
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Yeah Im not going to be angry and such if it doesnt go to "Plan" at all All I care about is getting baby here safe and healthy and that Im safe and healthy.
I have a few things that I really want to happen(such as DF catching baby and cutting the cord) but with drugs, I dont want to be offered them, I'll ask for them if I think I need something, other wise I'll try my best to it natural. ------------- |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 8:32am
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Sheza, that's great you've got an idea of what you want but won't be guttered if it doesn't work out how you expected. I was the same as you - wanted to go as natural as possible, but if I needed something for my or the babies safety then for goodness sake I was gonna have it!! Lol. Anyway the labour went to plan, no drugs at all, and it was amazing. Seeing you're gonna try go this way, I totally recommend you try acupressure (there's a thread on it). And also just trying to stay calm and focused helped me too.
Oh, and yeah the 'labour' went to plan but the recovery didn't! I didn't even think of the implications of tearing badly lol.... so after no drugs, I certainly made up for it afterwards But I had my boy so that was all I cared about!
Ooo it's getting close for you now!!
ETA: Was just thinking about how I managed to have no drugs, but it could have very easily have gone the other way. I was very blessed to have a short labour and able to manage it... sometimes physically that just doesn't happen though so I count myself very blessed... ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Bumble
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 9:31am
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My plan that I had with Ethan was no drug, natural.
Didn't go to plan at all.. Ended up with a shot of Pethedine, which sped things up dramatically... Had an epidural and gas. Everything was going too fast for me.. you know that whole, 1 level of pain, breathe through it... next level etc... Start to finish was 3.5 hrs! Not too sure what the plan will be this time. Dont really want gas as I had horrible "drug dreams" for nights afterwards. Yuk. ------------- formerly known as "Bee" Ethan ~ March 2003 Big 6 year old school boy! Micah ~ Aug 2008 ~ Smiley pants who loves telephones! |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 10:02am
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Liz I was actually telling DF on Tuesday night how your hubby did the acupressure on you and I said to him thatw e should look into it, as Im having a water birth so he should be able to do that for me while Im in the pool.
I must admit, I am very scared about tearing and being cut etc, that scares the living day lights out of me, but like you said, after it all I'll have my little boy and thats all that matters(whatever happens). I think in the next few weeks my midwife and I will start discussin my birth plan. I just wanted to get some thoughts together of that I wanted out of it and such, but Im not going to treat it like a contract lol, its juts a wee...list of guidlines Id like to follow ------------- |
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 11:29am
This is total TMI but I thought I'd share anyway. I was terrified of tearing too so I practised. There are two things we were told (1) the only thing you can compare pushing a baby out with is pushing a bowel motion (only heaps larger) (2) if you ease the baby out slowly giving your perenium the opportunity to stretch then you're less likely to tear or if you do the tear will be smaller. So I practised. Everytime I had a bowel motion rather than actually 'pushing' it out I breathed it out. 
I really don't know if this, or the hot flannel on my perenium during the final stages, helped but I do know that I didn't tear at all (just felt very bruised downstairs). See, told you it was TMI. -------------
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 11:34am
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I think that's definitely the best idea Sheza. Sounds like so long as you get those key points across to the MW then she will be able to do her best to accommodate them.
My main thing was that I wanted to have Rowan on my chest as soon as possible and if I couldn't for some reason - like being under general - then I wanted DH to do it. And they did that. Although she had to be dressed initially in the theatre they stripped her out of her clothes again and put her on my chest as soon as we got to recovery. And don't worry about tearing etc. - I bet you'll be so busy with your new baby you initially probably won't have time to notice plus the hospitals are great with pain relief (not that I tore as such having a c-sect) -------------
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 5:07pm
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Yep I had a plan ... it went out the window after one hour of contractions ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 5:14pm
Not TMI at all Our AN Class teacher actually said giving birth is like pushing out a huge poo lol(thats what she said lol)!! I kinda have to breathe it out in the loo anyways cos I have hemmies down there now, not bad ones but enought to not wanna push (sorry if that was TMI aswell lol)
Im having a water birth so Im hoping the warm water will help prevent tearing or at least bad tearing. lilfatty-lol, but you have Issy now so its all good ------------- |
Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 5:59pm
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Sheza - I did some of my labour (including most of pushing stage) in the water (would have birthed in there but I ran out of patience when the bath needed refilling!) - I had no tearing, just a graze. I definitely think the warm water helps. -------------
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 04 April 2008 at 6:13pm
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I spent most of my labour at home in the bath. At the start I'd had really bad constant back pains but the minute I got into the water they dissolved away and I could distinguish the contractions. I would definitely do the same next time.
Another tip, after quite some time in the bath my back pain returned so I stayed in the bath with a hot water bottle on the painful area which helped. -------------
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Posted By: chonny
Date Posted: 07 April 2008 at 10:27am
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i was terrified of tearing too sheza, hence why i wanted a water birht. i did tear, 2nd degree tearing, but ude to epi, didn't feel the stitching except little tugs. was weird. wasn't holding bubs tho, which sucked, coz i wasn't able to for some reason. lol. can't member, i think he would've been in way. i wanted him on my chest straight awya too. wanted dad to deliver him but didn't happen, dad was too squimish and didn't want to. dad cut the cord, and bubs was placed on my chest as soon as he was out. was so enat being able to hold him and tell him i was his mummy and i had him and he was ok now. was weird watching him change colour tho. blue, purple, then white, then pink i think it was. screaming was good it showed his lungs worked, and apparently it helps them learn to breathe. -------------
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Posted By: cat007
Date Posted: 07 April 2008 at 11:03pm
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Birth plans are really good to give the staff an idea of what you want. We live in an area that occasionally your m/w is several hours drive away delivering other babies and so you have to have a back-up (or even ambulance staff) so it is almost essential to have a birth plan so that everyone knows what to expect.
However, do be prepared for your plans to go out the window. I kept changing my mind about place to deliver even when I was in labour.....all in vain anyway as everything Id planned went out the window when I had to be induced - so much for the natural birth I wanted. Still I know what to expect next time round and will still do a simple birth plan. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  [/url http://lilypie.com">
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