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Birth Plan

A pregnant woman writingBirth Plan

When writing your birth plan the main aspects that you will need to consider are:

  • Pain Relief
  • Who you want to support you
  • The third stage of labour (delivery of the placenta)
  • Vitamin K
  • Skin to skin contact and how you want to feed your baby

 

Pain Relief
Do some research into what pain relief is available in the place you want to have your baby. Your options will be limited if you are having your baby at home or in a birth centre. Do try and keep an open mind. You may have had a lovely water birth last time it doesn't mean to say that you will not be begging for an epidural in this pregnancy. Have a look at our options for pain relief. You can also go into our Coffee House and see what methods other mums have used.

Who you want with you?
Often this person will be your partner, however this may not be what you both want. Also some mums you may be single parents or your partner may not be able to be there. Do you want more than one person with you in labour? You would need to check with the hospital as some may not allow more than one birth companion. Think about who you want to support you. Some research suggests that women that have a close female friend or relative with them in labour may cope better, have a shorter birth and may not need as much pain relief.

You may be considering a Doula. Take a look on our antenatal support pages to see if there are any in your area.   A Doula is defined as a servant or caregiver and they are trained to be an advocate to you and support for you in labour. Have a look on the Doula UK website for more information http://www.doula.org.uk/ 

Are you happy for students to be involved in your care? If you are asked this don't automatically think you will have a team of medical students come along to ‘watch' you give birth. It is more likely that they want to allocate a student midwife who is more than likely to stay with you throughout your labour providing the support and continuity. Ultimately however it is your decision and if you say no then your decision needs to be respected.

Third Stage of Labour
How do you want to deliver your placenta? Do you want to deliver it naturally or do you want the injection to help to deliver it? Click here to look at the pros and cons of each.

Vitamin K for the Baby
Do you want your baby to have the vitamin K, this can be given either by injection or by oral drops? Look at the information regarding Vitamin K and make an informed choice before you are in labour.

Feeding your baby and Skin to Skin
Do you want skin to skin contact with your baby after birth? Usually the hospital will try and promote this, however if there is any cause for concern after your baby has been born you may not be able to have skin to skin straight away. How are you going to feed your baby breast or formula? Look at our pages on feeding your baby.

The Baby
You may already know that you are having a little boy or girl, but if not who do you want to tell you the sex of the baby? Do you want your birth partner to tell you or would you rather check yourself. After all you have done all the hard work going though the labour, wouldn't you like to be the first to know?

If everything is ok with your baby the midwife may ask who wants to cut the baby's cord. Would you like your partner to do this? Hope they are not likely to faint!

Other things that you may want to consider adding to your birth plan may be any music you want to listen to.

Look in the coffee house to see what other requests our members have added to theirs.

 

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