Hello, I posted on here earlier about my desire for a natural childbirth and the best way to approach the L&D nurses/be successful/not feel pressured into things. A lot of you responded and I really appreciate it. Like I said in my previous post, the hospital I will be birthing at has an excellent reputation for dealing with premature and sick babies (level III NICU, etc) but has a bad reputation for natural deliveries (unsupportive staff, 41% c-section rate, mandatory nursery time, etc) so I was hoping to be able to make it a good experience for everyone.
I was wondering if you would read my birth plan and tell me if the L&D nurses will just laugh at me or be glad I made my preferences known? Any advice would be great.
I know things may not work out the way I want, but I want to try to have my natural birthing experience and just hope to have a nice, supportive nurse :)
Thank you!
Birth Plan for ****** *******
Care Provider: **** ****** C.N.M.
Doula: *** *******
Facility: ****** ******* ****** ********
My husband and I have chosen to use the Hypnobirthing method of birthing in order to experience a natural, pain medicine-free birth. We are very excited about giving birth at **** ***** and hope to have an amazing experience. If possible, we would like to request a nurse who is familiar with and supportive of natural childbirth. The following are our birthing preferences for during labor and after the birth of our son:
During Labor:
1.To be supported in our choice to use Hypnobirthing techniques to naturally birth our baby by keeping the room quiet, the lights low, interruptions kept to a minimum, and speaking in a quiet voice.
2.To be supported in our choice to not have an epidural or pain medication.
3.To have my doula, **** ******, and my husband, ***** *******, at my side during labor.
4.To be free to walk around and change positions during labor. [note: they have wireless monitoring]
5.To be fully apprised and consulted before the introduction of any medical procedure including but not limited to: administering pitocin, cutting an episiotomy, breaking my water, etc.
6.When fully dilated, to be allowed to birth in a calm, quiet atmosphere free of prompts to “push”.
Post-Partum:
1.To have immediate skin-to-skin contact with baby after deliver.
2.To exclusively breastfeed baby.
3.Delay application of Erythromycin to eyes for one hour to allow for eye contact with baby and bonding.
4.To delay cord clamping/cutting until after pulsation has stopped.
5.Mandatory nursery time to be as short as possible. Baby to remain in room with parents whenever possible.
6.No circumcision.
*In the event that a special circumstance arises that causes us to deviate from our planned natural birth, we trust that you will provide us with a clear explanation of the special circumstance, the medical need for any procedure you many anticipate, and what options are available before proceeding. Thank you for reading this and helping us have a safe, memorable and satisfying natural birthing experience.
As a labor and delivery nurse I think your birthplan is very reasonable! Just curious- is this your first baby? A trend that I have noticed is that first time moms always have birthplans. A birth without medicine or epidurals flies out the window when they feel how intense the pain gets. It is rare that a second time mom has a birth plan! I don't see why a baby has to stay in the nursery unless it is being observed for low sugar issues. Best of luck withthe birth you desire. If it is really such a concern delivering at this hospital then I would go where my needs will be met regardless of how much I would have to pay. At every hospital a nurse's goal is to provide care so that a healthy baby and mom are the outcome. I have also seen things change in a matter of seconds and things move quickly to obtain a healthy out come regardless of how the baby is delivered! Best of luck!
I think it sounds very reasonable. You don't really need to include no circumcision and informed consent before procedures- they have to get your consent anyway. The cord pulsing thing isn't a nursing decision- whoever delivers you needs to know your desires.
you would think that consent is needed, but there have been cases where babies have been (accidentally) circumcised without it. Its best to cover all your bases.
I agree with the other poster about discussing all this in detail with your doctor (or midwife.) They are the ones who decide a lot of this. And you need to be able to trust them if they say you need a C-section.
One one hand, I have seen doctors who only let you push on your back, head of bed up 30-45 degrees. If baby doesn't come out, try a vacuum or do a C/S. I'm a great believer in trying various positions and giving it time.
On the other hand, I know of a woman who wanted a natural birth. The doctor said she needed a C/S. She refused. A second doctor said she needed a C/S. She refused. Baby died. She sued the doctor. I hope she didn't win.
In our hospital the only "mandatory nursery time" is where the night nurses weigh the baby in the nursery and compare it to the birth weight, do an assessment, do the newborn screen and hearing test. It's only a few minutes a night, and the parents are welcome to come to the nursery. All the baby's admit stuff (measurements, meds, bath, etc.) is done in the room. Maybe they don't have warmers in each room, so they have to do the admit in the nursery. You could ask them how long is the mandatory nursery time, what do they do and can you come with baby.
you would think that consent is needed, but there have been cases where babies have been (accidentally) circumcised without it. Its best to cover all your bases.
If something that outrageous is going to happen, a birth plan given to the nurses isn't going to stop it! L&D nurses don't circumsize babies
If you want no pacifiers or bottles for your breastfeeding baby, then the nursery is liable to call you each and everytime the baby cries for any extended period (which is why rooming in as much as possible is preferable). I can tell you, having to walk back and forth from the nursery when you feel your "area down there" has been beaten with a bat ain't fun!
As an L&D nurse I would be quite comfortable with your birth plan.
However, I would explain to you when I first read it that in certain true emergent conditions I would not have time for full explanations but would certainly take all the time needed to explain afterward. (Thinking of one father who nearly decked me for trying to get a head lifted off a prolapsed cord without taking time for discussion)
These situations are quite rare but I feel it necessary to explain this ahead of time.
I would be cautious of expecting the doula to intervene (as suggested in a previous post) in the provider's medical actions (such as cutting the cord). It's fine for you and your husband to express these preferences to the provider but the doula's position is to support you, not to dictate medical practice. That would be seen as her "crossing the line" in many places.
Too bad about the mandatory nursery time. We m/b nurses assess and bathe the babies in the room with mom. If for some reason I need to take baby to our nursery for labs or weights or whatever, I always invite the parents to go with us. Best of luck!!
I would be cautious of expecting the doula to intervene (as suggested in a previous post) in the provider's medical actions (such as cutting the cord). It's fine for you and your husband to express these preferences to the provider but the doula's position is to support you, not to dictate medical practice. That would be seen as her "crossing the line" in many places.
Sorry, I should clarify the doula should be ready to remind her or spouse to remind the HCP about the delayed cord clamping.
Although as a CNM I have no problem with a doula reminding me of something important like that.
Most of the stuff in the labor section and all of the postpartum stuff is standard operating procedure at my place anyway. The stuff that's NOT standard can be done easily enough.
ETA - congratulations! :)
Ditto
Wow! I can't believe in this day and age how rigid your hospital is. On our unit the L&D nurse recovers mom and does the initial assessment on baby. We do not have nursery nurses. During delivery we have another RN present in case mom or baby needs extra support, but if everything's normal (as it usually is) the primary RN is responsible for mom and baby during the initial recovery period. We don't bathe babies until mom and baby go up to pp a couple of hours after delivery. I leave baby on mom's chest for at least the first hour for uninterrupted skin-to-skin. It always cracks me up right after delivery when all the family members start asking how much baby weighs - I have no freaking clue - I'm not psychic. On my floor the L&D nurse does "eyes and thighs" on baby, but never within that first hour of bonding time. And if we ever find something concerning about baby our NICU nurses are always happy to come up and check baby out at any time.
Wow! I can't believe in this day and age how rigid your hospital is. On our unit the L&D nurse recovers mom and does the initial assessment on baby. We do not have nursery nurses. During delivery we have another RN present in case mom or baby needs extra support, but if everything's normal (as it usually is) the primary RN is responsible for mom and baby during the initial recovery period. We don't bathe babies until mom and baby go up to pp a couple of hours after delivery. I leave baby on mom's chest for at least the first hour for uninterrupted skin-to-skin. It always cracks me up right after delivery when all the family members start asking how much baby weighs - I have no freaking clue - I'm not psychic. On my floor the L&D nurse does "eyes and thighs" on baby, but never within that first hour of bonding time. And if we ever find something concerning about baby our NICU nurses are always happy to come up and check baby out at any time.
Your approach to your deliveries are about the same as mine. I totally get a kick how the familys always ask how much babe weighed, no one asks if they are breathing etc. My babies stay on their mommy as long as I can keep them there. I do eyes/thighs while babe is skin to skin. I find myself being passive aggressive to the obnoxious family members when they keep whining about how much the baby weighs. We dont have mandatory nursery time. The babe are bathed in the pp room, hearing screen can be done in the pp room also.
Momfirstalways
28 Posts
As a labor and delivery nurse I think your birthplan is very reasonable! Just curious- is this your first baby? A trend that I have noticed is that first time moms always have birthplans. A birth without medicine or epidurals flies out the window when they feel how intense the pain gets. It is rare that a second time mom has a birth plan! I don't see why a baby has to stay in the nursery unless it is being observed for low sugar issues. Best of luck withthe birth you desire. If it is really such a concern delivering at this hospital then I would go where my needs will be met regardless of how much I would have to pay. At every hospital a nurse's goal is to provide care so that a healthy baby and mom are the outcome. I have also seen things change in a matter of seconds and things move quickly to obtain a healthy out come regardless of how the baby is delivered! Best of luck!