To what extent did you stick to your birth plan?
and did it really matter if you didn't?
I'm being presumptuous but I'm considering updating my plan ready for number 2 (am I mad?!) whilst everything is fresh in my mind. I had an induction, which I hadn't accounted for at all in my plan and there is a chance that I could have the same complications in future pregnancies so it might happen again.
I was mostly pleased with how things went and stuck to the following from my birth plan:
1. Chosen pain relief, I did it on TENS and gas and air and did not have pethadine or an epidural, which I didn't want
2. I had skin to skin imediately after birth, and breast fed as soon as I could.
So I wasn't disappointed.
But I think the following didn't help very much:
1. I was sick throughout labour, which slowed down my contractions and meant that I had to have the drip. It also meant that I could not be mobile throughout as everytime I moved I was sick. However, I think the problem could have been somewhat alieviated as I was not checked by anyone from 7am to 4pm on the day and was not offered any anti-sickness drugs until 4pm. I don't know if it would have made any difference, but feel that this didn't help.
I'm being presumptuous but I'm considering updating my plan ready for number 2 (am I mad?!) whilst everything is fresh in my mind. I had an induction, which I hadn't accounted for at all in my plan and there is a chance that I could have the same complications in future pregnancies so it might happen again.
I was mostly pleased with how things went and stuck to the following from my birth plan:
1. Chosen pain relief, I did it on TENS and gas and air and did not have pethadine or an epidural, which I didn't want
2. I had skin to skin imediately after birth, and breast fed as soon as I could.
So I wasn't disappointed.
But I think the following didn't help very much:
1. I was sick throughout labour, which slowed down my contractions and meant that I had to have the drip. It also meant that I could not be mobile throughout as everytime I moved I was sick. However, I think the problem could have been somewhat alieviated as I was not checked by anyone from 7am to 4pm on the day and was not offered any anti-sickness drugs until 4pm. I don't know if it would have made any difference, but feel that this didn't help.
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I wish I had used the pool just for pain relief during labour, I was offered it but at the time turned it down, so only myself to blame! One thing I would prefer differently next time (although may be tempted to try for a home birth next time) is afterwards I would my prefer to have a shower than a bath, sure I'd feel I lot more refreshed and cleaner
shanee and Ryan 15days x
Anyway, my back ended up in complete spasm after a couple of hours and I became completely immobile and in so much pain I couldn't speak or open my eyes, even between contractions. It didn't help that they didn't give me any pain relief until I was 9cm at which point I got a patchy epidural. Lucas was then delivered with forceps as he had the cord around his neck twice.
Although the birth itself was fine, the early pain management (or lack of) has scared me so much that I won't be doing this again.
The only real change was that the midwife had to ask me to push while on my back as opposed to leaning over the back of the bed since I'd had a third degree tear last time and she needed to be able to support me to help prevent another tear this time. (I still got a second degree - but much better than last time!)
My first labour had gone nothing like my birth plan. but my DD was back to back and the labour had stalled. So I'd written my birth plan this time very loosely expecting it to all be thrown out the window again!