Forum home Archived Birth Clubs My baby was born in May 2010

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.

Replies

  • I didn't really have a birth plan....I actually filled out the birth plan page in my notes a few hours before we went in when I actually realised that this could be it. The main points I put down I did get.. No pethidine, preferably no epidural, gas and air as long as possible. To be as active and mobile as possible throughout labour and for oh to tell me the babys sex, at least I'm pretty sure he did. We had skin to skin straightaway which I wanted and tried to get him on the breast as soon as possible, although it wasn't successful.

    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
  • I didn't have a birth plan written this time...because first time nothing I wanted was noted by the mw's so everything I had spent hours "planning" went out the window. My labour started as a homebirth tho and when my lovely mw arrived she talked me through my wants and not wants...I was really honest with her and that really helped. Everything I wanted was followed this time.x
  • mine didn't go to plan as i was induced and it ended up as an emergency section but i didnt have pethidine which i didnt want and we did manage some skin to skin after the section. Ultimately I was just desperate for the baby to arrive safely so i was happy to be led by the hospital staff x
  • My 'plan' was to do it as naturally as possible and avoid a c section unless absolutely necessary. A previous assessment had shown I wasn't a good candidate for an epidural due to problems with my spine and previous surgeries.
    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.
  • My plan was to be as mobile, upright and as natural as possible, with TENS and gas and air, no pethidine and an epidural only if necessary. I also wanted to stay at home as long as possible. To be honest I probably stayed at home too long! But the rest all went with the plan - but that was mostly cos I got to the hospital so late that there were no other options left :lol:
    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!
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