How to make a written birth plan for a vaginal and med- free birth? That is what I am going to be talking about so that you can be in control of your birth experience.
Why build a plan?
I mean I am going to stop right here and ask you a question: What would happen if you went into labor and didn’t have a plan?
My mom has always said, “To not have a plan is a plan.”
If you went into labor without a plan, a lot would happen. Actually, more might happen than you ever expected or wanted to happen.
Labor will start, pain would increase, you will go to the hospital, then on comes a gown, monitors, IV, an epidural, maybe Pitocin, maybe even a C-Section delivery or assisted delivery, severe vaginal tearing, blood infusions, more Pitocin, and on on on!
This is not meant to scare you.
But it is important to think that all these things could happen in a vaginal birth with a healthy mom (no pregnancy complications).
You were born to give birth, but that doesn’t take away the fact that it has its dangers. And healthcare providers like to be on top of disasters happening. So much that they sometimes jump the gun.
This is good to some extent, but it means that you may not get the vaginal, med-free birth that you want… if you don’t take some steps today to be in charge of what you can be in charge of at birth.
That is where a plan comes into play.
A plan means that you do some prep work, and the prep work is what helps you get the birth that you desire and make the most of your circumstances when you have to adjust your birth plan.
Before I go any further, I want to mention my FREE Natural Birth Workbook! This 4 Step Process is a great start if you are considering a med-free birth. Click the button below to download the workbook…
It is vital to know that you need two different birth plans. If you don’t do this, then you run the risk of your entire birth plan being ignored by your hospital nurse upon labor and birth.
You need your birth plan and your birth plan.
Let’s talk about your birth plan first. This plan includes things like how to cope with the pain of labor while staying at home to labor as long as possible, dimmed lights, position changes, music, massage, your mantra, etc. These are things that your nurse and doctor don’t need to know about because they aren’t the ones to help you.
Your birth plan means that you write down your preferences, things that will help you labor on, and don’t really need to be discussed with the hospital care team (unless they aren’t making it easy for you to do the things you want at the hospital).
Let’s paint a picture of how birth can happen related to your birth plan:
Labor starts. The first thing to think about when labor pains begin: how am I going to labor at home until it is necessary to go? {This is so big. You will reduce your risk for C-Section by 50% if you stay home until you are at the end of the active phase of labor. This can take several hours (mine took 10 hours).}
Once those labor pains get to the point where you aren’t excited anymore, that is when you need to pull out all of the things listed on your birth plan: dimmed lights, birthing ball, and relaxation techniques with your support person (who knows your birth plan inside and out) right by your side every step of the way.
You will trek through the big contractions thinking it must be getting close to birthing time. You will get to the point where you know the contraction pain is not going to get any worse. Then you can head to the hospital.
Make sure you choose your support person and spend time prepping for birth with that support person. I will say it again, your birth plan needs to have a support person named. This support person needs to be continuous support throughout your entire labor. If your husband is it, then make sure he is ready, has dimmed lights with him, and is ready to speak up on behalf of your birth plan desire.
If your husband is not able to take on full responsibility, then hire a birth doula, or ask your mom to help. But make sure you have someone by your side the entire time.
This will reduce your risk for getting an epidural, having your labor augmented with medication, and the big on… going for a C-Section birth. Plus your positive birth memory will skyrocket.
Your birth plan needs to include what we think of as “little” things, but really are very important because they matter to you.
Not so “little” things to think about on your birth plan:
-Alternative pain relief options: massage, shower, bath, position changes
-Hospital gown, your own clothes/gown
-Personal birthing ball, hospital birthing ball
-Ability to get out of bed
-Timing to introduce baby to friends and family
Start thinking about what you want at birth, tour the hospital facility, and ask questions about hospital policy. It is time to write down your preferences at birth.
Now the birth plan for your care team.
A part of a great birth plan is to keep it simple! I am serious, you want big points that really matter to you, that you can remember, and that will make an impact when you tell your nurse.
Think about what really matters. This will take a little bit of thought and research. You want to pick three things that really matter to you, that will fulfill your deep need and desire at birth, and that the care team needs to know to make your birth experience happen.
If a vaginal, med-free birth is what you deeply desire and need, then think of three actions that you can take (with the help of your nurse and doctor) that will make that birth dream happen.
-No continuous Fetal Heart Monitoring so that mama can get in a different position for birth.
-No IV with infusion so that mama can get out of bed and move around.
-No episiotomy at birth
-Delayed cord clamping.
-Cord blood banking.
-Immediate skin-to-skin and breastfeeding.
-Gentle C-Section with immediate skin-to-skin with mom or dad if mom is not stable.
These are all things that can be thought about and researched in a deeper way. It is so important for you to write these down, think about it, talk about it with your husband and doctor, and get the birth that you desire.
Do you want some help making a plan? I have created my FREE Natural Birth Workbook just for you. This 4 Step Process is a great start if you are considering a med-free birth. Download below…
You must be logged in to post a comment.