Baby Birth Plan
Jan. 31st, 2006 08:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
percivalThe full birth plan - with comments in italics
Before you give me any medication, please tell me
- why I am receiving it
- what the side effects are on me and on the baby
- whether there are any other options
If possible, please insert the drip into my forearm and catheterize me in theatre.
Forearm? No dice - that was done by the midwife way before I went in
I would prefer not to take any medication that makes me drowsy.
I would prefer not to be involved in research, but I do not mind having students (medical or midwifery) present at the birth, as long as they do not perform any procedures on me.
A trainee anaesthesist put in my spinal, but she was supervised by a very nice consultant
I would like to be as fully involved in the birth as possible.
- I would prefer not to have a screen blocking my sight. I have read up about the operation, looked at pictures, and seen videos – I’m desensitised. I also promise to keep my hands well off the sterile field.
- I would love to get a running commentary during the operation.
- Please let me hold our baby before taking him/her away to be examined unless there is a medical emergency. In that case, please explain to us why our baby needs to be whisked away.
- I would also like to see the placenta and have it explained to me. My husband is not so keen on this, so we can leave it until he has left with baby.
- We would like to discover the sex of our baby ourselves.
- My husband would not like to cut the cord.
The small screen stayed up, but they angled the lights so that I could see. The anesthesist gave me a running commentary. I forgot to insist that I could hold my baby before they took her away for the first APGARs, likewise I forgot to ask to determine the sex myself. But it was lovely to hear that we had a girl. I saw the placenta come out, but forgot to ask that they bring it round so that I could see it.
My husband will stay with our baby when s/he is taken away to be examined. It would be great if you could let him return to me with our baby as soon as possible. Please do not bathe baby just yet – that can be done later. After the birth, we would like to stay together in the recovery room. I would like to breastfeed our baby as soon as possible.
All of this happened as I wanted it to. Our daughter was first breastfed in recovery, from the right breast. After a few lovebites, she chomped down like a champ.
If the baby needs to go to special care, please
- tell us why s/he needs to go there
- take us to our baby as soon as possible after the operation.
Thank you for helping us birth our miracle baby!
We have waited three years for this unexpected gift.
Post natal care for Baby X
I intend to breastfeed on cue. Please do not give our baby bottles, artificial milk or water unless s/he desperately needs it, and consult me before you do this.
No problem - hospital policy. Simpson's is a Baby Friendly hospital
I would like our baby with me at all times, preferably in a cot with a side that can be dropped, next to my bed.
ditto
During the first day or two after the operation, I would like to try voltarol for pain relief, progressing to ibuprofen or paracetamol as soon as feasible. If I need morphine, I will ask for it.
Didn't happen - I got the standard drug regime, with dihydrocodeine alternating with ibuprofen and paracetamol
I will also use herbal/homeopathic remedies for wound healing and essential oils on tissues.
Yup. Had them, but hardly used them. Too out of it. I never used the lovely wound wash because I found I had a thing about touching the numb scar - still have
In summary, I forgot some of my birth plan, but it was still a lovely experience. I talked the birth plan through with a senior registrar at my last appointment, and when he found he was on duty on the day our daughter was born, he made sure to be the one to perform my operation. Even though a lot of it was determined by fixed procedures, I still felt empowered because I knew what was happening and why. It made a huge difference that I showed I was aware of the medical details.
Before you give me any medication, please tell me
- why I am receiving it
- what the side effects are on me and on the baby
- whether there are any other options
If possible, please insert the drip into my forearm and catheterize me in theatre.
Forearm? No dice - that was done by the midwife way before I went in
I would prefer not to take any medication that makes me drowsy.
I would prefer not to be involved in research, but I do not mind having students (medical or midwifery) present at the birth, as long as they do not perform any procedures on me.
A trainee anaesthesist put in my spinal, but she was supervised by a very nice consultant
I would like to be as fully involved in the birth as possible.
- I would prefer not to have a screen blocking my sight. I have read up about the operation, looked at pictures, and seen videos – I’m desensitised. I also promise to keep my hands well off the sterile field.
- I would love to get a running commentary during the operation.
- Please let me hold our baby before taking him/her away to be examined unless there is a medical emergency. In that case, please explain to us why our baby needs to be whisked away.
- I would also like to see the placenta and have it explained to me. My husband is not so keen on this, so we can leave it until he has left with baby.
- We would like to discover the sex of our baby ourselves.
- My husband would not like to cut the cord.
The small screen stayed up, but they angled the lights so that I could see. The anesthesist gave me a running commentary. I forgot to insist that I could hold my baby before they took her away for the first APGARs, likewise I forgot to ask to determine the sex myself. But it was lovely to hear that we had a girl. I saw the placenta come out, but forgot to ask that they bring it round so that I could see it.
My husband will stay with our baby when s/he is taken away to be examined. It would be great if you could let him return to me with our baby as soon as possible. Please do not bathe baby just yet – that can be done later. After the birth, we would like to stay together in the recovery room. I would like to breastfeed our baby as soon as possible.
All of this happened as I wanted it to. Our daughter was first breastfed in recovery, from the right breast. After a few lovebites, she chomped down like a champ.
If the baby needs to go to special care, please
- tell us why s/he needs to go there
- take us to our baby as soon as possible after the operation.
Thank you for helping us birth our miracle baby!
We have waited three years for this unexpected gift.
Post natal care for Baby X
I intend to breastfeed on cue. Please do not give our baby bottles, artificial milk or water unless s/he desperately needs it, and consult me before you do this.
No problem - hospital policy. Simpson's is a Baby Friendly hospital
I would like our baby with me at all times, preferably in a cot with a side that can be dropped, next to my bed.
ditto
During the first day or two after the operation, I would like to try voltarol for pain relief, progressing to ibuprofen or paracetamol as soon as feasible. If I need morphine, I will ask for it.
Didn't happen - I got the standard drug regime, with dihydrocodeine alternating with ibuprofen and paracetamol
I will also use herbal/homeopathic remedies for wound healing and essential oils on tissues.
Yup. Had them, but hardly used them. Too out of it. I never used the lovely wound wash because I found I had a thing about touching the numb scar - still have
In summary, I forgot some of my birth plan, but it was still a lovely experience. I talked the birth plan through with a senior registrar at my last appointment, and when he found he was on duty on the day our daughter was born, he made sure to be the one to perform my operation. Even though a lot of it was determined by fixed procedures, I still felt empowered because I knew what was happening and why. It made a huge difference that I showed I was aware of the medical details.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-04 12:55 am (UTC)Besides, many of these you can implement with the next one. ;)
And I feel you on the scar and the touching... I'm better about it now than I was, but after Alex and the lovely schedule of packing sterile gauze in the open wound 3 times a day for 3 months straight... well... I don't think I touched that scar again for at least a year. It wasn't so bad after Sam... though when I had to pull the steri-strips off the closed and semi-healed incision... well I felt like I was going to burst open and have my insides fall out... didn't happen of course, but yikes that was hard.