[Honeymummy]

The midwives laughed at me when I told them I had a birth plan for my first bub - so it never made it out of my suitcase. For my second - in a private hospital - again laughter!!! I dont know whose idea to write in books that we need birth plans - they are not taken seriously! I am now pregnant with my third - I wont bother!

[pipstar]

If you have a realistic simple birth plan (not with all the candle rubbish) then it can be helpful especially for second and third labours.

DD1 birth plan was simply not to have pethedine (though the midwife tried to convince me otherwise, my DH stood up for me and said that I didn't want that and I would go straight to the epidural please )
DD2 birth plan was to avoid labour...the first time freaked me out too much. LOL
DD3 birth plan was written WITH the midwife beforehand - included certain details about my experiences with previous labours and certain problems areas (for me the crowning was unbearable so we had strategies for heatpacks on that part etc) and certain psychological motivators for getting through it. Worked extremely well and i'm so thankful that the midwifes bothered to read my file and see what their colleagues had written.

This post has been edited by pipstar: 23/05/2010, 05:47 PM

[hayleymumof3]

I didn't have a birth plan for any of mine I just sort of went with the flow.

DD1's birth was pretty quick. But I was new to this and didn't really know what I wanted I guess all I was hoping for was the safe delivery of a healthy baby and that sat fine with me.

DS was a longish labor(my longest) and I knew from about half way through that I didn't want anymore people coming and going from the room it was driving me crazy.

DD2 after induction via the drip was 1 and 52 mins from go to whoa. I had no plan only soft music in the back ground was a must to keep me distracted and it did.

[shysta]

I have had 3 babies and have never written an actual birth plan - but I did have vague ideas of what I wanted in mind. No epidural, no c-section, favourite music playing.

DD1 - I had no idea what to expect - except pain - but I was adamant I would definitely not get an epidural. The labour was long, midwife broke my waters, baby was sideways, docs wanted to do a c-section but I told them no, episiotomy done, ventouse and forceps were used but finally a healthy baby girl was born naturally.

DD2 - I went with the flow and it went so smoothly, transitioning quickly and naturally - I sat in the bath for pain relief, when I got out my waters broke, baby born soon after.

DD3 - I wanted to have a water birth and the midwife was very happy with that idea because she said it's a great experience. I had the idea in my head that it would go quickly like my second and it was fairly quick but more intense. I was furious when I got to hospital and couldn't have a water birth because the midwife on duty (different one than the one I was seeing thru preg) was already in the delivery suite with another woman in labour and not the birth centre where the baths are. The midwife said she would check to see how far along I was and then she stretched the cervix or something which I never asked her to do and she didn't even ask me . The birth was very intense and I always had in my mind about the water birth so that made it worse. But in the end a healthy baby was born so that's all that matters.

I am now pregnant again and will go with the flow. Won't write a "plan" but will have vague plan in my head, same as last times. I really would like a water birth so will cross my fingers for that one but I guess if it doesn't happen I'll have to get over it. I vowed last time that I would have someone other than my husband there because he was no support - he just sat there waiting for things to happen instead of helping me.

It all depends on the woman - putting things on paper helps to get ideas out there, whether it all goes to plan or not.

[Moxymonkey]

First off congratulations on a dream birth - most women never get that kind of quickness in giving birth.
While I sit here anticipating the birth of my 3rd baby I think how reading your article has made me a little p*ssed off that all women must be having high expectations wanting a birth plan.
You had no time to practice anything in your plan except for the fact you didn't want the music, hardly anything to say it was a useless exercise.
My first was a 37hour labour starting 17 days past my due date. I followed everything in my plan everything in my plan was not lost only they were tried first and failed.
I would not change the labour I had even down to the emergency c-section at 10cm dilated with a baby that was stuck. Or the fact that I was put under a general minutes after her birth.
I wrote a plan for my second, knowing I was going to try for a natural on the recommendation on the hospital. I did not wish drugs to be offered, nor were they. I had delayed cord clamping, I had no false rupture of my waters. All this was met with open arms by the hospital, I had a section for a c-section and what I would like to happen should it end up there. I am thankful we never did.
I still have a somewhat similar plan for number 3 who is due any week now and it is nice to know that my expectations of my medical wishes are met first.
It is completely harsh to say it is pointless for everyone just because you had a fast and from what I can tell easy expierence.
I would recommend one to everyone I could. But I would say plan for every out come and use it as a guide, should we end up here, this is what I want and so on and so forth....
No one can predict the out come of any labour or birth but having a plan helps your love ones should they have to make a decision on your behalf.