FTM Advice on what to include in birth plan?

Question

So I am a FTM and I know it is pretty early to be talking about/planning this (I am 25w2d today), but I just recently started my antenatal classes and they mentioned making a birth plan and discussing it with your OB. I’m looking for advice on what in general things to include on it because I have no prior experience so I’m not sure how I am supposed to make decisions on what I want/don’t want during the process and what items are most important to address. 
Non-FTMs what items are key and was there anything you didn’t address but wished you had after experiencing labor and delivery with your children? Thanks in advance, wishing happy healthy full-term babies for all of us! ❤️

Answer

Birth plans can go out the window once you are in labor. Don't get too attached to one way of giving birth. Decide on pain management,  whether it's an epidural or meditation or breathing or whatever you want. Decide about delayed cord clamping and skin to skin for an hour afterwards. My hospital automatically does these things, so I didn't need to say them. 
Other than those things, that's about all you really have control over. If they decide you need a c section,  you need one,  if they need to give you meds to help baby out,  they will,  if they need you to labor with monitors hooked to you because they are worried about baby,  that's what is going to happen. Anything can happen so as long as at the end of all of this,  you and baby are healthy,  that's all a birth plan is about. This will be my 4th baby and if there's anything I've learned it's to expect the unexpected and I still have something new happen that didn't before. 
Don't stress about a birth plan. Nurses will ask you a million questions anyway once you are there.

Answer

Here is the big secret, ready....? 
BIRTH PLAN
Deliver Baby safely. 
On the real,  you'll see woman in here obsessed with their 'birth plan' then into a depression if it didn't go to plan.  What you need to talk to your doctor about is this;
*Are you considering pain management? If so what options you're comfortable with. 
*How many people are allowed in the room?
That's it. That's all you can kinda 'plan' everything else will come up if necessary.

Answer

For my first, I didn't make one and honestly didn't even let myself consider that a c  section might happen...then I had an emergency c section and it was tough. My advice would be to keep an open mind but state preferences. Also consider what you would want if you have a c section- clear drape or drop the drape? Skin to skin before recovery room if safe? Had I thought through those things, I think my experience would have been better.

Answer

I find it annoying that folks immediately go to “birth plans don’t work, don’t even bother trying to have one!” 🙄
Make one, plan for it, make sure it’s what YOU want. Having a birth plan ensures you get the care you want in a way that’s effective for you. 
My birth plan didn’t get followed to a T (I got induced due to being 42 weeks, ended up with an epidural bc I had back labor) but I got everything else I wanted. Skin to skin immediately, delayed cord clamping, I wanted to see my placenta (lol I was interested!), and I wanted time to think about things as they suggested them (different ways of inducing, when they wanted to try new things, giving myself time to ensure I actually wanted an epidural, etc) 
I would go through the basics: do you care if you’re induced? Do you know what’s actually “medically neccesary”? (Saying your baby is “big” from an ultrasound ISNT medically necessary btw), do you want pain meds? Certain kinds? Epidural? Do you want to breastfeed? Formula? Who do you want in the room? Who DONT you want in the room? Delayed cord clamping? Water birth? All natural?
Sure, I’ll venture to say a good amount of moms want a natural birth and end up getting pain meds or epidural, etc. I’d suggest watching some birth documentaries and getting an idea of what a natural birth looks like and if that’s what you want. 
This time my birth plan is about the same, except I’m more open to an epidural than I was with my son. I still don’t want to be induced unless 100% neccesary, I don’t want to be pushed around by medical professionals, I want a calm environment, I want to skin to skin, delayed cord clamping and breastfeeding. I also don’t want baby to have a bath for at least 72 hours.

Answer

I'm FTM too and we havent made a birth plan I dont know when you even make one but all I know is I'm having an epidural, husband in the room and get me to the hospital lol

Answer

I’d suggest only having a birth plan for the things you are a absolutely hard no on. Have those written down and very openly communicated with whoever your support system will be. Everything else, just be flexible and go with the flow. That’s my birth plan lol.

Answer

My biggest piece of advice is to try to be flexible and to be mentally prepared for it all. Short labour / long labour / epidural fails / c section / easy birth etc. that way you’ll be happy to switch between ‘plans’ 
Pain relief is a personal preference so that’s up to you. 
And if you have some strong preferences to have them written. 
All the best!! ☺️

Answer

In all honesty, you can plan for the birth you think you want and will have but on the day...your baby decides how he/she wants to enter the world and you do whatever the professionals recommend to make sure they arrive here happy and healthy!
I made a birth plan, I said I didn't want an episiotomy and that was my main fear for some reason...well I ended up needing to have one but I couldn't have cared less at the time I just knew it would help my baby boy so I did it. Hard to describe bit instinct just kicks in!

Answer

Some hospitals have a list of different things to think about and the options they provide. I noticed one while I was in the ER recently (got sent to L&D to check the baby) and it seemed like a nice addition to a hospital birth.

Answer

Take a birthing class at your hospital if you can. It’s one of the best things I did with my first! They go through all the different kinds of births and interventions and risks and benefits and you often make a birth plan right there. It’s nice to learn about your options when you’re not in pain. It also taught me which questions to ask my doctor when things didn’t go as planned. My birth plan ended up being simple - ideally I wanted a vaginal birth with no IV pain meds and only an epidural if I decided I needed one. This basic plan guided my decisions during my surprise early induction for preeclampsia. Everything was crazy and I knew I had to accept the possibility of a c-section if things got out of control and I was ok with that, but in the end I did get the vaginal birth I wanted 😊.

FTM Advice on what to include in birth plan?

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