08 Birth Plan
Description
This article is from the Birth Planning FAQ, by wnymph@FensEnde.com (Sabrina Cuddy) with numerous contributions by others.
08 Birth Plan
> It seems to me
> that somehow in the rush to avoid "needless interventions" we are setting
> ourselves up as peers of the medical establishment, able to make and execute
> competent and rational decisions that will always result in a perfect outcome
I would tend to agree. Months before labor started looming, I had filled my
head with horror stories I'd heard and read about dealing with involuntary
administering of "twilight sleep" (some of the stores were pretty OLD),
being strapped down like a crucifix with legs spread eagled and forced
to push flat on my back, while a class of medical students, just passing
through at an opportune time decide to stay for the birth and take notes
(all against my wishes). Oh, and the obligatory "here is your IV, Demerol
and epidural we're supposed to give you because WE know what's best for
you". Not to mention the routine episiotomy.
But in birthing class, the nurses explained to us what hospital policies
are these days in the two hospitals up here that do births. The one I
was going to allowed the mother to walk freely during her labor, no
obligatory IVs or drugs, and laboring women were allowed ad librium
clear fluids, even during an induction, even during the pushing stage.
I had control and was going to be treated with dignity. I backed down
from my previous stance of "I'd rather give birth at home in a toilet
than let these guys near me when the time comes". I discussed all my
concerns with my doctor who was also of the minimal-interventionist school,
and we discussed his protocols for deciding when to do an episiotomy, an
induction, a C-section, etc. I mentioned my concern for the "med school
class" scenario, and he told me I had the final say on what non-essential
personnel are allowed at the actual birth, as well as labor.
As it turned out, nothing went according to my little idealized plan.
My water broke early, I entered the hospital at that point as per my
doctor's instructions (to make sure the cord had not prolapsed),
I walked around for 20 or so hours in "woosy" labor (I watched 3
Star Trek epsodes during that time in the scrub room), agreed to an
induction after it was determined that in all that time I was still
only 3 cm and 80% effaced, lived through the induction for
10 hours and ended up with a monster of an episiotomy after 2+ hours of
pushing because the baby just wasn't making it that last cm or so. After
a failed suction attempt. With no drugs as per my choice.
And yet I was quite pleased with the whole business.I gave it my
best shot. After the birth, contrary to my plan of getting the heck
out of there as fast as possible, all I could think of was "please,
please let me stay here even one more day to recuperate".
Oh but I'm rambling. The take home messages: talk to your caregiver
beforehand, discuss the birth plan but don't be confrontational,
learn his/her protocols and that of the hospital's (you might not
need to include all your points), and remember that even the best laid
plans can go awry, just do the best you can with whatever hand
nature deals out to you and don't feel guilty. You never know how
you're going to feel until you're acutally there.
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