23 Birth Plan
Description
This article is from the Birth Planning FAQ, by wnymph@FensEnde.com (Sabrina Cuddy) with numerous contributions by others.
23 Birth Plan
I think one thing that should be included in a FAQ is the concept
that a birth plan is not a guarantee or contract. It should be
considered a starting point for communication, both prenatally
with your doctor or midwife, and then again with the labor staff
at your hospital or birth center. Just because you've written
in your birth plan that, for example, you don't want an episiotomy
is no guarantee that the dr on call read that paragraph, or, that
when the time comes he/she will remember it. They may just pick
up the sissors as a matter of habit. So you need to keep on
talking and expressing your preferences throughout, regardless of
whether you have a birth plan or not.
I also had a little section in my birth plan on baby care preferences
just in case the baby had to be in the nursery for some reason. It
was detachable from the rest of the birth plan, and could go with
the baby. We ended up with our baby in the level II nursery, and
so I was glad I had prepared it that way.
My own thoughts on sample birth plans is that I wouldn't recommend
including them in a FAQ. Once you, as a pregnant woman, have
made list of preferences, considered your options, etc., as Sabrina
noted, then I think your should write it "on your own" without
using someone else's as a guide. This makes sure that you get
your own ideas, not someone else's ideas that sound good but may
not be true for you.
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