Comments on: Birth Plan

By: Elena @The Art of Making a Baby

Elena @The Art of Making a Baby — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:26:29 +0000

yes, we decided to go with it!

By: Dina

Dina — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:20:15 +0000

Lena! Did u do K vitamin injection?

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:10:29 +0000

This was amazing to read! Gives good insight to things to think about. I am so glad you wrote this.

By: Salt

Salt — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 08:21:52 +0000

I'm wondering, what about a vitamin K pill instead of a shot to newborns? Or is that not advisable?

By: L/d RN

L/d RN — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:59:54 +0000

I am sorry you had a bad experience. I wonder if there was a real lack of communication going on. Cytotec or misoprostol is given all over the world for induction of labor as well as postpartum to prevent hemorrhage after delivery of the placenta. It helps the uterus to contract down to stop bleeding. It’s use is EXTREMELY common though it is used off label (I believe it was originally used for aid in gastric ulcers) and it’s cheap. Pitocin, Magnesium even Cervidil can be high risk medications if they are not used according to ACOG guidelines. I mean Fentanyl is high risk if I give you 200mcg of it and you stop breathing. Some times you can have a turkey of a nurse -I know, I ‘ve worked at many hospitals and sometimes the RN culture is one of negativity. The hospital I currently work at is very progressive. We always do at least one minute of delayed cord clamping be a vag delivery or c/s because this actually helps with preventing fetal anemia and does not increase the risk of jaundice in the newborn. We initiate skin to skin contact as soon as baby is born and as long as baby isn’t having any resp issues. We initiate breastfeeding within the first 30 mins to hour. We have donated banked breast milk that we can give if supplementation is needed and we have great lactation nurses. We try to have Dad cut the cord and as long as everyone is fine we delay bath, meds and measurements until family has bonded. I’m not sure why they kept your baby in the warmer so long unless she was having resp issues, or thermoregulation issues or maybe low blood sugar. But if the babies temp is low the baby will regulate themselves much better resp/temp wise going skin-to-skin. I’m all good for whatever my pts wishes are as long as they are safe for you and baby. Thanks

By: L/d RN

L/d RN — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:28:37 +0000

I always find birth plans make me kind of roll my eye but am always supportive of them for the most part. Many of them can be non-realistic at times. The more basic the better. But here’s the thing. We are trying to make sure you have a baby that doesn’t die, get infected, get cerebral palsy and all the other miscellaneous stuff that can happen. It doesn’t always happen but it happens enough because often enough you can’t control or predict what is going to happen. Just because your mother had a quick birth doesn’t mean you will. And it does not all flow like it does in 30 min episodes on the birthing channel. The reason labor and delivery is more invasive then it used to be is for litigous reasons. The first one to sue is the one who had a birth plan that didn’t go the way they had “planned” and end up with an infant that may be injured. If you want to be as natural as possible that’s great have a home birth and a lay midwife. But don’t act like we’re the bad guys. I have been doing labor and delivery for 15 years and have seen that usually the people who have birth plans – everything all planned out are the ones who have long, labors, have bad FHR tracing’s that end up in having a c/s or vac or forceps. That is why the hospital staff will be kind of annoyed when you don’t want an IV or at least a saline lock, because it is going to be me trying to throw that sucker in your arm when you are hemorrhaging.Or instructing me the nurse not to say the word “pain” because that might make you want some pain medication of which you then end up getting an epidural. (O and I have to put an IV for that and your shouting to hurry up now cause your hurting.) Or you have a Doula who contradicts everything we’ve said but you will trust her more because she’s had minute training and a couple of kids instead of someone who’s been doing this most every day for the last upteen years.

I apologize if I sound snarky. But it’s your first baby. I hope everything goes according to your plan and everything works out but that’s not always how life works. But letting your wishes be known to staff is great if their safe for you and baby. Because that’s all we are trying to do is help you have a healthy delivery. If you don’t want those interventions I suggest a home birth or birthing center.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:57:58 +0000

Interesting….my wife’s birth plan was nearly identical to this one. With 9 children, we’ve never deviated…

By: Elena @The Art of Making a Baby

Elena @The Art of Making a Baby — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:47:12 +0000

Sorry my bad. I see that now.

By: Mia

Mia — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:54:59 +0000

Oops, Elena, I was actually asking Jennifer about the Vit K since she said she opted out of it!

By: Elena @The Art of Making a Baby

Elena @The Art of Making a Baby — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:25:02 +0000

It didn’t say vitamin K. It said no eye ointment. We had a vit. K shot done.