What do you all think? Did you have a birth plan? How well was it received by the doctors and hospital staff? I know some of you will tell me not to worry about what they think and to just do what I want - but that isn't in me. All of my major concerns have been addressed so there is no need for my mama bear claws to come out. ;) Though they can and will if need be...
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| Grrrrrr?? Or is it growl? Or rawr? haha. |
This week, baby is as big as: Swiss Chard.....hmmmmmm......
Next appointment: Next Friday. Feels like forever away. haha. Good news is that I absolutely LOVE the new doctor. I really like the other two doctors in the practice so at this point I think I'll be happy no matter who delivers. But the new doc just really made a great first impression. I not only felt like she heard my concerns and wishes but that she affirmed them and agreed with what I wanted. And she did an excellent job at making Hubby a part of the conversation and appointment. Honestly, I'm thinking I would prefer her to deliver. But I'd like to see her again. Since I already had a couple of appointments scheduled, the next time I could see her is 2 days before our due date. I'm thinking I'll make it but we shall see. ;)
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained a little more than a pound between appointments.
Exercise: Ha! My walks at work are becoming progressively shorter. We used to go twice as far. I went our half(ish) distance the other day and thought I was going to die. But I'm keeping it up. Bradley exercises are hit and miss and they are probably more important than anything. Really need to be better about that. And I know I say that every week... :P
Maternity Clothes: Got those pants I ordered in the mail. The one pair are wonderfully long and comfy (dress pants) and the other pair, though they were actually labeled "long" were still not quite long enough. So my mom took out the hem. They work. But when I sit they are total flood pants. haha.
Sleep: Midnight bathroom breaks seem like they are every 5 minutes. I'm not sure how it is possible that she can be on my bladder and so far up in my rib cage at the same time. Guess she is just going to be long like her mom and dad. ;)
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing at all.
Movement: Pretty consistent. She is usually the most active first thing in the morning, around lunch time and between 3 and 4 if I'm sitting still. The other day I was a little panicky because we slept in and I had laid awake for quite awhile - she hadn't moved one bit. I kept poking at her and moving my belly around. I got a pretty solid kick or two and then felt better. I think she was just annoyed because Mommy wasn't letting her sleep in. ;) And then yesterday while we were in the waiting room at the doctor's office she was a little acrobat. Hubby was laughing as he felt my belly - she just wouldn't stop moving - forceful and all over. So fun!
What I Miss: Being able to breath or sit up right. haha.
What I'm Loving: Movement! Always. And getting things done. Every time I do something else it is just one more thing that is done pre-baby and it feels good.
What I'm Looking Forward To: My show this weekend and seeing some old friends. Looks like it should be a decent day for a pretty preggo woman. ;)
Best Moment This Week: Any time Hubby gets to feel her move. The doc's office was pretty good today. He is so amazed by it all. As am I. I just love seeing him light up at how much of a miracle this really is.
Milestones: The cord is sending extra antibodies to Baby Girl so that she is better able to fight off infections outside the womb. How neat is that?
Goals: I got my It Works! stuff organized and finished all of the "flea" laundry. But I did not get around to Thank You cards. *sigh* They will get done. I've only got 3 days of work left so I should be able to crank them out pretty quick! Other goals?? Focus on preparing a relaunch for It Works! so that after Baby comes I can start making some real money. We've just had so much going on. I'm ready to stay home AND make money! :) And I really want to get the curtains and pictures hung in the nursery. Oh! And get the car seats in the car. Definitely want that done by this time next week!
As a healthcare provider, here are my thoughts on the birth plan.
ReplyDeleteYes, some people go totally overboard and write their birth plan like it is some sort of legal contract or screen play. Those are the ones that get serious eye rolls.
There will always be nurses who are jerks about birth plans because the culture of medicine and birth is evolving. This means there are still going to be old school nurses who feel that a hospital birth can only happen one way. But it seems there are more professionals who actually appreciate birth plans.
You have to remember that no matter how you word your plan or how detail oriented you want to be, everyone knows at the end of the day that we totally lack control over the big picture of birth. I am sure you have received that speech from your doctor as many before you have and many after will.
I want a minimal intervention, natural hospital birth. Think "home birth in a hospital room with IV access." Because I want this and I know that adrenaline is a great way to start the cascade of interventions, I plan to labor at home as long as possible, with a doula. I plan to write a bullet point reference list of my desires for my doula, doctor and nurse to refer to so they will be clear on my wishes, should I be unable to communicate. I am hoping for the best so we shall see how it goes.
I would write a casual birth plan though. If anything for your doctor and husband to reference in moments where you are less than clear headed. It is important for you to focus on getting through labor while everyone else deals with the details.
This is awesome! Thank you so much for your insight. The one I have typed up is basically a bulleted list but I think there are probably a few things I could take off...
DeleteI want to labor at home as long as I can but my family has a history of very quick labor and delivery (think an hour or less in the hospital before baby is born) so I'm super nervous about waiting too long. We are wanting the same thing though - minimal intervention, like a home birth but the safety of a hospital.
This really did help me see a different perspective. I really appreciate it!!
I typed up a brief birth plan and took it with me... but never ended up giving it to the doctor/nurses. I had already talked to my doctor and he knew I wanted to labor at home as long as possible, no meds and basically all natural unless a problem arose. (Then I would obviously defer to the staff to know what was best for the situation.) When I was at the hospital, I was able to communicate well with the nurses I had... so it really never came down to giving them my birth plan (didn't have enough time with my 2nd! ha!). But I think the main thing - whether you hand them a piece of paper or not - is to be VERY clear that you do not want the baby to be supplemented with a bottle or given a pacifier (I'm assuming you prob don't want those things). You don't want to muck up your first couple of days of nursing.... and hopefully your nurses will respect that. I never had a problem - but then, we were in a small hospital. Since I have to go to a different hospital this time (they closed our Maternity Ward)... I will prob do a birth plan and stuff since I'm not quite sure how this hospital works. Plus, if for some reason I am not able to communicate - my husband can at least pull it out of my bag and make sure people are clear on what our requests are as far as the baby goes. If that makes sense! Just my two cents! It's so close now (for you)... so exciting! You'll be amazed how normal it will feel to breathe once you're no longer pregnant! Even though it is hard to breathe now in ways - those first moments of breathing after giving birth are literally like a breath of fresh air! Of course, the rest of you won't feel normal for awhile, but it is nice to be able to catch your breath! :) Hope you're planning on sharing your birth story! Not that you have to share TMI... but even just when labor started, how you felt, silly things that may happen, getting to the hospital, etc. I always enjoy hearing those stories!
ReplyDeleteI think I've decided I'm going to take in a few copies of our birth plan. If for nothing else so Hubby and Mom have a point of reference. And it would be nice if staff changes come at a crucial time as well.
DeleteAnd I definitely plan on sharing our birth story! :) Just read one today that had me in tears...oh the hormones. Can't believe it is SO close!