Birth Preferences
Relaxed environment.
Provided baby is not in distress, only myself, my partner, and midwife are to be in the room.
Closed door.
Dimmed lights.
Warm room temperature.
Classical music available (brought by me along with CD player).
Electrolyte drink available throughout labor (brought by me).
I'll wear a birth gown of my own.
My partner will be taking photo's throughout the labor.
If it's medically necessary to have other medical staff present at the birth, there is to be no students, interns, residents or non-essential personnel present at any time.
Provided the baby is not in distress, maintain a high level of privacy throughout birth.
At times, especially towards the end of the labor, I may:
Want only my partner in the room.
Want no one else in the room.
Want to be alone in the toilet.
In these situations please respect my privacy and only enter the room if I ask you to, or if there is an emergency.
Avoid pain medication.
Do not offer me pain medication.
Do not ask me to rate my pain.
Employ natural pain relief measures.
If I am in distress, please remind me to focus on relaxing with my contractions.
Otherwise, please do not talk to me or ask me questions during contractions.
My partner will apply heat packs, massage and acupressure where needed.
Provided the baby is not in distress, avoid any other interventions.
No vaginal exams.
No continuous fetal monitoring.
Check baby's heartbeat using a handheld Doppler every 30 minutes in the latent phase, every 15 minutes in the active phase, and every 5 minutes in the descent phase.
No syntocinon (also called pitocin). My partner will employ nipple stimulation to induce contractions if needed.
Allow placenta to deliver on its own, wait 30 minutes.
Do not inform me of my progress or lack of progress in dilation. I do not want to know.
No stretching of the cervix.
No artificial rupturing of amniotic membrane. Allow amniotic membrane to break on it's own.
No directed pushing. Leave me to push at my own discretion.
No stretching of the perineum.
No episiotomy. My partner will apply perineal caster oil massage and heat pack.
If any medical procedure is necessary, you will first get my informed consent, which includes discussing with me the reasons for it, and all possible side effects of it.
I will remain upright whenever possible throughout birth.
Please encourage me to:
Walk, dance, rock or sway between contractions.
Sit on birth ball and beanbag when needed.
Try to squat during contractions, and hold onto partner or a firm structure for support.
If baby is posterior please try these measures.
Apply diaphragmatic release.
Use lift and turn technique.
Change position - get on hands and knees, head down, bottom raised, and sway hips side to side or rock pelvis back and forth.
Partner will apply counter pressure on my back, apply back massage, or heat pack.
If baby is breech please try these measures.
External cephalic version.
Change position - get on hands and knees, head down, bottom raised, and sway hips side to side or rock pelvis back and forth.
Newborn care.
Baby's head is not to be pulled as it is crowning. Myself or my partner will cradle the head gently.
Myself or my partner will catch the baby.
My partner will announce the sex of the baby.
Immediately after birth, place nappy on baby, then place baby on my bare abdomen. Cover with a warm blanket. Leave there indefinitely. There is to be no separation of myself and baby unless expressly permitted.
My partner and I will clean baby and rub the vernix into baby's skin.
Evaluation of baby will be done on my abdomen.
Delay cord clamping until cord has stopped pulsating. My partner will cut and tie the cord.
Placenta will be saved and given to my partner to take home for encapsulation.
After the birth my partner will be staying with baby and I in the hospital for as long as we need.
Avoid any unnecessary newborn procedures.
Baby will not be receiving eye drops.
Baby will not be receiving a vitamin K injection.
Baby will not be supplemented with formula.
Baby will not be using a pacifier.
Baby will not be given a bath.
*Vaccinations are not routinely administered to newborns in NZ, though if they were I would be choosing not vaccinate my newborn either.
If you're wondering why I chose the above preferences, here's some links with useful information about a number of birth preferences mentioned above:
Why choose not to have coached pushing?
Pushing During Labor: Coached Pushing vs Physiologic Pushing
by ANDREA CROSSMAN, RN, BS, BA
Why choose to keep upright during labor instead of lying down?
Get off your back: references
by Stand and Deliver Blog
Why choose not to be induced with pitocin?
The Truth About Pitocin
by Elaine Stillerman, LMT
Why choose not to have an epidural?
Epidural Labor Side Effects
by Kim James
Side Effects of Epidurals: Research Data
by Janelle Durham
Protecting the mother-child bond
by Cherie Raymond
Why choose not to have interventions?
Labor and Birth Interventions
by Natural Birth and Baby Care Website
Cascade of Intervention in Childbirth
by Childbirth Connection Website
Here's some other birth plans to give you more ideas:
These are naturally focused, minimal intervention hospital birth plans.
Birth Plan 1
Birth Plan 2
Birth Plan 3
