Friday, August 27, 2010

Nano's Birth Plan

Our Birth Plan

To the wonderful nurses and doctors at our birth:

We would like to have as natural of a birth as possible. This means no drugs, no unnecessary medical interventions, and working with my body during labor and pushing to get the baby out without a time schedule. All preferences below are obviously if there are no complications-we want a healthy baby and mom in the end! \We appreciate your cooperation in making our birth experience as positive as possible. Thank you for helping us and for honoring our wishes as stated below.

~Heather and Nicholas


*TOOLS: Please make the birthing tub, birthing ball, squatting bar, and birthing stool available as possible after my arrival so I can utilize all of them during my labor.

*IV: Heparin lock in right hand supplemented by drinking clear fluids during labor.
*MOVEMENT: Please let me move/walk during labor and try different positions for pushing.

*LABOR INDUCTION/AUGMENTATION: Please let my labor to start and progress naturally, so and do not use labor inducing drugs or an amniotomy to start or speed up my labor.

*PAIN MEDICATION: Do NOT give or offer pain medication to me at any time (this includes epidural, narcotic medications or medications through the hep lock). I will ask you if I need it.

*MONITORING: I am fine using the external fetal monitor intermittently and having vaginal exams every 2 hours (or even less frequently if possible).

*PUSHING: I would really prefer no time limit to birth my child so please let me labor down as long as possible and then let me push in my own timing- when my body tells me to. Do not instruct me when/how to push (counting, forcing pushing, holding legs, etc).

*EPISIOTOMY: I do not want to be cut. Other techniques for avoiding tearing are welcome and appreciated! If I do tear, I WOULD like a local anesthetic to numb the area during repair.

*AFTER BIRTH:
-Please put baby on my chest and do not remove for any procedures (including weight, length, etc) for at least an hour so baby can breastfeed and have skin to skin contact while bonding with me.
-We would like to wait until the cord stops pulsating to cut it.
-Do NOT give the baby the erythromycin medication after birth; we will sign a waiver if necessary. Delay other medications as long as possible (PKU/Vitamin K oral).
-Please, do not offer or give our baby pacifiers, bottles, water, or formula. We want to exclusively breastfeed.