# My Natural, Intervention-Free, Hospital Birth Plan



## Graceoc (Mar 26, 2002)

I was just cleaning out my computer and came acrossed our birth plan from our last birth.

We had perviously had a natural water birth at a birth center, as well as a home birth.

We choose a hospital birth for our last baby and it was a great experience overall. Throughout my care I talked extensivily with my provider and ped about my wishes at birth. EVERYTHING I wanted I got. It was a fantastic birth.

So I thought I would share the birth plan that was given to my provider prior to labor as well as the L&D staff. Our hospital is know to NOT be natural birth friendly, yet they respected each and every one of my requests.

Quote:

GRACE & DAN xxxxx
*NATURAL BIRTH PLAN*
Primary Care Provider: xxxx. xxxx Hospital

We are looking forward to the birth of our fourth child, a daughter, at xxxxx this fall. We have had two very successful intervention-free, drug-free births and our labors have been short and uneventful, so we are not anticipating any problems. We ask that the following wishes be respected during this birth.

*First Stage*

•Fetal Monitoring - After initial 20 minute strip _(they didn't even do this),_ I prefer only intermittent monitoring with a doppler.
•Fluid & Food Intake, IV's - I prefer to have NO IV or Heplock, and to eat and drink as desired.
•Pain Relief - I prefer to have an unmediated birth. Please DO NOT offer pain medication.
•Internal Exams - I prefer not to have any internal exams except at my request.
*Second Stage*

•Place & Position - I prefer to remain in any place or position that is comfortable to me, within reason.
•Pushing Techniques - I prefer to use spontaneous, self-directed. For both my previous natural births I choose to push on hands and knees, and anticipate doing the same .
•Care of Perineum - I prefer no episiotomy to be used.
*Third Stage*

•Cutting of Cord - I prefer to wait to cut the cord until it stops pulsating. My husband will cut the cord.
•Delivery of Placenta - I prefer to wait until complete separation occurs to avoid the use of traction on the cord.
*Care of Baby*

•Immediate Care - I prefer that all checkups be done in our room.
•First Bath - We plan to give the baby her first bath at home.
•Feedings - No bottles and no pacifiers - breastfeeding only.
•Circumcision - None.
•Vitamin K, Hep B shot & Eye Drops - If a natural, uncomplicated birth is achieved we decline all of these for our baby. This has been cleared by our baby's pediatrician, xxxxx.
*Hospital Stay*

•Length of Stay - We prefer to check out as soon as possible as long as the baby and I are fine - within the first few hours after birth is preferred. We will bring baby back between 48-72 hours old for a PKU test. This has been cleared by our pediatrician, xxxxx.
Thank you for taking the time to help us achieve natural childbirth for our baby!

Patient:____________________________ Care Provider:_________________________

Date:______________________________ Date: _______________________________


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## kltroy (Sep 30, 2006)

looks similar to my recent VBAC birth plan, which also ended up being a GREAT completely natural hospital birth. Yes, ladies, it CAN be done! I even caught my own baby!


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## pageta (Nov 17, 2003)

Yes, I will attest that it can be done as well. I was a little bit stronger in my "requests." But I left room for "if they can give me reasons why in our specific case, we should do otherwise."

For instance, the hospital I gave birth at does a blood sugar test and will make you give the baby formula (even though the blood sugar test is not valid for infants). I told them that if my baby had specific signs of low blood sugar (and I listed examples) that they should point that out to me and then we would discuss the options in consultation with our family physician (pediatrician).

But again, yes, it can be done. I caught my baby, too, in an unhindered water birth. What an experience!


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## heatherweh (Nov 29, 2007)

Thank you for sharing! That is very helpful to me as I am planing a natural hospital birth this time around. My hospital is "baby friendly" so very pro-breastfeeding and bonding. Its a relief not to have to worry about that aspect, they were so great with DS. The big changes will be in the labor and delivery part, but hopefully most of that can be addressed with my care providers directly one-on-one beforehand too.


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## SoCaliMommy (Jun 11, 2004)

Your very very lucky they let you to eat and agreed to everything else on your birth plan.

I asked if i could eat during labor and was told it was against hospital policy and i could only have ice chips







and my refusal of IV ended up getting a heplock that they ended up using because my heart rate shot up because of me not eating in 24hours by the time my son was born.


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## mellowyellowmama (Feb 7, 2008)

: I am so happy some of you had a GREAT birth in the hospital! I had a VBA2C in a hospital and it didnt' go as well due to the CNM, etc.


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## LadyCatherine185 (Aug 12, 2008)

I also had a wonderful unmedicated hospital birth. The beginning was not so wonderful, I was pitocin induced, but after labor really started (i think I was about 5 cm) they unhooked the pit and iv's and i was left to labor on my own!









it can be done in a hospital, but we are definitely having a homebirth for our next baby.


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## lisaloo (May 24, 2004)

I love the way you stated your preferences strongly but nicely. Congrats on a happy and beautiful birth.







:


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## accountclosed3 (Jun 13, 2006)

very nice and clear.

another aspect to add to this is to not sign a general consent form. in fact, you can write "i do not consent" to areas around the form and "request full written consent" for each aspect. this way, they can't just trump you with the general consent form (which some places too).

i believe that "kidsaplenty" has a great birth story (UC transfer, i think) that talks about not signing the general consent and how that worked to her advantage.


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