I didn’t write a birth plan. I’m not encouraging anyone to go this route, it’s just something I didn’t do. I’m not saying that it’s a good or bad thing either way. I think it’s each individuals choice whether or not a birth plan is needed for them and what they put on their birth plan. The big news around here is that baby number two will be arriving in October. I don’t plan to write one for the newest addition either. It’s what seems to have worked best for me!
Photo (C) Rosy Cheeks Photography
Why I Didn’t Write A Birth Plan
I think a lot of it stems from my type B personality...maybe even C. I’m not a big planner. Things don’t need to be perfect for me. Packing takes place the night before we go places. Party invitations get sent out just in time. It’s how I roll.
I didn’t have any big feelings on things one way or the other. I didn’t have any strong opinion whether or not I had an epidural. I didn’t want a c-section, but if it was what needed to happen I wasn’t going to be upset. There was nothing that I was absolutely stuck on.
There was probably a part of me that didn’t want to be disappointed. If I didn’t have huge expectations for how my birth was going to go but I wasn’t going to be disappointed if it didn’t go that way.
I probably had somewhat of a plan in my head. I knew I would go in and see how long I could go without needing meds. I wasn’t opposed to meds if needed. I didn’t want a c-section, but wasn’t opposed to having one if it was a safety concern.
I just didn’t do it. I had the sheet that the OB office handed out and initially planned to put something on the sheet. I just never did. It’s probably a combination of all the reasons above.
What Happened
I was one of the “lucky” ones. I had a pretty fast labor, although it was pure back labor. I’m still waiting for that first front contraction. No braxton hicks or early contractions that I ever felt. As a matter of fact, it was so fast, I ended up getting an epidural when I was at a 10. Yes, a 10, I don’t think that anyone puts in their birth plan that they plan to get an epidural at a 1o. Now, had I known I was a 10 I likely wouldn’t have gotten one, but 45 minutes earlier I was only a 3. No one could have predicted. That epidural was the best though! After my epidural I waited over an hour before I even pushed. Talked on my phone and laid in bed. I pushed for less than 30 minutes. They tell me because I had the epidural and was able to lay there I “labored down” making the pushing much easier for me. In total I was only in labor (that I realized) for about 5 hours before I was fully dilated. In the end, it was nothing like I ever thought it would be. I just went with what I felt the entire time. If I had listened to the nurse on the phone telling me it was way to fast for a first time mom to be coming to the hospital I’m pretty sure I would have had the baby in the car. I’m pretty sure my 0 to 100 speed labor would have had any birth plan I had written left in the dust. My no birth plan, plan worked out for me.
What I May Try Next Time
The one plan that I wish I had in place was the after birth plan. I personally felt physically good, but there were just so many people. All had good intentions and of course I appreciated everything that everyone did for us, but it would have been nice to get a break. I love the tips from CanDo Kiddo on how to put this plan into play. I just may write this plan next time around – or at least have it in my head.
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