Birth plans?

That's really strange, I'd definitely be making my own birth plan. If they're not going to do it with you, make sure you've spoken to your birthing partner(s) about your wishes so they can advocate for you as best they can. I'd also make a note of anything you absolutely want to avoid if possible (eg. I absolutely never want an epidural, but in both labours I've ended up asking for one and it's been good to have them remind me that I didn't really want to 🤣) xx

https://assets.nhs.uk/prod/documents/My-birth-plan-nhs.docx You can download a template which is what I did with my first and I wrote down all my preferences in my own book and discussed it with the my birthing partners and midwife so everybody was aware. Unfortunately due to complications I was not able to follow my plan at all really but I was always very open minded anyway. My plan wasn’t a must it was more of a preference but as long as me and baby were safe that was all that mattered x

You can plan a birth all you want, but the chances of it going exactly to plan are very slim! Best thing to do I think is just do your research, look at what pain reliefs you are comfortable with, make a list and maybe come up with which you would prefer down to least prefer and go with it

You might find this template useful - https://www.hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthplanbundle I’m pretty sure they can’t refuse you creating and sharing a birth plan with whoever you have there on the day. They don’t have to be overly detailed but means you can all be on the same page about certain things.

We offer them where I work but I tell all of my patients I don’t see it as a plan because the more you plan the more disappointment someone is when it goes wrong. I use it to run through all of the options for pain relief, place of delivery, positions and resources to make labour easier etc so that they are more educated and empowered when it comes to labour

Even if you write one it doesn’t mean it will be read. Mine weren’t but it meant that when they asked things I knew what I wanted eg who’s cutting the cord, skin to skin immediately after delivery, vit k injection or not etc.

My midwife said the same, she said the best thing to do is to educate yourself on all the things that can happen during labour and all the different things you could be offered. So that you can go with the flow yet not feel out of control. Even if I had a birth plan I can guarantee that no one would have read it.

I’d prefer to have a birth plan, it’s just easier that the midwives follow it unless you request something yourself at the time otherwise. I’ve always went along with my birth plan, my birthing partner, pain management which was gas and air for me, vitamin k injection for baby, how to deliver the sac afterwards. It’s just easy for yourself and midwife and it doesn’t need to be a detailed novel, literally a few words of what you expect.

The baby hasn't read the birth plan! They are pretty pointless to be honest. I think we need a rebrand to birth intentions! I think what do you want and absolutely don't want and tell your birthing partners so they can advocate for you! I think it's better to go with the flow tbh as, the baby hasn't read the plan, or any of the babies books either 😂

I didn't have one wrote down with my second, however, when I was getting induced the timing meant it was switch over for the midwives, the one who came through run through things like skin on skin etc, then 20 minutes later ended up with emergency csection and didn't want to hold him as I did nothing but throw up whilst they were stitching me up.