Birth plan and hospital bag

In My Humble Opinion
1

I am sure this has been spoken about somewhere on the Dope.

Our doper baby is due 12/23/2011 and it’s a girl. :slight_smile: We are super excited. This is my first biological child but I have been a mama to my husband’s daughter from his previous marriage for a few years now. Although I am excited, I am also freaking out a little bit because I really don’t know what to expect. I have had a fairly good pregnancy this far and thankfully no complications of any sort. Anyway…my question is about birth plans and items for the hospital bag. I have done my fair share of reading online and in books about what to include in both of these categories but I want to know if there is anything that you all specifically learned based on your personal experiences about what would be important to mention on a birth plan AND also what to include or not include in the hospital bag. I appreciate advice, warnings, general info…anything you have to say.

PS: We have a wonderful midwife and we are meeting with a doula today, I am planning on having a natural (yeah…or yikes) childbirth, I will be having the baby at one of the best hospitals here in California.

Thanks all!

2

One really good piece of advice I got here on the Dope: there’s an instinct to tune out when they start talking about C-sections, because you are thinking “I am not having one of those”. But you might, and if you do, it can all happen very suddenly, and when it does it sure is comforting to know the routine and what is going to happen/what everything means.

Pack as little as possible, and then put half of what you packed back. A bunch of stuff to haul in and out (and back into the house) is just a PITA and you really don’t need anything. If worse comes to worse and you do need something, it can be fetched.

3

Ditto on “you don’t need much”.

I also saw midwives. I was also going to have a natural birth. Then I ended up with an emergency c-section under full anesthesia, after getting an epidural, terbutaline, adrenaline, and pitocin.

Of all the things I brought to the hospital, the ones I actually used were:

  • My laptop
  • My nursing bra
  • My toiletries
  • The baby’s going home outfit

Things the hospital provided:

  • Gown and socks for me
  • Clothes and blankets for the baby
  • Diapers and wipes
  • Pacifier
  • Nursing pillow
  • Birthing ball (had I been in any shape to want one)

Things it never even occurred to me to take out of my bag, or that I didn’t bring and never wanted:

  • An iPod full of soothing “birthing” music (HA HA HA HA HA HA!)
  • My own nightgown, robe, slippers, socks
  • A nursing pillow
  • Snacks
4

I have to say that I am surprised you even got any use from the laptop, Sattua!

And the music never had a chance, huh?

By the time you get to the hospital, you are normally at 5+ centimeters and you are having a contraction every four minutes, right?

So there isn’t much ‘sitting around’ time, right?

As I understand it from talking to most mothers, unless you have an epidural, you won’t have time to think of anything at all other than just getting through the next minute… then resting for a few minutes… then getting through the next minute…

Is that about right?

5

I just had my baby on Thursday and we had a several day stay due to my c-section. The most laughable things I brought were books (seriously, I don’t know what possessed me to believe I’d have time or energy enough to read) and excessive baby clothes. Since we didn’t know how big she’d be and the doctor was estimating she was 9 lbs (ended up being 7 lbs 14 oz) I brought 3 different sized outfits. She fit into the newborn size just fine.

6

When I arrived at the hospital, I was 1 cm dilated but my contractions were 90 seconds long and 2 minutes apart. It was so dramatic that they didn’t even make me go to a triage room, just sent me straight to a labor suite. Three hours later I was at 8cm, where I stalled.

Yes, if you don’t have an epidural, you have no time to do anything but wait for contractions. And when I did have my epidural, my blood pressure went so low (70/40) that I didn’t have time to do anything but shiver and try to stop my teeth from chattering.

7

Your doula is a good resource to help you put your birth plan together.

8

A “stupid book” - nothing challenging, something that you’ve read before and enjoyed. I didn’t bring a book and missed having them. But nothing that takes any attention span.

REALLY comfy jammies - preferrably something that you can nurse in easily.

Smell nice and comforting toiletries - like a good shower gel and shampoo.

I had plenty of time and energy. I barely slept until I got home, was restless and wandering the halls and had very few visitors. My husband didn’t like being at the hospital and we had another kid at home, so he wasn’t there much.

9

I brought a portable DVD player and The Sound of Music which I watched three times. Everything else I barely looked at. I did like having my own nighty and robe with me, as well as face lotion.

10

Congratulations! I, too live in CA, had a doula and midwife/natural birth. You’ve gotten some great advice here about not overpacking.

Once the baby comes, you’ll be so hungry, and just hospital food is there, so I’d have some favorite snacks ready. First births can also be a bit lengthy so you may want to bring that one item that makes you “pop,” be it lipstick, lotion, or whatever you like. Have a nice baby!

11

For my second I packed as though I was going on an overnight business trip:

Pair of pajamas
Comfortable clothes for the ride home
Toiletries
Kindle
Trashy magazines (Us, Star, People, etc.)
iPod

I packed everything but the kitchen sink for my first and I didn’t use anything but the clothes and toiletries (couldn’t read anything due to some complications that involved lots of medication). The second time around, I had just enough stuff. It’s really individual, though - some of my friends brought CD players with meditation music, others brought tons of their own pillows. I just showed up with an overnight bag.

As for the birth plan, I was a lot more flexible the second time around than the first…thank goodness. Put anything you want in the birth plan, but don’t get so stuck on any given part of the plan that you shoot yourself in the foot. And if you do change plan, don’t feel bad about it.

12

My OB was very open to everything in my birth plan (which he signed), including my having a hep lock. The nurse(s) at the hospital were very surprised that he’d agreed to a hep lock and despite seeing his signature on the birth plan, insisted on calling him to confirm. Once they’d done that, they agreed to it. Keep in mind that you will primarily be dealing with nurses while you are in the hospital, and that they have a standard way of doing things. You may have to speak up for yourself if your plan deviates from that.

Talk with your doula about the elements of your birth plan that you are most passionate about, and she can help to ensure that your voice is heard on those matters. I would also confirm with your doula exactly what services she provides and how much she is willing to speak for you. Mine was there to provide physical and emotional support. She did not get involved in medical decisions at all.

I agree with the comment about being flexible and open to change. Like you, I had intended on a natural birth, but I ended up with an epidural and several other interventions. At the time I was disappointed, but looking back, that was a far better experience than the emergency c-section I had with my younger son.

I would pack comfy pajamas, preferably ones that open in front so you can breastfeed. You might want to bring some ancient undies you don’t care about, because things get messy. My doula brought a CD player/CDs and candles.

13

I stayed in hospital post both births, longer than most women do - a blood pressure thing. So, my experience may be different. However, I’d agree with some of the suggestions. Things I was glad for: lots and lots of big comfy pants, particularly those I’d be happy to throw in the bin - stuff gets messy, for longer than you’d think; along with that, a metric tonne of maternity pads; toiletries - the first post birth shower is a wonderful thing, IME; snacks - particularly if you’re breastfeeding - I was staaaaaaaarving in the middle of every night; something to drink so you don’t have to rely on hospital staff remembering to bring you water.

Even in some ‘normal’ births there may be some sitting around, albeit constantly interrupted, so I agree a good easy book or magazine, as long as it’s not something you need to follow closely.

Good luck - and hope you have the birth you’re hoping for!

14

An ignorant non-mother here. What’s a doula?

15

For any hospital stay - lip goop and saline nasal spray. The air there is so damned processed I always end up drying out and getting cracked lips and nosebleeds:(

16

Definitely lip balm and moisturizer, granny panties, snacks and drinks for yourself. Warm socks - bleachable - pajamas, nursing bra, and a robe. Smart phone and a little light reading material. And outfits for yourself and baby for the drive home. Really, that’s more than adequate in my experience.

Congratulations!

17

My midwife gave me a list of suggested items for the hospital bag. I followed that pretty closely. I found that I don’t want to do anything other than focus on laboring when I am in labor. However, the husband spent hours sitting around flipping through whatever magazines the birthing center had lying around. You might want to include a book or magazine for your SO, especially if you’re like me and don’t want anyone to talk to you or touch you or in any way intrude on your zone.

Bring snacks. I was desperate for a Snickers bar post-baby with #1. With the second, I wised up and brought a giant bag of mini-Snickers with me for during and after labor. Healthier things were in there, too, but the Snickers were key.

I don’t think my birth plan was very detailed the first time around, and I didn’t do one at all the second time. My advice would be to make sure you communicate the most important things and don’t worry about the rest. My important thing was letting everyone know that I am scared of needles and they were to be avoided as much as possible. There were still a lot of needles, especially with the first, but everyone was aware of my issues and very good about making it as easy for me as possible. I (eventually) had an epidural with the first, but the second baby was very agreeable and didn’t require any interventions.

Good luck!

18

I think having a birth plan is key but accepting that things may not go the way you are expecting and forgiving yourself if you do something you said you would ‘never’ do is important.

I know way too many friends who didn’t want painkillers or a c-section but ended up having them who were very upset after the birth of their children.

If you make ith through the labour with a child, you have achieved the results that you needed. Everthing else is just gravy.

19

I had my two back before “birth plans” were invented.

Truthfully, you don’t need much at the hospital. You can send somebody to either the gift shop or Wally World if you are desperate for anything in particular.

If you give birth in a civilian hospital, THEY provide you with a sanitary belt. If you give birth in a military hospital, you have to bring your own. I wish somebody had told me, since #2 was born at a military hospital. I had to send Hubster out to try to find one. It didn’t work too well.

I prefer wearing hospital gowns and robes, since getting icky-nasty on your pretty nighties means YOU have to wash it out. All you REALLY need is something for you and Baby to wear home. Take a few disposable diapers. Many hospitals don’t provide didies for the trip home.

And for YOUR clothes to wear? Take your most comfortable, roomy MATERNITY clothes. You won’t fit in anything else (sorry!) and you don’t want anything to bind, to dig, to irritate ANY PART OF YOUR BODY, DAMMIT.

You’ve been through a lot. Be NICE to yourself.

I reiterate what was mentioned above: the nurses run the show in Labor & Delivery. Seriously. They do EVERYTHING. They manage to LET the doctor in to catch the baby, but those nurses do it all.

These days, they barely get the placenta delivered before you are discharged. TRY to take advantage of the time you are there and SLEEP.

You won’t sleep again until the baby is around a year old.

Congratulations! Babies are wonderful, terrifying creatures–and you will never in your life experience such awe and such love!
~VOW

20

I didn’t have a birth plan, I had birth preferences. It stated my opinion and preferences towards a variety of things - positions during labour, fetal monitoring, drugs, c-section, episotomy, placement of drip, induction, ability to breastfeed, when to cut the cord, who would catch the baby etc.

All were couched in terms of “we’d like…unless medically necessary” and our Ob was happy to talk through all of them to understand the sort of labour I wanted - the only one he pushed back on was the request for oral Vit K - he said that wasn’t nearly as effective and he would only really recommend an injection, and we went with him on that.

Clearly, you need to trust the person you are choosing for your care, and we knew that if he said it was time for something I had requested to avoid, that there would be a good reason for it.

In the end I got pretty much my ideal labour - long (39 hours), but 38 of which were at home in my own surroundings, and my Ob even remembered that we wanted to find out the sex of the baby ourselves so put her straight on my tummy when she was born. We were close to needing an episotomy, but she just got out in time (and I was completely fine with it when he said “it looks like it might shatter otherwise!” :open_mouth: )

I’m due again in 6 weeks and have just had a look at my hospital packing list again - here’s the sort of things that have stayed on it (we have up to 5 days post birth in hospital here, so some things are for that, and others are for the labour part at home):

• Wallet - Medicare card and private health insurance card
• Folder containing: Hospital registration, birth preferences and Power of Attorney
• iPhone/iPad
• Battery chargers
• Face cloth/face spray
• Hair bands
• Something to read – mags
• Snacks (muffins, trail mix, protein bars - high-energy stuff)
• Juice/Powerade
• Candy
• Lipbalm
• Tennis balls/back massager
• Stress balls
• Wheatbag
• Warm, comfortable socks that can be thrown out
• Thongs (flip flops?)
After labour
• Breastfeeding pillow
• Nipple shields
• Lanolin nipple cream
• Breastpads
• PJs/robe
• Underwear
• Toiletries
• Maternity pads
• Going home outfit - loose-fitting maternity clothes to wear home (you’ll still look 5 months pregnant!)
For Io
• Receiving blanket
• Swaddle
• Hat
• Nappies
• Wipes
• Singlet
• Onesies
• Baby nail clippers
• Baby mittens
• Socks