This morning I had Leo’s 26 week OB visit. It’s the last of my regular visits! Next week I go back for the glucose test and then will be going every two weeks until he or she arrives. Um. Does that seem CRAZY to anyone else?!?! It’s for sure going by fast!!!
My appointment was later than usual so I expected to be waiting a long time. But this was the quickest I’ve ever gotten in and out!
One neat thing about seeing Stacy is that each visit I see her looking more and more pregnant just as she’s seeing me looking more and more pregnant. She looks awesome and totally made me envious! We listened to the heartbeat right away and I filled her in about our recent Ireland trip last week. Leo’s heart beat was in the 140s-150s, similar to what we just heard Tuesday night.
This visit I remembered to bring my birth plan! I just printed it off from what I used for Britt’s plan and made a couple changes. We went over it in detail and discussed several things. I was pretty sure it would be a good-to-go plan since it was last time around, and it was!
A big thing we discussed is c-section procedures. Which is know is random, but it is in my birth plan just in case and it was good for me to know how it all works. And I totally had to hold back tears when we talked about it. My heart breaks for mamas who have to experience that and I pray I’m never one of them. I am so, so, SO thankful that Zach and I stood firm when we had Kye and begged, pleaded, and insisted for them to allow me to push longer than the norm in order to avoid c-section.
Because I don’t do any pain medicine while in labor and because I plan to get to the hospital as late as possible to have this baby…IF I end up in c-section…it’ll probably be an emergency situation. I mean you guys know I’m not gonna get a c-section unless it’s an emergency! But the emergency procedure is awful. Like I’d probably have to be put under. And Zach couldn’t be in the room for any of it. And I won’t get to see my baby. And it would go to the nursery with Zach before I could even ever breastfeed. Long story short: I don’t want any of that to happen!!! Obviously a healthy baby trumps everything BUT it was good to know that IF a worst case scenario takes place that I CAN be persistent in telling them to bring me my baby. Nursing is crucial to me and the longer I have to wait to nurse the worse it is for that bond so IF I do for some reason end up in c-section I will wake up from my drowsy state demanding to nurse 😉
Stacy kept reminding me that she’s not concerned about me ending in c-section, and honestly I’m not either. I’m more concerned that this baby will be delivered in our car than I am about ending in c-section. But I am thankful to have a better understanding of the procedure!
She added a few notes to my birth plan and signed it so I can bring it with me to the hospital when delivery time comes. That way, just in case she isn’t there, they will still honor it since she signed it. Even though not much has changed from it from when I used it last time, I thought it’d still be good to type it out for anyone who is interested.
Our Birth Plan
- I would like only my husband, Zach Parker, and our photographer allowed in the room with me during labor and delivery, unless I specify otherwise.
- I would like to wear my own hospital gown and bring a fan to use during delivery
- If not in active labor when I get to the hospital then I’d like the option of returning home (let’s be real…that ain’t gonna be happening!)
- One I’m admitted I’d like:
- My husband to be allowed to stay in the room with me at all times
- To try and stay hydrated by drinking clear liquids and eating ice
- To walk on my own to the bathroom, as long as I am not on Pitocin
- To use the restroom on my own without a catheter
- As long as the baby and I are doing fine I’d like to:
- Be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary
- Be allowed to aqua in or beside the bed as long as the FHT’s are traceable
- Please do not offer me pain medication. I plan to use natural methods of childbirth (I’ve prepared using the Bradley Method) and will request medication if I need it.
- I would also like to avoid using Pitocin if possible.
- Please do not divulge any information about the sex of our baby to us or to others, we want it to be a surprise when he or she is born.
- My husband will keep the people in the waiting room updates on how we are all doing
- When it’s time to push I’d like to:
- Be coached on when to push and for how long
- Be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits as long as the baby and I are doing fine.
- During delivery I’d like:
- Not to view the birth using a mirror (people always think it’s funny that I’m allll about natural birth but then don’t want to see it. Um no thanks!)
- The room to be as quiet as possible
- To give birth without an episiotomy, unless fetal distress.
- After birth I’d like:
- To wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it’s clamped and cut (which Stacy said is now common practice at our hospital! Yay!)
- My husband to cut the umbilical cord
- If I have to have a c-section I’d like:
- My husband present at all times during the operation. However, I understand the process and spinal vs general anesthesia (Zach can’t be in the room when spinal meds are administered and can’t be in the room if it ends in an emergency type operation)
- The baby to be given to my husband as soon as he or she is dried, if appropriate
- To breastfeed as soon as possible
- After delivery I’d like:
- All newborn procedures to take place in my presence or my husband’s presence unless otherwise decided. However, I understand nursery procedures (baby can’t get first bath in the room with us)
- My partner to stay with the baby at all times if I cannot be there
- For family, friends, and other visitors to NOT see our baby until WE introduce them after birth.
- I’d like my baby taken to the nursery to sleep but to be brought back to me anytime he or she wakes for feedings (I planned to have Britt sleep in the room with us and ended up being TOO scared to sleep. I was so worried about her that I couldn’t rest and ended up having to have them take her to the nursery to sleep so I’m gonna go ahead and plan on that this time around)
- I’d like my son and daughter brought in to see me and meet the new baby as soon as possible after delivery
- I would like my son and daughter to be allowed to visit with me for as long as they wish or as long as the hospital permits
- I would like my guests to be permitted to stay as long as they wish (sometimes they try to rush you after delivery and I don’t plan to let them!!!)
- I plan to breastfeed exclusively. Do NOT offer my baby formula, sugar water, or a pacifier.
- If my baby is a boy I want to have him circumcised at the hospital (bring on the anti-circumcision groups…)
- I’d like to stay in the hospital for 48 hours before discharge (I only stayed 24 with Kye and wasn’t sure what I’d want to do after Britt…but ended up staying 48 b/c I passed out. This time I’m planning to stay the full 48 because it’s WONDERFUL quality time with the baby!)
Not too crazy or hippie-ish huh? When I wrote it originally I worked with Stacy a lot on it to make sure what was most important to me was included but that I didn’t push the limitations the hospital has. Like they don’t do water births…so why put that on there? The main things of importance to me are no drugs, no catheter, no time limits on pushing, cord pulsing, and breastfeeding. So I mainly focused on those points! Sure, it’d be a bonus not to have to have an episiotomy again but if it has to happen it’s not a BIG deal. I already experienced the worst possible case with that (they cut me and then I ripped the rest of the way when I pushed for over 3 hours with Kye!) so I’m not worried about it!
We talked about the pulse ox test. I’ve seen it floating around Facebook but Stacy said it’s not something that is being done yet in smaller, regional hospitals so it won’t be happening. We also talked about the whole TDap mess and we DO all need to have that shot! I can get mine starting tomorrow up until I’m 36 weeks so we will probably go soon and will be inviting anyone else who wants to come to get it! I plan to write a post with more info on that 🙂
We also talked about my constipation issues. I brought all my vitamins and we discussed all of them and if that could be to blame for my issues. The advocare coreplex with iron actually has less iron than the low iron prenatals I bought before our trip so I plan to switching back to the Advocare ones once I finish this bottle of them! I’ve also only been taking one probiotic restore but she said I can take an extra one if it might help! I will discuss more about my lovely poop news in tomorrow’s post 😉
It was a great, quick visit and the combo of seeing Leo the other night and going over the birth plan today makes it all feel like it’s a REALITY and that it’s coming SOON!
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