The Birth Plan

     If I have talked to you about birth, I have probably told you to make a birth plan. While some doctors and nurses will scoff at the idea, informing them of your choices is really only half the point. Obviously, that part is very important. But in addition, creating a birth plan will force you to think through your options and make important decisions ahead of time instead of trying to process all of the information during the heat of the moment.
     Now, since we are having a home birth we don't necessarily need a birth plan. When you deliver at a hospital, the chances are pretty good that you will not have met any of the nurses or staff. You're actually pretty lucky if your doctor is the one delivering. So it is important to have a record of your requests that you can easily distribute to whoever walks into the room. But with a home birth, we know who is going to be there. It will be the same person we have had every appointment with. We will have gone over all of our wishes, options, and decisions and will all be on the same page.
    However, in the highly unlikely event that we need to transfer to a hospital, we want to have a birth plan ready so that we can still welcome our child into the world the way we intended. I include our plan below. If you have any questions or would like the information and research behind our decisions, feel free to comment below or contact me.

Roxanne and Joey Buckman’s Birth Information

     Hello! We have been married for 2 ½ years. We moved to Tucson less than a year ago to complete our PhDs at the University of Arizona and are so excited to be welcoming the newest member of our family. Thank you so much for taking care of us. Here a few things you might want to know:

•  We are having a natural birth. Please do not offer or attempt to administer any pain medication, IV fluids, or anesthesia. We will let you know if we need it.
• Our midwife, Lia, will be with us at all times and is crucial to my labor and delivery. 
• Please assume any refusal of procedures is for religious reasons.  This includes- all medications, vaginal checks, constant electronic fetal monitoring, etc.

In the event of a cesarean section:

• Do not administer any medication that is not compatible with breastfeeding.
• My husband and our midwife, Lia, will both be present.
• Please describe the surgery and lower the screen so that we can watch our baby’s birth
• Delay cord clamping as long as possible, at least until pulsing ceases.
• Place baby directly on mom’s chest or hand to the father. All routine tests and procedures can wait.
• Baby will stay with mother throughout recovery.

Hi, my name is Perrin or Leila! Please:

• Check with my parents before performing any routine tests or procedures.
• NO eye ointment, vitamin K (oral or injection), or hepatitis B vaccination.
• I need to be with one of my parents at all times. If I must be taken from my mother, dad will stay with me.
•  No baths please!
• I am breastfeeding. I need to be skin to skin with my mom ASAP.
• No bottles, pacifiers, sugar water, or formula.
• DO NOT CIRCUMCISE. Do not attempt to retract or manipulate my foreskin.