What do I put on my list of donts?

[katie9143]

So if i have to have my baby at the hospital tomorrow - what do i need to put on my list of donts?? I feel like im so flustered right now and alway assumed i would have my baby here at home and that my mw would do very little, but now everything has changed (see previous thread). This is my preliminary list - help me add to it please!!

1. Dont wipe stuff off my baby
2. Dont stick a nasty cap on her
3. Dont cut her cord til it stops pulsating
4. Dont put anything on her or in her without asking me first
5. ??

Help!

[Emilie]

You are having your baby at home s it is ok. The hospital can not force you to come in.
You are okay.
Normally I thought mw's could tell if you had enough amniotic fluid just by feel?

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by katie9143

So if i have to have my baby at the hospital tomorrow - what do i need to put on my list of donts?? I feel like im so flustered right now and alway assumed i would have my baby here at home and that my mw would do very little, but now everything has changed (see previous thread). This is my preliminary list - help me add to it please!!

1. Dont wipe stuff off my baby
2. Dont stick a nasty cap on her
3. Dont cut her cord til it stops pulsating
4. Dont put anything on her or in her without asking me first
5. ??

Help!

Can I suggest that, rather than a "list of don't", you rephrase things a bit to make them more positive? The hospital staff is more likely to comply with your wishes if they aren't given a list of "don't do this" and "don't do that." I KNOW ...it shouldn't matter... but if your aim is to get what you want with a minimum of stress, it could make a real difference.

For example, rather than "don't wipe stuff off my baby," try "we would prefer to leave the vernix on the baby's skin, and would like to postpone the newborn bath until a later time."

Or rather than "don't stick a nasty cap on her," how about "while we understand the need to maintain the baby's body temperature, we would prefer to do so with skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby, with both covered with blankets."

Valerie
Illinois

[Shazer]

List specifically what you don't want, because I doubt the hospital staff will pay attention unless everything is crystal clear.

Ex. No Vit K shot for baby, No eye antibiotics for baby, Cut the cord only after it has stop pulsating, No Heb B shot, Baby will room-in with mother, No episiotomy, No epidural

[Blue Dragonfly]

write down your list and make sure everyone has a copy.

[Full Heart]

Write short sweet sentances. I have transfered before and one thing you don't want is to be trying to explain to people why you don't want something. I wrote:

Under no circumstances do NOT:
1. give baby heb b shot
2. give baby vit k
3. circumsize if we have a boy
4. give baby eye drops
These are not up for discussion.

I had a longer list of things I wanted and didn't want but those are things I was very strict on and would not even consider discussing. I also made note that the baby was not to be given artificial nipples unless I was unconscience, I wanted to bfed ASAP. I didn't want cord traction or early cord cutting (still got that though). I wanted dh to announce the sex (didn't get that either). No PKU - I was having my mw do that at home later in the week and I still got lectured on that. I didn't want to be asked for pain meds, I would do the asking. No episiotomy except to save the life of my baby (dr never even uncovered his tray). In case of c/s I wanted to be awake, double suture, bfed asap if baby was healthy, dh was go to nursery with the baby. If you want to can request no routine IV, only intermitent monitoring, limited if any VEs, no AROM (esp if they are concerned with low fluid and mec), that you want to move around as much as possible, no internal monitoring, etc.

[~MoonGypsy~]

Unless things have changed since 10/2005 it was Hep A that they try to give in the hospital, in our case anyway. Listing the wrong one (Hep B) could give them the leeway to administer the right one (Hep A).

[Midwife Kris]

I suppose you are considering your list of don'ts from the point of view you are transferring to the hospital because of YOU. What if the reason you are transferring is because of the BABY either in utero or just born? Then what would you consider?

(I see you're asking now because you're dealing with the induction issue. Still I think the questions above are up for consideration for home birth transfers.)

[homebirthbaby]

I decided to be a little more to the point with my "Dont's" this time around.
Here they are, if I'm not too late!

*I do not want an IV or Heparin lock
*Vaginal exams upon request only.
*I prefer no electronic fetal monitoring
*No Cytotec
*No episiotomy unless baby's condition indicates a need – then please discuss with me
*Even if I am fully dilated, and assuming Baby is not in distress, I would like to try to wait until I feel the urge to push before beginning the pushing phase.
*Please let the umbilical cord stop pulsating before it is cut.
*If suctioning is necessary, I would prefer that a hand suction be used, no tube suctioning.
*I would like to nurse immediately to help uterus contract efficiently and loosen placenta in one piece from uterine wall.
*I would like to push the placenta out myself, no artificial hormone, pulling placenta out or having stomach “kneaded”.
*I would like to have Baby evaluated in my presence.
*We are exclusively breastfeeding. No bottles, glucose water, plain water or formula.
*No pacifiers.
*No antibiotic eye drops/ointment.
*No Vitamin K.
*No Hepatitis B immunization.
*No circumcision performed at this time.
*No bath while in the hospital

Remember, you can always take the hat off, and if the baby is with you at all times, feel free to ask them not to dress him/her, or tell them that you would like to do it, and then don't do it.

[Midwife Kris]

The above list of requests sounds like it is for a home birth. Why would you be going to the hospital? LOL.

[Emilie]

Thinking of you hon. What is going on?

[Full Heart]

Originally Posted by ~MoonGypsy~

Unless things have changed since 10/2005 it was Hep A that they try to give in the hospital, in our case anyway. Listing the wrong one (Hep B) could give them the leeway to administer the right one (Hep A).

No, its Hep B. Hep B is a lifelong infection. Hep A is not. It can last 6-9 mos but it does resolve, its like having the flu. Hep B is considered a sexually transmitted disease (you can also get it from sharing needles or at birth) and Hep A usually comes from eating food that has been contaminated by feces of someone infected. THe vax for hep a shouldn't be given till age of 12 mos.

[3.14_Opal]

Are you cloth diapering? You could also tell them no disposable diapers.

[Midwife Kris]

Originally Posted by 3.14_Opal

Are you cloth diapering? You could also tell them no disposable diapers.

The main hospital in Boulder, CO automatically cloth diapers newborns. You could've knocked me over with a feather when I saw that. The nurse actually asked if I was okay when I saw her doing that. LOL, I'd never heard of such a thing in the hospital!

[ColoradoMama]

Leave vernix on baby to be rubbed in not wiped off
Immediate skin to skin contact
Leave cord attached until it stops pulsating
Absolutely no shots unless specific permission given by me or husband (put your names, of course) - this includes vaccinations, vitamins and antibiotics
Breastmilk ONLY - absolutely no artificial nipples and nothing other than breastmilk
Bath will be delayed
Any oxygen or extra warming needs to happen while baby is having skin to skin contact with mother
Baby will not be taken out of the room without at least one of his/her parents present
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL BABY BE CIRCUMCIZED - PERIOD
Mother and baby will room in together

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by metromidwife

The main hospital in Boulder, CO automatically cloth diapers newborns. You could've knocked me over with a feather when I saw that. The nurse actually asked if I was okay when I saw her doing that. LOL, I'd never heard of such a thing in the hospital!

No way. That's cool. That hospital was on "The Stand!" Of course, 99% of the world's population had died, but still.......