emergency transfer birth plan?

[jenmarie]

I'm sure this topic has got to be covered in here somewhere (probably more than once!), but the search isn't helping me at all.... I'm just getting any post that contains the words 'birth' OR 'plan', and well, that's MOST of 'em. *laugh*

I'm sure it won't be necessary, but I would like to have a written birth plan in case of transfer on hand so that my husband won't have to try to remember everything and he can just hand a sheet of paper to the staff, my mom (who's all about the hospital thang), etc., and stick to the business of taking care of me.

So, does anyone happen to have any sample birth plans specific to this sort of scenario? My midwife and I are very much in sync as far as my homebirth goes, and I know she will advocate for me wonderfully in the unlikely event of a transfer.

I just think having something on paper would make that situation easier on everyone involved, and would make my mind rest easier knowing I'd covered the bases I needed to cover ahead of time.

[Belleweather]

The important thing about emergency birth plans, IMHO, is to keep them SHORT. You're not going to be in a good position to be insisting on stuff, since you're generally stuck with whatever doctor is on-call, so really focus on the things that are of desperate importance to you, and don't waste time or energy on anything you don't need to ask permission for -- just do it.

We also separated our emergency birth plans into 3 pages with a few sentences each: one for a medicated vaginal birth, one for a CS, and one for care for the baby. In retrospect, I might not include one for an in-hospital vaginal birth since the only two things on it that I couldn't just up and do were intermittent monitoring and no use of cytotec, which are easy to decline.

The CS birth plan included something about my intense fear about being awake during the section and asking that the docs and nurses help me deal, that DH would still like to cut the cord, and that I really wanted my incision to be closed with a double layer of sutures if at all possible. Also, that I wanted DH to stay with the baby and for him to be brought to me in the recovery room as soon as possible.

For care for the baby, we stressed that we anticipated a rooming in situation and wanted the baby under our care at all times. We declined eye gook and vaccinations (but stated that we'd discuss them with our Ped. and gave her name), and said we wanted to discuss vitamin K after the birth. We also had a line about no artificial nipples or formula or glucose water, and that we wanted to breastfeed as early and often as possible. We also included that we didn't want him circumcized, but I think that was overkill since it turns our backup hospital doesn't do circumcisions and you have to make a separate appointment, so the chance of an 'accidental snip' was LOW.

I think its important to keep your emergency birth plan short and use positive phrasing whenever possible -- you've lost a ton of room to negotiate by being an emergency transfer, so you absolutely want honey rather than vinegar.

[Chic_Mama]

If you PM me I can send you a sample birth plan and so worksheet of things to consider.