Mothering Forum banner

Transfer Bag and plan

824 views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  JenVose 
#1 ·
I am making my list for my transfer bag and writing that section of my birth "plan"

I have had two hospital births, so know what to pack for that, but wondering how a transfer old be different.

In a true emergency it is not really important, but otherwise, what were you glad to have, thought out or planned?
 
#2 ·
I've been working on this recently too...36 weeks now so time is running out!

Re: transfer birth plan. My backup OB's hospital is very good about accepting homebirth transfers and I've been with clients who have transferred so I know what to expect.

I plan to have a statement at the top explaining that I was planning a home birth (and therefore very low-intervention) and that I appreciate the hospital accommodating that plan in whatever way is still possible given the nature of the complication that has brought me there. I will briefly state my preference for no saline lock, intermittent monitoring, unmedicated birth, catching my own baby, etc....just to give them an idea of what I'm talking about. I will have a newborn section - immediate skin-to-skin if possible, DCC, no eyes/thighs, no bath, nothing by mouth except breastmilk (preferably directly breastfeeding - if not, cup feeding only). I will also have a cesarean section plan with my preferences for that - again DCC 3 minutes if possible, husband in OR, pictures, immediate skin-to-skin if possible. I will state that I wish to keep the placenta. I will also specify that the baby is to be skin-to-skin with *someone* - my husband, doula, midwife - if I am unable to do so and that I wish milk to be expressed if I am unable within 2 hours of birth and every 2 hours afterward and provided to my baby.

Yes, I have put a lot of thought into this
wink1.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: ErynWrenRed
#3 ·
Thanks ww. My midwife delivered at my transfer hospital for a decade so they give her very smooth transitions. So I am not worried, just need to have plans.

I like the skin to skin with someone.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by LeighPF View Post

Thanks ww. My midwife delivered at my transfer hospital for a decade so they give her very smooth transitions. So I am not worried, just need to have plans.
This is really great! IMO, the worst thing about HB in the US is the poor system for transfer care in many areas. I transferred with my first baby and hadn't planned at all.
eyesroll.gif
There were a few things in retrospect that I wished I had brushed up on but since you've already had a hospital birth, I'm sure you already now all of that.

So... I don't have much to add.

One thing I could say for your situation is to remind the people at your birth (partner, family, whoever) that many homebirths transfer for non-emergent reasons and a trip to the hospital, while sometimes dramatic seeming, is not in-itself cause for alarm.

It's a funny thing with a planned homebirth that even though 99% of births happen in the hospital, a HB transfer is sometimes viewed as "something going wrong" when, in fact, the mother may just need some interventions not available at home.
 
#5 ·
What did your midwife do to educate you about transport that you found to be helpful OR what do you suggest that midwives do to prepare clients for the event of a transport?
 
#6 ·
I don't have much in the way of a birth plan for transfer. I do have something that says that I do not consent to vaccination or circumcision in the case of a son for my child, but I assume if we need to transfer, things have gotten bad enough that stuff like catching the baby myself is not super important.
 
#7 ·
phathui5. We talked about emergency transfer, the big three (cord prolaps, placental abruption and something else) where it is 911 ights flashing ambulance to the ER and thank goodness for modern medicine.

It was a while ago so I don't remember the exactly what we talked about with non emergency transport, but it was very much framed as we will have time to talk and make a decision.
 
#8 ·
Phathui5 - I had a birthing center birth with my first, and at my last couple of visits we started talking about what I might want to have with me in case of a hospital transfer (more clothes for DH/baby being the primary things I recall), and what procedure would be - we were only a few blocks from nearest hospital so one attending would ride with us in our personal vehicle with our records while another attending would stay at the birthing center and contact the hospital by phone to have us admitted. My placenta was slow in detaching and I was almost transferred (took 45 minutes and two doses of Placenta Out, and the midwife requires transfer at 1 hour). I do wish that I had been given a little more information beforehand on what might necessitate a transfer after delivery and what to expect from the hospitals in terms of whether baby would be allowed to stay with me/would my baby be examined by hospital staff/would I be allowed to nurse/etc. if I had been transferred after the birth so that I would have felt more prepared. I will definitely be asking those questions with this pregnancy if I am able to have another birthing center birth.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top