Written the first draft of my birth plan, I got some examples from Vivien at active birth classes and copied and pasted a fair few extracts. Hope to discuss it with the midwife on Thursday, here it is...

Birth Plan

In preparation for this birth, I’ve attended active birth classes. Ideally, I would like as active and natural a birth as possible. However, of course the health of the baby is of paramount importance, and also I appreciate that I might well need to be administered with pain relief and need medical intervention if the birth is difficult. The notes below apply to an ideal birth. If it is necessary to deviate from these points, please can:

*The pros and cons for options be explained clearly to me and my husband;
*The implications of doing nothing to be outlined to us.
*Please can we be given as much time as is practical and possible to make a decision

I want my husband Mark to accompany and support me throughout, even if I have to have an emergency Cesarean section.

Environment:
I have been booked (?) into the Active Birth Suite but if for some reason on the day I have to be in one of the normal delivery rooms, I would like if applicable (ie there is no medical reason for me to lie down) and if possible for the bed to be pushed to one side and for me to be offered some crash mats.

Please can the lights be kept as low as possible throughout, including after the birth. I would like my music to be played during the birth.

I am happy to have students present during the birth.

Managing labour:
I would like to have as active a birth as possible – moving around, kneeling, using my birthing ball etc. – and would like to avoid lying on my back. If I need to lie down, I would like it to be on my side if possible. I would also like to have a birthing stool available to try, particularly in later stages when I am tired but still want to remain in an upright position. I understand these are available on the birthing suite.

If our baby appears to be poorly positioned or if labour is not progressing well for some reason, I would appreciate it if you could suggest changes of position or movements which might help. Any general advice as to comfortable active labour positions will also be extremely welcome.


Medical routines and interventions:
I would like intervention in the birth to be kept as low as safety allows, with foetal monitoring used that allows me to move around.

internal examinations? (not sure about this bit, whether I want to minimised them or not)

I would like to avoid the birth being induced if possible. I would prefer for my waters not to be broken artificially unless it is at the end of the 2nd stage of labour and this would aid the birth.

If I need to be on a drip or have baby monitoring during my labour I would still like to be able to move around, so please use a long lead and attach to my arm instead of hand.

I am very keen to avoid tears so would appreciate advice on this. I would also prefer not to have an episiotomy unless our baby needs to be born quickly for her safety.

If a Cesarean is necessary I would like our baby handed straight to me or Mark, if possible.

Pain relief:
For natural pain relief, I plan to use my breathing techniques. I plan to use a TENS machine, heat pack, massage etc.

If medical pain relief is necessary:
I am happy to try gas and air.
I am not keen on pethidine, but would consider it if it was recommended.
If an epidural becomes necessary I would like it to be as low a dose as possible, so that I can continue to feel my legs and be aware of contractions. I would prefer for it to wear off for the second stage as I would like to be able to push our baby out myself.
Please avoid offering me pain relief, I would prefer to ask for it myself

3rd Stage & after birth:
Ideally, we would like Mark to cut our baby’s cord once it has stopped pulsating.

If I have not needed any previous medical intervention that would increase risks from blood loss, I would prefer a natural 3rd stage. If a managed 3rd stage is necessary, my next preference would be for delayed active management and for the cord to finish pulsating before the drug is administered.

I would like to attempt to breastfeed my baby immediately if possible. I would like as much time as possible to bond with our baby before she is taken for weighing etc - unless there are medical reasons which over rule this. My husband and I would like to find out the sex of our baby ourselves. My husband and I would like to spend some quiet time together with our baby at this time.

I am happy for our baby to have the vitamin K injection.

If I have a tear or episiotomy, I am happy to have stitches immediately after the birth.

If the labour has gone very smoothly and I have been able to breast feed without problems then I would like to be discharged home after six hours.

If she has to go to a special baby unit for any reason, I would like to express milk to give to her.



Finally, although I have written this birth plan, I am happy to be lead by the experience of the midwife team at any point that it is deemed beneficial to me and our baby.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and support during this experience. I value your knowledge and expertise and appreciate that you have only our best interests at heart.

Been getting lots of movements, each time I try to take a video or picture though it doesn't really show anything. Took this one couple of evenings ago and it does show a big stretch over on the right hand side.

Little wa-wa is lying on the right side (and has been for a long time), with her head down and her little feet keep kicking me under the ribs. She moves her feet alot, but often does big stretches out to the side also.

Last day staying with Granny and Grandpa today, so I went in the pool with Fidget before we left, which was an opportunity to get some clear belly shots...


After Saturday's drama, mini-C has not been still today, as I type there is such grooving, I feel I am a cement mixer. This is very reasuring now, rather than slightly annoying.


I have tried to get some video of the grooving, but it just doesn't show up.

Blimey - nothing like having a few days away from home towards the end of your pregnancy to bring on the drama!

This morning Granny and Grandpa took Fidget in with them and sorted out her breakfast too, so M and I had a lovely long lie in. As I was having a shower and getting dressed I started to realise I hadn't felt mini-C move yesterday, we had been busy at the beach, but when she gets going she is pretty vigorous so I started to feel a bit worried. M came in and we decided to go to the local surgery that supposedly had a drop in session on Saturday mornings, but arriving there we found it closed. We got back to Granny and Grandpa's and found a number to call instead. The lady on the phone was very nice and made an appointment for me at Poole Hospital for 1:30. This was quite handy as we had been planning to go to Poole Park in the afternoon anyway and Poole Hospital is right opposite. After a quick bit of lunch we all set off.

Granny and Grandpa took Fidget to the park and M and I went into the outpatients. We had to wait for nearly an hour, but it was quite nice to spend time with M in the waiting room. It was as we were sat there that mini-C really started to groove around - brilliant! But of course I felt a little silly when we were finally called, but still felt sure we had done the right thing. The receptionist was funny, he came over trying to hide a urine sample pot and hand it to me really discretely. Pregnant lady and wee - who cares really, but he was clearly trying to be really discreet - bless! Anyway we went in and the doctor was very kind and didn't make me feel bad, he still went through all the tests, so checked my wee, took blood pressure (110/75) then got out the baby listener jobby and the heartbeat was good and strong.

It was all a bit more stressful being away from home, as I didn't have my notes, didn't know any of the numbers of who to call etc. It has been really relaxing to be here and I will miss having the help and being able to put up my feet all day, plus the lie-ins and time with M, but it will be reassuring to be home. Feel like we are really on the final stretch and make sure everything is ready.

Woke up this morning and needed to go to the loo, nothing unusual there...stood up and tottered across the room sideways, I was so dizzy and lightheaded. M thought I was capering about. I got back to bed and the room was spinning. M went back to sleep but I laid there worrying for a while. I felt like I needed to get up and have a drink and something to eat, I didn't want to wake M, but I felt unable to get up on my own. He woke up and helped me down to breakfast, I ate some cereal and had a smoothie but I could hardly hold my head up.

I went back up to bed and slept for a while longer, then M brought more fruit juice and a cereal bar, after a bit more of a sleep I felt able to get up and have a shower. We were supposed to go out to some nearby woods today for a walk round and let Fidget have a clamber round the play things, but I felt like I shouldn't go out and spent most of the day sat in Granny's comfy chair with my feet up. It is lucky we were here really as Granny and Grandpa looked after Fidget and kept her happy and busy and M was able to look after me which was really nice. He even went out to the shops and bought me some magazines. He did really well with limited instruction and brought a hair magazine (as requested), Marie Claire and InStyle (2 for £5 offer!), plus a cake.

Not sure what it was about really, I know my last posting I went on about not wanting to eat, but yesterday I still ate well, though I suppose if I am honest I was a little more cautious about a second helping but not to the point I thought it would have any effect. I guess it was also quite a busy day as Granny and I went shopping for the day, so there was quite a bit of walking despite the stops for cups of tea and lunch.

I hope I feel ok tomorrow, I would really like to take Fidget to the beach, at least there will be little walking with that. We'll see, I guess.

My stomach is now giving me some real jip. Yesterday I didn't eat a particularly enourmous amount, for breakfast I had a bowl of cereal, a yoghurt and a small pastry. We had a pub lunch and I had a steak and ale pie with veg and chips, I shared a fair bit of the pie with Fidget. In the afternoon I had a few crisps and nibbles and then had a sandwhich for tea plus a sliver of pear tart. All very yummy, all pretty healthy and balanced. But that evening I was in such pain, as there was no room at all, I felt my sides were splitting, my muscles at my side were straining and so painful. My rather irrational reaction was that I didn't want to eat anymore, which I know is stupid and I wont do, but it was just so horrible, and it has been getting worse and worse like that and I know that I still have a few weeks left where mini-C will be growing and growing and there will be less and less room.


With Fidget I didn't have many stretchmarks on my stomach (lots on my boobs - but hey), apart from a small patch above my belly button. This time the patch above my belly button was visible again, but until recently nothing else, but it has now got more stretched and messy stretch lines are appearing in a vertical plane below my belly button which I find really upsetting. Some nights I can almost feel the skin stretching which is terrifying, the thought of having the scars is upsetting but also the physcological effect of feeling my skin going beyond its limit and starting to give up is frightening. I hope it doesn't get too much worse - everytime I go to a bathroom with a mirror I check they haven't got worse. I might take a picture. They probably don't look bad at all, but I feel really deflated by their arrival.

34 week pictures - taken on Monday this week...

I think I was feeling rather grumpy at the time, I was feeling pretty urrrrggg earlier this week. I feel very big - I know that my bump is very neat and I am grateful for that, but I just feel that I am large - that I fill up the space. I put on clothes and they just flooob outwards and make me feel like a table with a fussy tablecloth on it in a stuffy old house.


As I write this, I am in a much better headspace. Today M and I went to a partner's workshop. I have been going to active birthing classes each week led by a lady called Vivien. There are some basic principles to an active birth...

• Its active as opposed to passive, so we learn about labour and birth in more detail and consider what choices we might make in different situations.
  
• Its active as opposed to static, so its about moving around, giving the baby plenty of room to come out, getting into positions to be most comfortable
• We learn about breathing techniques - the main principle being breath out for longer than you breath in "in for 4, out for 6", this helps to cope with the pain
• Its about getting into a headspace where you are ready to cope with the pain, trying not to get overwhelmed, understanding if you are coping and if so keeping on, if not - making active choices about pain relief etc

So today, M and I went to a partner workshop. We were really grateful for N and little I coming over to spend the afternoon with Fidget so we could go. It was great to have M there learning about this stuff, really reassuring for me. He is great at retaining information, and is so supportive, so I am pleased we are coming from the name direction and can really work together. We learnt about the birth process, asking questions, breathing techniques, we watched some useful videos and finished it all off with some massage which was really nice.

So it's not long to go now, I feel pretty prepared. I just have to pack my hospital bag and write my birth plan. M and I have made a few different playlists of music with different feels, one with very relaxing music, one which is about moving and one which the tracks are a bit more can-do and motivating. M has to get the crib down from the loft and I may need to get a new mattress cos I don't think we protected it very well. I am looking forward to getting off work. 16th September is my last working day, but I am taking quite a few days off before then. Fidget is going to be staying in nursery 2 days a week so I will have a few days to myself, which i am looking forward to, so I can get my hair done, get any final bits I need to buy, but then relaxing as much as possible.

It feels really close now, and I do feel ready, not scared.

One thing I was thinking though, is because I was induced last time, and we went in on the day, and there was a very managed build up to the whole thing, it will probably be very strange to have labour start when its going to start - ie as a surprise, weird to think it could start anywhere rather than it starting while I am already at the hospital. This time we could be early, which I sort of hope not - even though I definitely don't want to be late and go down that road again - but I hope I do get some time off to relax when I finish work, but hey ho - what will be will be...