My Birth Plan

Hello to the staff at Sutter Memorial Birthing Center!

We are the S family expecting our second baby girl who we are naming Vera. We are very excited that you will be helping and sharing her birth with us. Please let us help you to get to know us better by reading our wishes for this birth which we have summed up for you here. We are planning an unmedicated vaginal birth, our second one! We know that, with your help and the absence of complications, that this will be an amazing natural birth. We believe that flexibility and having an open mind for all our parts is key. We would like to ask to be attended by staff who are best capable at and who are the most excited about helping with an unmedicated birth. We look forward to getting your support and your advice throughout our experience. Our birth team consists of myself, my husband, our doula Teresa and my sister Kristalle.

Labor

I am happy to move around and change positions for more comfort and to speed up labor.

I would like the room to remain dim with no bright lights during labor and after delivery.

I would like to sip water or coconut water throughout labor to prevent dehydration.

In the absence of complications I would like minimal interventions such as pain medication, vaginal exams, internal monitoring and IV.

Please help me by not asking if I want pain medications since I or one of my birth team members will let you know if I change my mind. If interventions become necessary, please allow us time to review all the risks and benefits with you.

I would like to forgo continuous monitoring unless it becomes necessary.

Episiotomy

I would prefer not to have an episiotomy unless it is absolutely necessary to hasten Vera’s delivery.

Delivery

Please help me to try a variety of positions including the squatting bar.

I would like to push only when I feel the urge and would like direction in my low grunting and vocal noises.

If possible my husband would like to help deliver or catch Vera.

After Delivery

I want my daughter placed on my stomach/chest immediately after delivery to allow us to bond.

We do not want the umbilical cord to be cut until it has stopped pulsating and until Vera has received all of the blood from the placenta. My husband would like to cut the cord when the time comes.

Please delay all noncritical measures: We would like all non-emergency routines to be postponed from being administered to Vera until at least 1 to 2 hours after her birth so we can immediately bond with her and begin breastfeeding.

We do not want Vera to receive the Vitamin K Shot/injection

We do not want Vera to receive Erythromycin eye ointment

If my daughter must be taken from me to receive medical treatment, my husband will accompany her at all times.

We want to request a private room whenever one is available.

Please do not announce our daughter’s birth to family members who may be waiting outside, we will let them know after Vera has breastfed.

Placenta

We want to keep the placenta, please do not discard it

We prefer to allow the placenta to be delivered without assistance, pulling, or medication.

We plan on encapsulating the placenta and have brought a cooler filled with ice for the placenta to remain in until transfer by us.

Breastfeeding

I would like to avoid all artificial nipples including pacifiers and bottles.

If Vera and I have any trouble with breastfeeding I welcome your guidance and support to help us along with our latching and with any other problems we may have.

This will be my second time breastfeeding a newborn and I plan to nurse on demand and exclusively.

In case of Cesarean

I would like my husband present at all times, as well as my doula if the anesthesiologist allows it.

As long as we are both stable, please facilitate a minimal separation between Vera and I so I can breastfeed and bond as soon as possible.

Thank You

We would like to thank you ahead of time for your help and participation in our unmedicated birth of our baby girl Vera! We understand that in the event of an emergency flexibility is required, and we will discuss necessary changes to our birth plan with the hospital staff and medical team. Thank you for helping us make the birth of baby Vera unique and special.