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Birth Plan and Breast feeding. Birth Plan. A birth plan is a way of communicating with the midwives, doctors, and nurses who care for you in labour . It tells them about the kind of labour you would like to have, what you want to happen and what you would like to avoid, if possible.
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Birth Plan • A birth plan is a way of communicating with the midwives, doctors, and nurses who care for you in labour. • It tells them about the kind of labour you would like to have, what you want to happen and what you would like to avoid, if possible. • It's not written in stone because the best birth plans acknowledge that things may not go according to plan.
Birth Plan What to include in your plan • Birth companion • Write down who you want to be with you in labour. Do you want this person to stay with you all the time, or are there certain procedures or stages in labour when you'd prefer him or her to leave the room?
Birth Plan • Positions for labour and birth • Mention which positions you would like to use during labour and for your baby's delivery. Also say how active you would like to be: would you like to remain upright and mobile for as long as possible, for example, or would you prefer to be in bed. • Pain relief • Say what kinds of pain relief you want to use, if any, and in what order (for example, you might prefer to try Demerol before an epidural).
Birth Plan • Birthing pool • If your hospital has a birthing pool, or if you are renting one to use at home, write down whether you want to use it for pain relief and/or to give birth in. • Monitoring your baby's heart rate • Say how you want your baby to be monitored during labour. Write down whether you would like your midwife to listen to your baby's heart intermittently using a hand-held device (Sonicaid) or whether you want electronic monitoring using a belt strapped round your waist.
Birth Plan • Assisted delivery • You might want to express a preference for forceps or vacuum if, at the end of labour, you need some help to deliver your baby. • Delivery position • Say whether you want to give birth lying on the bed, or kneeling, standing or squatting.
Birth Plan • Third stage (delivery of the placenta) • You may be offered an injection to speed up the delivery of the placenta, called "active management" of this stage of labour. You'll want to note if you want this or you might want to say that you prefer to have a natural third stage without drugs. • Feeding the baby • Be clear about whether you want to breastfeed or bottlefeed. Also be clear about whether your breastfed baby is allowed to have any bottles. If you definitely don't want her to have bottles, say so.
Birth Plan • Unexpected situations • Some women write down what they want to happen if their baby has to go the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). They might want to be allowed to care for him as much as possible themselves, and to be transferred with him to another hospital if a transfer is necessary. They might ask for their partners to be allowed to stay with them at the hospital.
Breast Feeding How does breastfeeding benefit the mother? • Eat more and lose weight faster: A breastfeeding mother needs 500 extra calories a day because the body burns that amount while breastfeeding. She'll be back in her pre-pregnancy shape quickly. • It's easy and convenient: There's nothing to buy or prepare so it gives the mother much more freedom. Breasts are always there and the milk is always warm and ready. • The mother can snooze during night feedings • There's a very special bond between Mother and Baby and it's the natural way to feed
Breast Feeding • There's less spitting up, no stains and the poop doesn't smell! • Protects against some breast and ovarian cancers: While breastfeeding, estrogen levels are very low. Research has shown that the longer you breastfeed, the risks for these cancers goes down • MAY delay menstrual period: Again, estrogen levels are low and many women think they're well protected from conceiving, but ovulation may still occur • It's an amazing confidence booster: Mothers are really able to use their natural ability • Believe it or not, there is very little embarrassment: It's easy to nurse discreetly and modestly • Feelsawesome
Breast Feeding How does breastfeeding benefit the baby? • Protects against ear infections, colds, and viruses: If the child does have any of the above, the severity will most likely be lessened because of the protection from the breastmilk • Helps brain to grow and develop • Less learning and behavior difficulties • Less diaper rash and other skin problems • Less colic, less crying
Breast Feeding • Easy to digest: It is almost impossible to have a constipated breastfed baby! • Lessdiarrhea • Protects against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, leukemia, some childhood cancers, and juvenile-onset diabetes • Benefits heart health • Fewer trips to the doctor and hospitalizations • Babies LOVE the taste
Breast Feeding Cons to breastfeeding • nursing is definitely time-consuming: Newborn babies typically feed every 2 to 3 hours during the day and may awaken frequently at night. • If someone else wants to feed the baby with a bottle of breast milk the mother still has to pump. • Breastfeeding takes a lot of energy for your body to make milk, so the mother can often feel quite fatigued. • There can be a certain amount of anxiety and frustration while a mother is learning the process. • Sometimes mothers have physical problems like mastitis, plugged milk ducts and engorgement if the baby is not feeding frequently or properly. • Working mothers can find it challenging to schedule nursing's. It is necessary to pump at work and some jobs may not allow for such breaks (they should, but some do not comply.)
