Birth Plan

Is it worth having one? Or should I just roll with what needs to happen?

 

I think it's good to know what you'd like to happen, but also know that things can change. I do think it's important to talk about the possibilities with your doctor and have him/her know what you'd like to happen.

 

I would say that it depends on your comfort level with your doctor and with the hospital. My doctor and I were on the same page through both of my pregnancies about what I wanted and I was comfortable with the hospital's policies. That said, if my doctor hadn't come in to deliver the twins on her day off, I probably would have ended up with a c-section for no good reason so don't be afraid to ask what will happen if your doctor isn't available. It may be worth it to have something on hand in case you don't know the person that shows up in the delivery room but just remind yourself that it's not set in stone.

 

Even if you don't follow it, it's good to have a plan of what you might like to happen. Make sure to discuss it with your husband/birth partner as well as he/she can be your advocate if you are otherwise not able to voice your needs. It's also a good idea to find out if the hospital will follow what you would like - quite often this is not the case and you don't want to fighting about something you want to happen, at the last minute.

Also take several copies with you - they will get lost, especially at shift changes.