Unit 8

 It is good to write down your birth preferences. This helps you organize your thoughts and visualize what is most important to you in your birth experience. The birth preference sheet should be a general road map that you will discuss with your health care provider and bring to the hospital for the staff caring for you and your baby.  This is a great communication tool. Please turn to page 40 in the manual. Read this page in it's entirety. (READ) I would like to reiterate that

1. You should discuss your preferences with your health care provider at an upcoming visit,

2. You should use your BRAIN (this is an accronym)

3. You should be flexible should your "plan" need to change

4. Your ultimate goal is a healthy baby!

On the SeeWhatYouRead.com website, go to the PDF entitled Birth Plan and print this, if possible. Take the time as a couple to fill this out. Keep in mind that partners are playing a supportive role in making the birth plan. While the partner's concerns, ideas, and suggestions should absolutely be addressed and considered, the birth preference sheet is ultimately a reflection of mom's desires for the birth of your baby. You also have the option of typing up your own birth preference page. If you chose to do this, be concise; it is ideal to keep it to one page in length.

This is a sample of birth preferences that was brought to the office to be discussed with the Health Care Provider and then also brought to the hospital to be placed on the chart so that staff was aware of this woman's desires for labor and postpartum.

Birth Preferences

No unnecessary IV fluids (see the yellow box on pg 43)

Able to get up and walk around the room, use rocking chair, birthing ball during labor

No continuous monitoring if everything is looking good

Like to use tub if you have one for labor rooms (see Hydrotherapy video in Ch 4)

Deliver to chest, skin to skin, so long as baby looks good and breastfeed ASAP

Ice to perineum after delivery

Baby assessment in room and meds in room

Baby rooms-in with me

I will feed the baby on demand

Thank you!

 
  **Keep in mind from Unit 5, what your hospital has to offer:

Timpanogos has birthing balls available. Room 7 has a large jetted tube. The beds have squat bars that can be added to the bed if you desire. They have private labor and mother baby rooms. All rooms have rocking chairs. There is a TV in every room with cable. They also have a portable monitor available, where you can walk the halls with your monitors in place, cord free. American Fork also has private rooms, birthing balls, TVs in each room, and a squat bar that you can add to the bed. AF has tubs in every room. AF also has DVD players and the option of portable monitoring  (If you think that a fitness ball/birthing ball is something you will use, then you might want to ask a friend if you can borrow hers or purchase one, because the hospitals have a limited number.)

Also, think back on the comfort measures that you have practiced and plan to use. See Chapter 4 for a refresher. Pg 32-38.


Assignment for Unit 8:
1. Listen to some music that helps you relax. (Pandora.com is free, just type in "Relaxation") Practice taking slow deep breaths.
2. Chose a song from high school maybe that both you and your partner know. Move your hips to this song and sing along. Find a rhythm. 
3. What are the 3 things you anticipate you will utilize most to cope with labor pain?
4. E-mail me when you have completed Unit 8!