Life Day by Day

I thought some of you might like to look over our birth plan. There still might be some minor tweaks to it, but this will basically be it.
<3


Tim and Holly Nelson’s Birth Plan

It is our sincere desire to have a natural childbirth; to be un-medicated with minimal medical intervention. We understand that unforeseen complications may arise which call for formal medical procedure and in that case, we will be flexible and kindly ask that our participation be welcomed throughout the decision making process including explanation of all options.
We greatly appreciate all your hard work and thank you for your support at this special time!

LABOR:
SUPPORT PEOPLE
· We would like Tim to remain with Holly at all times during labor and delivery
· We plan to have present both of the grandmothers (Daralyn and Georgia) and, if circumstances allow, Holly’s two sisters (Lindy and Amber) for labor and birth. We ask that during labor, small groups of family may respectfully come and go as we see fit.
· We grant no authorization for any non-essential hospital personnel to be in the room during labor or birth.
ATMOSPHERE
· Dim or natural light
· Relaxed and pleasant
PAIN RELIEF
· We plan on not using pain medication of any kind, except the use of local anesthetic if stitches are required
MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS
· We would prefer use of Doppler but will accept intermittent external fetal monitoring if needed
· Minimal vaginal exams, with Holly’s consent only
· No artificial rupture of membranes without Holly’s consent
· No labor stimulants or medications of any kind. We prefer walking, changing positions, and nipple stimulation
GENERAL PREFERENCES
· We would like Holly’s mobility unrestricted (freedom to walk, no routine confinement to bed or room)
· Light snacks and fluids as desired during labor
· Use of shower and jacuzzi as desired
· Labor in any position desired

DELIVERY:
PUSHING AND BIRTH
· Freedom to deliver in a comfortable, effective position
· We prefer spontaneous pushing, with gentle coaching to prevent perineal tear
· Warm compress, massage, and support for perineum
· We would prefer a natural tear to an episiotomy
· Please offer for Holly and Tim to touch baby’s head, and if position allows, Holly to help deliver baby
· No delivery aids used, e.g. forceps, vacuum, pulling, or spinning unless absolutely necessary
· Baby to be given immediately to Holly for breastfeeding and bonding
· We would like to discover and announce the sex of the baby
· Please allow cord to finish pulsing before clamping (3 or more minutes); ask Tim to cut the cord.
· Natural delivery of placenta. Please no pitocin, scraping, or pulling on cord.
CESAREAN BIRTH
· If a C-section becomes necessary, Tim to accompany Holly into the operating room. If possible, please wait for him to change into surgery garb before taking Holly into room to avoid any separation.
· Narrate events
· Skin to skin contact as soon as baby is stable.
· Baby to stay with a parent at all times if possible
· Breastfeeding as soon as possible


RECOVERY/POSTPARTUM:
NEWBORN PROCEDURES
· Newborn to stay with a parent at all times
· Please delay all routine exams 1 to 2 hours to allow for family bonding
· After the initial bonding time, please perform all procedures possible while baby is in our arms.
· If warming is required, baby to be placed on Holly or Tim’s chest for skin to skin contact covered with blankets.
· We refuse erythromycin placed in baby's eyes. Holly does not have Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or any other infection.
· We refuse the routine vitamin K injection unless abnormal circumstances exist (please keep us informed. If it is needed, we prefer oral vitamin K be administered), as well as all vaccinations including Hepatitis B.
· If the child is male, circumcision will be performed 8 days after birth by our pediatrician.
INFANT FEEDING
· We desire to breastfeed the baby. Breastfeeding to be initiated immediately after birth
· Breastfeeding only. Please no water, pacifiers, artificial nipples, or formula
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
· We will desire to see a lactation consultant before leaving the hospital

Well, we finally found the person we want to attend our birth. Her name is Catherine Shields and she is a CNM who delivers at Deaconess medical center here in Spokane. We feel really good about her. After dealing with Dr. Smetana who blatantly told us that we had to have erythromycin, vitamin K, a heparin lock during labor, etc. (all of which are not true - you can elect NOT to have those), and she said she did things we were uncomfortable with such as tugging on the umbilical cord to "help the placenta be delivered", cut the cord after about 30 seconds because "it stops pulsing around then" (when we know that it usually stops pulsing, on average, at least 3 or more minutes after delivery), we started looking at the midwives in the area.

We found a couple midwives who deliver at a birth center and they sounded brilliant at first, the only downside being that we'd have to pay for the whole thing out of pocket. After interviewing one of them, I did some more research and luckily ran across a forum that talked about the midwives in Spokane and almost everyone on there had some dire warnings about one of the midwives that worked at the birth center. Come to find out she has 2 closed and 1 open case of negligence. I looked it up and they weren't little "oops" things, but big judgement errors that could have cost lives. Needless to say we decided against them.

I did find good things about Catherine Shields on the forums, however, and luckily she is one of the 2 midwives in all of Spokane that our insurance covers. :) We went to interview her and everything sounds really great. We asked all the tough questions and they passed with flying colors. I am really looking forward to delivering with her and at Deaconess - we feel good about it. It is such a relief to have it all taken care of and "locked in".

I finally got the dresser we picked up a bit ago sanded down and painted. Yesterday we tried to put the new hardware on the drawers, but the screws kept snapping. :( Really cheap I guess. We're going to get some tough ones, install the hardware, and then I'll have a place to put everything that we get at the baby shower this weekend. :)

The tree in our backyard looks like it is a cherry tree of all things. It has begun developing little green cherries on it. We're really excited about it (well, me more then Tim to be honest :). We were wondering if it was a cherry tree because it had flowers similar to a cherry, and the leaves and bark fit a cherry tree, but it is such a big, nicely shaped tree that we figured it wasn't a fruit tree since they tend to be all scraggly and weak. I just hope they aren't pie cherries. :)

Well, that's all I gots to say today. <3