Monday, November 29, 2010

The Cherry Family Birth Plan...


By request, here is our Birth Plan... the doctor on call at the hospital when we checked in got his hands on it. He then proceeded to make copies and throw them around to other staff members. I've never seen an OB laugh so hard in my life. Several other OB's and RN's came into our delivery room throughout our stay there just to meet us. Apparently this is not your usual Birth Plan?? hehe


The CHERRY Birth Plan

While we hope there are no complications during the birth of our child, we understand that circumstances may require us to re-evaluate our desires. If the need does arise for medication or medical procedures we hope to avoid, we would like to have everything explained to us as fully as time will permit so that we may give informed consent.

Mother: Laura S. Cherry
Father: Dustin T. Cherry (friends call him “D”)

OB/GYN: Martha Reilly, MD (Oregon Medical Group)
Pediatrician: Chris Hammond, MD (I’m sure you’re familiar with this trouble maker)

Due Date: 12 November 2010

LABOR SUPPORT PEOPLE

My husband, D, will be present for the entire birth. If he passes out, just step around him.

Also present (but hopefully in the grandstands and not on the field) will be my mother, Susan Newbury-Oakley, and my mother-in-law, Pawnee Cherry. If at any time either of them get out of hand, feel free to kick them out. Just kidding. Kind of. They should behave themselves.

Last, but certainly not least, I have chosen a dear friend (and RN in your NICU) as my “doula” of sorts. I am paying her in cookies, however, so I guess I should technically call her my “specialized and highly qualified labor support leader.” Her name is Maren Lee. I’m sure that’s all the introduction this crazy woman needs.

MOVEMENT OF MOTHER
I prefer to move around freely during my birthing time, stand on my head, do cartwheels, or assume any other positions I find comfortable.


FIRST STAGE LABOR PREFERENCES:

PAIN MANAGEMENT
I am extremely sensitive to pain medication. One Tylenol is generally enough to cure whatever ails me, and I only take that when my husband thinks I’m dying. For this reason, among others, we would like to use natural pain management techniques throughout the birth. Massage, water therapy, walking, dancing, and chocolate are my preferred methods, along with anything that has ever worked, since the dawn of time. Please feel free to share any and all tricks with me you may have up your sleeve.

MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS

My OB and I have discussed the matter of medical intervention, and we have agreed on the following: Induction will not be discussed (unless a medical need arises) until November 14th. I would like to remain without an IV unless it is absolutely medically necessary. And I would like to avoid the following things above others: Internal Monitoring, Induction, and Cesarean Birth.

SECOND STAGE AND BIRTH PREFERENCES:

POSITIONING AND PUSHING
I am open to anything when it comes to positioning and pushing. I would, however, rather remain in a more upright position rather than on my back or with my feet at my ears. Above all, I would like to play it by ear and do whatever feels and works best. Please feel free to offer suggestions!

MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS
I'd love a labor support person to massage my perineum with oil prior to crowning. Peeled grapes and a handsome greek god fanning me with a palm leaf would be ok too. Of course I want to avoid an episotomy, who wouldn't?

THE BIRTH
We would like a staff member to cut the cord, which hopefully won't be clamped or cut until the cord stops pulsing. We are not banking the cord blood. We would like the baby placed on my chest immediately after birth, to remain there for at least a half an hour, if medically possible.

PLACENTA
Do feel free to toss it after it is all out. I waive the right to fry it up and eat it. Thanks.

UNEXPECTED LABOR EVENTS

In the event of prolonged labor, complications, or the need arises for a cesarean birth, my husband has final say. I would like him to weigh our options, discuss the pros and cons with the nurses and doctor, and make a decision.

POSTPARTUM CARE OF MOTHER

Feed me. Let me shower. Send me home. I’m easy that way.

NEWBORN CARE PLAN

We would like our son to be a breastfed baby. Please do not supplement with water or formula prior to speaking with me. I would like to breastfeed within the hour after birth, and I would love for my husband to be as involved with the bathing/caring for the baby as allowed. Break that man in!



Thank you for everything!! 

11 comments:

  1. Awww it brings back such fond memories. Baby Joey going GOOD LORD WOMAN IT"S ABOUT TIME! And me going uuurgh you're going to take a pic now?!

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  2. As 'crazy' as your NATURAL birth plan sounded to the medical community... did they honor it completely or come pretty darn close????

    Inquiring minds, er mind (mine) want to know!!!!

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  3. You guys are too funny: ). Did you go as natural as you planned?

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  4. Never heard of one of these, did they honor your wishes for the most part?
    You are hysterical woman <3

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  5. What a good laugh, this is great Laura! I hope every desire and wish was granted;)

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  6. Okay so here's a summary of the birth. First off, let me say that, in answer to the common question here, yes - my every wish was granted. Everyone was informative, kind, and patient - they knew what they were doing, they explained everything in detail, and when we came to a point where we were headed off track from where our Birth Plan had mentioned we wanted to go, they gave us options and then sat back and let D and I talk it over before moving forward. It was awesome.

    My water broke on Wednesday night, around 9:45 pm. Poor D was absolutely exhausted, and was 1/2 a day from finishing a big job. As we got into bed, he said, "If you can just give me one more day to finish this remodel, we'll be all set and you can have a baby anytime you want!" Not five minutes later my water broke. Heavenly Father definitely has a sense of humor. ; P

    I took a shower, D loaded the van, he gave me a blessing, and we were off. We checked in to the hospital around midnight. I was barely dilated to 2 cm and 90% effaced (up from 1 cm and 50% effaced at my appointment Wednesday at 4 pm) - but I was definitely headed in the right direction so they put us in a room and my family started showing up.

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  7. We had WAY too much fun gallivanting around the 5th floor of RiverBend all night. We ate, we walked, we laughed our butts off. We watched Bill Cosby. Maren and Kelly Jo massaged me. Ahhhh... The nurses all laughed at me for still having my sunglasses on the top of my head. Anyone who knows me well knows that my sunglasses serve a much more important purpose than keeping the sun out of my eyes. They keep the hair out of my face!

    The OB on call had mentioned that he wanted to start Pitocin to augment labor around 5 or 6 am if I hadn't started progressing. We held him off until 9 am, but when they checked me at 8:30 and I hadn't moved an inch - or a centimeter rather - after all night of consistent mid-range contractions about 2 minutes apart, we decided it was time to go ahead and get things moving.

    I was on Pitocin from 9 am to 5 pm... a work day! ; P As soon as they started the IV, the contractions hit and hit hard. 2 minutes apart, 1 minute apart, 30 seconds apart, 15 seconds apart, right on top of each other... keep breathing keep, keep moving, and concentrate! We went all day like this. I thought for sure we'd get somewhere!

    Right?

    Wrong.

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  8. Around 4:30 pm the nurse checked me again. Not even 3 cm. Sheesh!

    At this point, we made a decision I didn't expect to have to make... pain meds. We'd been up for 36 hours. I'd been in labor for a good half of that at least, and we were exhausted. The outside of my body, with D's help, was able to remain relaxed, in spite of the contractions.

    The inside of my body was a different story apparently. ; )

    Our two options were IV or epidural. We chose an epidural since it could be monitored better and didn't touch the baby.

    Anyone who knows me knows I wasn't a great advocate of epidurals.

    My opinion has changed.

    The epidural didn't take the pain/pressure away for me. It just transferred where I was feeling pain/pressure. I could still move my legs, still wiggle my toes... I could still feel everything going on downstairs...

    I had been stuck all night and all day. 2 cm. That terrible, daunting measurement...

    Within a half an hour of getting the epidural, I was dilated to 10 cm, 100% effaced, and ready to push. Serious.

    And throughout all of this, little TD's heart not only remained as steady as a freight train, but actually improved in the way it was feeling and handling my contractions. Atta boy. : )

    I am convinced Heavenly Father is extremely mindful of the way in which our children enter the world. My OB wasn't able to be there. The woman who was on call, Dr. Mel Konradi, will forever remain in our hearts as one of the greatest OB's in the world. She was fabulous. On top of that, the RN on duty when delivery started (thank you Bonnie!!) made the entire process something different - something incredibly exciting. I had a cheering section for goodness sakes, and someone to coach me through it all. With Bonnie on one side, my wonderful Maren on the other, and D running back and forth from my bottom to my top, little TD was here after pushing for just shy of a half an hour.

    He was put on my chest immediately. Nearly two hours passed before they took him for measurements and a bath. He nursed within his first hour of birth. We did not fry up the placenta as planned. D was my handsome Greek God, AND he didn't pass out!!

    As I said before, the birth of our first child was so much more than we had hoped for, and nothing at all like we'd planned.

    Isn't that life?

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  9. Hello Laura, we haven't met, but I ran accross this on Treeva's Facebook page and just had to tell you that I love it! Would it be okay if I shared this with my doula friend? Congratulations on your adorable little one!

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  10. BAHAHAHAHA!!!! That was the funniest thing I've ever read!!!! HAHAHA!!!! I laughed my butt off!! I'm sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed it at the hospita

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  11. Laura, you amaze me more and more each day. I love your humor, yet the ability to be completely serious at the same time.

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