Our Birth Plan

a little late..but here it is:

Parents: Lindsay & Ryan Hegna
Pediatrician: Dr Rinaldi, 215-345-1122

To our nursing staff:
Thank you so much for taking our birth preferences below into consideration. We are so excited to be expecting our baby girl, Bristol Morgan! We've taken great care over the past nine months to have a very healthy pregnancy, and we wish to have a birth that's as free of interventions as possible.
Of course, we realize that I've never done this before, and also that life often doesn't go quite as planned. We defer to the experts when it comes to getting our baby here safely, but we'd like to be kept involved in all decisions along the way.

Preferences for Labor and Birth:
During Labor
- Please do not offer an epidural or anesthetics. If I decide to get one, I will ask for it.
- I prefer intermittent fetal monitoring to constant fetal monitoring, so that I can move around as freely as possible.
- I do not wish to have an IV hooked up to me unless I need it.
- I wish to have the freedom to labor however is most comfortable – in the shower, in the bed, walking around, on the birthing ball, on the toilet, in the whirlpool tub if available.
- I do not want Pitocin to be administered and I'd prefer not to have my bag of waters broken unless it's deemed necessary.
Pushing
- I'd like to be able to push spontaneously and in any position that seems to be the most effective.
- I'd like to avoid an episiotomy unless it's absolutely necessary as determined by my midwife
Birth and Post-Birth
- I'd like her put on my chest immediately after she's born. Please clean her off and suction her while she's still on my chest. I would like skin to skin contact for the first hour or two after birth if her health permits.
- I'd like to delay the cutting of the cord until it stops pulsating & Ryan would like to cut the cord.
- I would like to immediately try breastfeeding.
- I wish to delay any treatment that can be delayed so that I can have as much bonding time with baby immediately after birth if possible
- I would like our baby to room in with us after delivery
Baby Care
- I would like my daughter to be bathed & examined in my presence. If my daughter must be taken from me for medical treatment or to the nursery, I would like my husband Ryan to remain with her at all times (viewing window at nursery)
- Please do not offer any bottles or pacifiers, as I will be exclusively breastfeeding.
- We wish to decline the Hepatitis B shot & erythromycin eye ointment

Thank you so much for all your support during our daughter’s birth