re: My NATURAL birth plan in a hospital.

I was told the monitoring wasn't optional. They had the lead on my daughters head. Malpractice insurance requirement.

They will usually let you have intermittent monitoring until you're final stage of labor. Then it isn't optional

Quoting empire state of mind:" They will usually let you have intermittent monitoring until you're final stage of labor. Then it isn't optional"

They just listened to DS with the doppler 3 or 4 times and that was it. I believe it's different by hospital. For a vbac there was no choice though.

Quoting Baking #3 *23weeks*:" This isn't too much to ask is it? My sister seems to think that the nurses are going to be bitches to ... [snip!] ... is to be given at all. - We wish for our son to have his first bath in the room with parents. - Our son will be circumcised."

Are you going to birth at Family Beginnings?

Quoting Baking #3 *23weeks*:" This isn't too much to ask is it? My sister seems to think that the nurses are going to be bitches to ... [snip!] ... is to be given at all. - We wish for our son to have his first bath in the room with parents. - Our son will be circumcised."

And I don't think you are being demanding at all. If you're birthing at MV's L&D having intermittent monitoring will be a little tricky since they are really pushy about it but just don't let yourself forget who's boss. You are in charge, you are not sick, you are a healthy woman with a healthy pregnancy and a history of perfectly normal births... you can make your own decisions. They can be really pushy and definitely try to use your love of your children against you with their scare tactics but the thing that helps me the most is remembering that I hire a doctor and a nurse just like I would hire an electrician or a plumber. They are not an authority and I have a legal right to refuse any single thing I am uncomfortable with. Another thing too is to warn Eric that they will very likely try to use him to get to you. They are infamous for getting annoyed with a mother so they go to the father and say "You need to try to change her mind on this one Dad, the baby could DIE if the monitors aren't there to tell us he isn't breathing blah blah blah". A lot of dad's haven't done as much research or aren't as informed on normal birth and think "This person's an expert, she must be right!" and get scared and start pressuring the mom as well. I have known so many people who've experienced this :/

Quoting Masturkate TTC:" And I don't think you are being demanding at all. If you're birthing at MV's L&D having intermittent ... [snip!] ... she must be right!" and get scared and start pressuring the mom as well. I have known so many people who've experienced this :/"

I'm delivering at Kettering and I've never had a birth plan or natural birth there so I'm not sure how they are.
I just talked to my frined, who is a L&D nurse at another hospital and she said "can I ask you a question? why don't you just hire a midwife and deliver at home???"
Really?!?!?? But then she went on to ask if I wanted her in my delivery room to be my voice :/
Now I'm just annoyed! I'm not opposed to being monitored, I just don't want to be hooked upo the WHOLE time! I don't want to be forced to push, I want to push when I feel like I have to push!

I have thought about having her in my room because I know she would know more then Eric or I If the nurses are using scare tactics, but I will also have Katie(videoing) and Nicole (photos) in the room so I thought I would have some backbonefrom them but after talking to Nicole and her saying "well If you go in in active labor you HAVE to be hooked up, their going to be bitches to you blah blah blah" I'm not sure anyone wll be my voice  
I guess I have to work on Eric and maybe him taking these Hypnobirthing classes with me will help.

Quoting Baking #3 *23weeks*:" I'm delivering at Kettering and I've never had a birth plan or natural birth there so I'm not sure ... [snip!] ... anyone wll be my voice   I guess I have to work on Eric and maybe him taking these Hypnobirthing classes with me will help."

Unfortunately Kettering is the least natural birth-friendly hospital in the area   BUT in any hospital the situation is what you make it. You have a legal and human right to refuse any medical treatment or procedure. They cannot force you to do anything you do not want to do and if they try remind them of that. Standing your ground from the beginning will make them less likely to try anything else as labor progresses. Staying home as long as possible will eliminate having to deal with a lot of the crap. I could see my oldest sister saying something similar to Nicole but I know in the actual moment, knowing how important this is to me, my sister would forget about her previous opinions and help me. I am sure Nicole would be the same way! Have you seen More Business of Being Born? The second disc with the birth stories from all the celebrities is awesome. It makes you feel really confident and empowered about birth just watching it lol.

Quoting Baking #3 *23weeks*:" I'm delivering at Kettering and I've never had a birth plan or natural birth there so I'm not sure ... [snip!] ... anyone wll be my voice   I guess I have to work on Eric and maybe him taking these Hypnobirthing classes with me will help."

I know this isn't the point of your post, but videoing may not be allowed. It isn't allowed at my hospital (I'm an L&D nurse)

Quoting Masturkate TTC:" Unfortunately Kettering is the least natural birth-friendly hospital in the area   BUT in any hospital ... [snip!] ... stories from all the celebrities is awesome. It makes you feel really confident and empowered about birth just watching it lol."

I've seen the first but not the second, I'll have to watch it!

I labored at home with Casey until I was 6cm so I was only there for 3.5 hours before he was born, hopefully this one will be the same if not longer at home. My birth was great with him, I loved it but I got an epi at 7-7.5cm and it was a good one (could feel my legs but not the contractions) I also didn't do skin to skin (never heard if it or else I would have). SO just a few things I would like to changeand I feel like it is pretty simple things. Hopefully Eric will be my voice!

Quoting empire state of mind:" I know this isn't the point of your post, but videoing may not be allowed. It isn't allowed at my hospital (I'm an L&D nurse)"

We recorded with my second so I know that is allowed.  

Minus the circumcision it sounds almost to the letter lile what I'm hoping for. I'm not all that excited about being monitered constantly as it will hinder free movement...but I'm trying for a vbac so I don't have a lot of choice.

Quoting [Doe Eyed Dirty Lurker]:" Minus the circumcision it sounds almost to the letter lile what I'm hoping for. I'm not all that excited ... [snip!] ... about being monitered constantly as it will hinder free movement...but I'm trying for a vbac so I don't have a lot of choice."

I feel like I'm going to be so worried about them not following my plan that I will not be able to focus on laboring naturally. That is reall y my biggest fear