“…and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver…”
Proverbs 2:3b
Last time we started the conversation about options during your pregnancy journey that are not widely talked about.
We are not at all saying that your provider is trying to hide these alternatives from you, but they often stick to the typical routine and only sway from the path when asked. But how do you know to ask if you aren’t aware of your choices? That’s what these articles are hoping to provide.
Today I am going to run through a few options once you are closer to birth/at the hospital or birth center.
First, did you know you do not have to wear that hospital gown? I was so excited to learn that I could wear whatever I wanted while I labored and gave birth (even if that is nothing at all once you get close!)
Anyway, the first option that is often the beginning of a slippery slope of interventions is the routine IV. Now some hospitals require you to at least get a port upon arrival, this was me, but you do not have to be hooked up! This gives you so much more freedom to move around and labor however you want: in the bath, on the ball, walking the halls, whatever is helpful for you. If you are not hooked up, make sure you are eating and drinking at least a little something now and then to keep your fluids and energy up for birth. If your labor turns out to be a long one (think 20+ hours) getting IV fluids that whole time can be a bad thing as it can lead to edema and breast engorgement.
A similar option you can opt out of is the continuous fetal monitoring. After that initial 10-15 minutes when you first arrive, you can request to be taken off the machine and get that freedom back! They will be able to monitor you and baby without being hooked up just fine. (This applies to pregnancies not labeled as high risk).
The following are a few post-birth options: Since it is more medical I will not go into the details of these but know that the post birth meds for baby (vit K shot, eye ointment, Heb B shot) are all optional. * If you have a boy and want him to be circumcised you do have to get the vit K shot to help with blood clotting.
Cutting the cord: an option you have is to request “delayed cord clamping”. This is where they wait to cut the umbilical cord until it turns white, so that all the blood has gone into baby before it is cut off. Again, do your own research for the medical benefits of this but just know it is an option.
In the neighborhood of delaying things is baby’s first bath: it is great if you can have them wait at least 24 hours so the vernix (that white stuff baby is covered in) has a chance to be rubbed in and not just wiped off. Delaying the APGAR testing is great too so that you can have that magical time of skin to skin and breastfeeding that is so special and important for bonding, at least an hour is great.
Birth plans, as we mamas who have gone through this know, are more of a guideline and it’s okay to go in knowing it might change- but thinking it through for yourself, talking about it with your partner and whoever else is a part of your birth team is still important so that when the big day comes you aren’t trying to talk through all of this between contractions. You got this mama!
