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More Information:
Please, visit our birth planning page as well
which has additional birth education.
The Birth Plan:
This plan is specific to early pregnancy (under 20 weeks) home birth. Note that different aspects of the delivery will be different for the different gestational ages.
Delivery in hospital: you will be placed under general anesthesia, or sedation, and after the birth, you will stay in recovery for a few hours, when you will be discharged.
Delivery at office : the doctor will administer local anesthesia, and your discharge will be in less than an hour (like a pelvic exam).
What to Bring:
__someone to support you (to wait in waiting room, and to drive you home)
__additional support people can include a pastor
__photo of you and your husband to keep with baby
__Clinging Cross
__scented eye mask to wear during the birth
__*additional special items: two teddy bears or blankets (one to leave with your baby, and one to take home)
__Music and player (headphones) or battery operated personal fan, if permitted (to muffle the sounds of the surgical delivery)
__Wear your favorite scented lotion or perfume
__If you husband is your support person, have him wear his cologne, aftershave, deodorant, or other smell you prefer
__any ultrasound pictures you may have, favorite scriptures
__inspirational messages and scriptures written down that you can read in waiting room
__letters or cards written from other family and friends that you may have, to be read in waiting room
__pictures drawn by older siblings posted in room (and left with baby)
__prayer
Have at Home:
__people ready to help!
__maxi pads (for lochia, you may have postpartum bleeding for about a week)
During this stage of pregnancy, you will likely be unable or discouraged from seeing your baby. The baby may not be delivered completely intact. If you ask your doctor during the time of the birth, you may be allowed to have your baby returned to you after their analysis/autopsy of the baby is complete. If you are permitted to have your baby returned to you, a representative of the hospital will likely call you within two weeks of the birth for you to come and receive your baby. He or she will likely be placed in a small container. Please know that your baby is not going to be intact, and the physical form of your baby may be extremely upsetting for you to see. Please consider not opening the container.
After the Birth
- Have the photo you brought placed with your baby.
- Have the blanket you brought placed with the baby (just leave these items in the room if you like).
- Name your baby
- *See the “Professionals/Volunteers” link at stillbirthday.com for additional services to consider.
- Perhaps consider having a friend spend the night with you.
- You will still have lochia (the remaining blood from inside the uterus, for about a week or less).
- Watch for signs of postpartum depression (PPD) or secondary vaginitus.
- Watch for warning signs including fever, pain, filling a maxi pad sooner than an hour (bleeding after a medically assisted birth should be minimal), clotting, or a foul odor. Please contact your provider immediately if you experience any of these signs.
- Remember to pray and ask others for help and for prayer.
- Consult with your OB about TTC. Most will recommend waiting at least 6 weeks, just as in a full term delivery. We have information here regarding TTC and getting pregnant again.
- Be easy on yourself, your body, and on your recovery.
- Talk to God, your husband, and trusted mentors and friends about all of your feelings.
- *Visit stillbirthday.com for “Farewell Celebrations” and for “Long Term Support” resources.
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