Many pregnant women choose to create a birth plan to help guide what happens during labor and delivery. While this is a great way to prepare for the birth of your child, birth plans can’t address all the issues that might occur. Whether you are creating a birth plan now or are getting ready to head to the hospital or birthing center, you should remember these three important points.
Birth plans are only a guide.
Even if you have made a birth plan, you must remain flexible about what you want. There are some situations, such as fetal distress, that can cause severe or even fatal injuries to your baby. Your desire to have a natural birth might be one that is important to you. If you forego that desire to save your baby, you might need to set the birth plan aside and have a surgical delivery.
You should work with the labor and delivery staff while you are at the hospital or birthing center about what parts of your birth plan to follow and which to ignore. Don’t let the medical staff pressure you into deviating from the birth plan unless there is a good reason to do so.
Monitoring is important.
Fetal monitors are important for your baby, even if they aren’t very comfortable for you. Monitors give the nurses and doctors a glimpse into how your baby is doing before the birth. If the baby’s heart rate begins to dip, it is likely a sign of fetal distress. If techniques like changing positions and using an oxygen mask don’t help, you might need a C-section. In some cases, you may need only periodic monitoring, which allows you the freedom to move around as you want. Some facilities offer wireless fetal monitors. Inquire about wireless monitors if you’d rather not use wired models.
These decisions can be difficult.
Labor and delivery isn’t always a smooth process. You might have to make some difficult decisions, such as whether to have a C-section or not. Before you make any decisions, get all the facts. Even if the doctor recommends a vacuum or forceps delivery, think carefully so you can weigh the risks and benefits of the available options.
When births don’t go as planned, there is a chance that you or your baby might suffer harm during labor and delivery. Seeking compensation is something to consider if the medical staff’s actions or omissions led to harmed for you or your baby. Even though compensation won’t cure your child’s injuries, a successful claim can provide you with the financial means to make coping with the effects a little easier.
If you believe you have a valid Ohio or Kentucky birth injury case, speak with the Cincinnati and Covington medical malpractice attorneys at The Lawrence Firm, PSC right away.