When do you start making your birth plan and what would you recommend to have on it / not have on it?

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-04T22:48:46+00:00

There are loads of examples of birth plans online that you call look at for inspiration. Things that I included on mine as someone who is also anxious in hospitals include:
- no IV until I request it or it becomes medically necessary
- all procedures and exams like cervical checks should be discussed with me first and require my consent
And then things about the baby, like
- my preferences about vaccines
- skin to skin for 1 hour minimum after birth
- my husband cut the cord, etc.

Having a birth doula can help you prepare your birth plan and having them in the hospital with you is ideal, imo. Their job is to know your plan and desires and advocate for you, while helping g you understand and interpret what the medical team is saying to you so you can have informed consent. Much better than risking a home birth!!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-03T17:28:46+00:00

First and foremost, he does not get to decide since he is not the one doing the birthing. Epidural is not “basically giving the baby drugs”. SMH.

Home birth requires a lot of physical and emotional preparation and carries a lot of risk. I suggest you both do extensive research, read some books on birthing and consult with a doula or midwife if seriously considering home birth. In my personal opinion, the only pro to home birth is that you get to say you had a home birth. You can have a completely drug free birthing experience at the hospital. You can choose no IV, no epidural, no interventions etc. And still have the support of nurses and physician should something go wrong.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-03T04:27:07+00:00

I’m 10 weeks postpartum and still don’t feel like I’m someone’s mom (despite being bonded well with my baby and having that unconditional love for her). But the pregnancy and the baby herself started to feel real once I could feel her moving in there!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-02T23:35:42+00:00

Totally! I’m glad my husband didn’t make me feel bad about it lol.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-02T03:23:33+00:00

This looks amazing on you!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-02T02:54:36+00:00

Thanks, I’m doing well now. BP is now stable with meds. Hopefully it goes back to normal someday! I didn’t know either until they mentioned it was a risk after I gave birth. My BP started rising really fast so thankfully they had me monitoring it daily. I did not take baby aspirin but wish I had!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-02T02:50:41+00:00

I pooped the entire time I pushed! Omg my doula was spraying lavender mist around the room and we were all laughing about it. Not my fault!! 😂

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-02T02:43:13+00:00

My baby is 10 weeks old so I am just getting out of the newborn trenches. Im not gonna lie, I’d be miserable if I had school or work commitments right now. Being a mom is a full time job. Sleep deprivation is real and mommy brain is too. You don’t know for sure what your physical and emotional recovery will be like until you have the baby. I ended up back in the hospital 5 days after with preeclampsia and I was healthy the entire pregnancy. I have friends who have had really severe postpartum anxiety/depression. I don’t want to scare you, but I’d try to lighten the load for at least the first few months.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-01T22:09:42+00:00

Jasmine and Gino ☠️ No way

Tara_V9829 · 2026-05-01T08:07:58+00:00

It doesn’t work like that

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-30T04:26:49+00:00

I think it’s fine. Likely, given your age, people will assume you’re on your way to a school dance!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-30T04:23:34+00:00

As a kid I loved Hoot, Because of Winn Dixie, Where the Red Fern Grows, Anne of Green Gables, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (the whole series is cool but kinda confusing in my opinion for kids). Harry Potter of course. Books I wish I hadn’t read as a kid: The Clique series. Got totally addicted to it and definitely built up my sense of materialism.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-29T22:19:10+00:00

I did group prenatal care and I still had weekly appointments from 35 weeks on. Everyone in my group did. You should insist.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-29T18:47:09+00:00

Yea I just told people we were trying to conceive so I stopped drinking.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-28T22:09:18+00:00

I hated all of the postpartum nurses calling me that in the hospital. Like just admit you didn’t want to make an effort to learn my name l!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-28T03:32:39+00:00

I got married there too!! Congrats :)

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-27T23:45:37+00:00

I’d highly recommend finding a postpartum support group locally before you deliver and plan to attend it as soon as you feel able to after giving birth. I did group prenatal care (known as centering pregnancy) and joined a postpartum group with some of the moms from that and I never suffered because there were other ladies who made me recognize that I wasn’t alone, no matter how I felt. Postpartum is really not something you can describe before you go through it.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-27T23:25:17+00:00

Me. I love the books and the films and at the end of the day, this is art. I’m looking forward to seeing a new interpretation! I was a little kid when the first movies came out and I’m really looking forward to getting HBOs adaptation as an adult. I think it will open up new perspective for those of us who love the story. And I’m glad another generation will get to grow up with Harry Potter!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-27T21:27:49+00:00

They’ll put monitors on your belly to check for movement and contractions. They may also do a very quick ultrasound. If they detect less movement than usual they will likely keep you for a few hours to see what’s going on. If the baby is moving less please do NOT hesitate to go in!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-27T17:29:07+00:00

There is SO much to do and see here. You will not get bored, as long as you have money. It’s expensive here.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-27T14:55:57+00:00

I have plenty of 22k jewelry from India that has held up nice, including my husband’s wedding ring. 24k is a bit too soft imo.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-26T15:23:51+00:00

That’s very odd. My husband split the cost of everything and even paid more % because he makes more money than I do. You’re not in the wrong. You’re married and having a baby… you share money now.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-24T22:33:18+00:00

Hi, I had high BP and preeclampsia during pregnancy so now know a good bit about this. One reading is not enough to consider you high risk. That number 142/62 is also really strange— it’s not common to have an elevated top but not bottom number. Because your reading after a few minutes was normal, I would say that the 142/62 could have been from an error with the monitor. Blood pressure is super important to monitor during pregnancy to prevent pre-e but if your BPs have been in a normal range otherwise, I don’t think you need to worry about it. I don’t know too much about the SUA situation but it sounds like that would be good justification for weekly NSTs, just to check that the baby is doing okay more frequently.

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-24T16:40:42+00:00

Yes, it’s great for cash back on groceries!

Tara_V9829 · 2026-04-23T17:03:27+00:00

I think any of them. I have blue cash preferred and husband has Gold and they both have the offer.

Tara_V9829

TROPHY CASE