We are writing this birth plan to help the hospital staff and those involved in her birth understand our wishes for her birth and during our hospital stay. We have chosen to administer comfort care with minimal intervention after her birth. It is our desire that during her birth and life that she be surrounded by a loving and caring environment.

 

Our primary goals are:

1) that everything be done to give Olivia the best chance to be born alive,

2) that her life and passing each be as peaceful as possible.

 

We appreciate your understanding and your help and support and your expressions of grief, be it through tears or humor. Please do not hesitate to cry or be sad in front of us if that is how you feel.

 

*  We would like the staff to be informed and aware of our situation.

 

*  We desire to have a third person, Debbie Walton, RNC (in addition to Mike and Lyssa) in the delivery room to assist us in any way necessary.

 

*  Any and all procedures not specifically outlined in this birth plan should be approved in advance by Mike or Lyssa.

 

*  We desire no fetal monitoring during labor and delivery. We would consider listening in periodically.

 

*  We have discussed cesarean section and determine it unnecessary in this case.

 

*  If Olivia is breathing on her own at birth, please immediately hand her to Mike or Lyssa.

 

*  We desire for Lyssa to try to breastfeed Olivia.

 

*  Certain procedures (weighing, measuring, eye ointment, vitamin K, etc) are to be delayed until both parents have held her; and if possible, these procedures should be done while the parents are holding her.

 

*  We desire that Mother or Father be holding Olivia at all times possible.

 

*  We desire no warming tables, incubators, etc. Rather, the use of warm blankets with skin-to-skin contact against parent’s chest.

 

*  We ask that no procedures be done without one of the parent’s presence.

 

*  If Olivia is not breathing immediately after birth, please perform standard suctioning, rubbing and vigorous drying to aid in her respiratory and cardiac efforts. The use of an O-2 bag is acceptable.  We do not want extraordinary measures taken to maintain her breathing. We ask that she not be put on a ventilator.

 

*  If her heart is not beating at birth, we do not wish any attempts at CPR.

 

*  An NG tube may be used if necessary (placed and maintained while Olivia remains in Lyssa’s room.)

 

*  We would appreciate help in making her foot prints and hand prints on cards we have prepared. We also would like a lock of her hair (if she has any!), her ankle bracelet, bassinet card, wrist bracelet, pictures or any other mementos to help us maintain memories. We will have disposable cameras available, please take pictures as you like for us.

 

*  We would like to room- in with our daughter and request that any and all procedures be done in our presence. We would like Mike to accompany Olivia during any and all procedures that must be done elsewhere.

 

*  We would like to give Olivia her first bath, dress her, and have as much hands on contact with her as possible.

 

*  It is very important to us that NOBODY enter the room without knowing our situation and if possible, for us to receive a room somewhat secluded from other delivering parents.

 

*  We request that our family and friends be able to meet Olivia as soon after her birth as practicable and as often thereafter as desired.

 

*  Please do not make visiting hours an issue. We ask your help with phone calls and getting visitors in at any time, as time may be of the essence for us, and we do not want to have any avoidable regrets or missed opportunities.

 

*  We ask that our children and other relatives be allowed in to see Olivia ASAP after her birth for as long as we wish.

 

*  If Olivia stabilizes, we want to take her home as soon as possible on comfort care and with the presence of Hospice.

 

*  If we are unable to take Olivia home, we would like to be holding her at the time of death and request time alone as a family after her death.

 

Olivia is a miracle and our gift from God. She is precious to us and we would like for you to treat her as a precious baby. We want this to be an occasion for joy. We have tried our best to prepare for this short time with our angel Olivia Grace and we want to be able to spend as much time with her as possible. This is a difficult time for all of us, including you, and we appreciate your help and support and care for us and hope that this might be a special time for you too.

We have known for several months that our unborn daughter, Olivia Grace, has been diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a chromosome abnormality. We are fully aware of the severity of her condition and also of the probability that she may not survive very long after birth.