Birth Plan Draft, Updated

This is put on here more for other's that might be going through a similar situation. What can be done? What should I ask? How will things play out? This plan has an A, B and C type of feel for the different scenarios that could occur.  We have a great hospital staff supporting us and giving us the leeway for special situations.  We will be meeting with the hospital staff on Monday to go into further detail of this draft. And if you don't know what a birth plan is, it is to make sure that the family and the hospital staff are all on the same page about the family's wishes before going into the hospital. They can also be done differently in normal births, but this is the first I've ever done.

Birth Plan for Kendall Mackenzie Cribb, diagnosis: Anencephaly

Daughter of Kirk and Stephanie Cribb, sister to Kristen and Drew

Why we chose to carry to term:

After finding out about anencephaly and being told our choices about Kendall's life, we knew we wanted the most opportunity have spend with our daughter, while giving her the best possible chance of the longest life for her as possible. Going full term gives her the most healthy body and therefore should give us the best chances of spending the time we need with her and the rest of our family before her passing. Faith also plans a major role in our choice, as we believe God can do all things. And choosing to go full term shows Him that we believe a miracle could happen and we are allowing more time for that miracle to happen. Even if that miracle isn't healing Kendall's body.

Prebirth:

Upon date chosen, Stephanie will be coming to Northside Forsyth for a repeat c-section. Stephanie's first c-section at NS Atlanta ended up with her being put under general anesthesia and Kirk was asked to leave the OR during surgery. Her second went more to plan and Stephanie was awake and alert with husband at hand at NS Forsyth. Stephanie wants all measures taken so to be conscious with Kirk at hand.

During Surgery:

Please keep Stephanie and Kirk completely informed of all medical experiences happening and of any abnormalities for the c-section. Please also keep any extensive pushing on Kendall's head as minimal as possible while taking her out of the uterus.

After Birth:

Please inform us immediately after Kendall's birth is she is born still or alive.

If born still:

Please clean and wrap her and hand her to Kirk if he is able to hold her in his emotional state. Stephanie would like to hold her once able to. We will have a photographer from Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep there in all situations to take pictures for us. We would like this person, Robyn Guy, in the recovery room and mother's room once taken from the recovery room. We will make the decision to include our other children and family once in the recovery room.

If born alive with a short (minutes to hours) life span:

No extraordinary means will be made to prolong Kendall's life. Kendall will be DNR.

You may perform standard respiratory suctioning efforts to clean her airways. Extra oxygen may be given to aid in Kendall's comfort. All other measurements should be delayed till after the parents can hold Kendall. We also believe that having Kendall's head wrapped in a dressing would help her, as well as the rest of the family.

Once in recovery [which could be the pre-op room instead of the normal recovery room], Kirk would like the opportunity to help in her bathing process. And Stephanie would like the opportunity to try to breastfeed, if Kendall can latch on and suck. If Kendall does not try to breastfeed, other forms of nutrition will suffice. First with bottle and lastly with a feeding tube. But a we would like the feeding tube to be held off till Kendall absolute needs it. (How long is this window?)

Family: We will be having family come back to the recovery room if Kendall is alive. First our children, Kristen (4 1/2)and Drew(1 1/2) with the care of Stephanie's mother and father, Becky and Mark Warner. If the children do well with situation, they may stay and Becky and Mark may switch off with Kirk's parents, Ann and Don Cribb. After Kirk's parents are our siblings, Danielle, Ric and Ashlee are welcome to come back. If Ric and Ashlee's kids (Laura and Matthew) are present, they may come back with their parents as well. Stephanie's grandmother, Rachel, will probably be present and is welcome back anytime.

Once in a private room:

We would like a room secluded from other mothers. Kendall's care will be in the mother's room till further notice by parents.

We would like some alone time with our photographer in the room and with all our children, before the whole family is welcomed inside. Becky may help give an extra hand with the children while taking pictures. Once we feel we have the pictures we need, as a family, the rest of the family is welcome and may be in pictures as well.

Kendall will not be put on monitors, but will be monitored (every hour?) periodically by nurses.

If a few hours have passed, then close friends are welcome to join us. Names and numbers will be on a list provided.

If longer life span proceeds:

If Kendall lives long enough, a couple of days, and it is time for Stephanie to be discharged from the hospital, depending on how Stephanie and Kirk feel along with the what Dr. Miller or Dr. Whaler say about Kendall's health, they will decide then to either keep Kendall in the NICU or take her home. If Stephanie and Kirk are not opposed to taking Kendall home, hospice will be contacted by the hospital staff for the family and will help set up everything for home needs, as well as inform Stephanie, Kirk and other family members on how to care for Kendall at home.

Upon Kendall's passing:
Stephanie and Kirk would like to be informed of any change in Kendall's health while in the hospital. If there is a decrease in heartbeat or shortness of breath, Stephanie and Kirk will hold Kendall upon her passing. They would also like privacy from other children, family and hospital staff at this time for their grieving process as parents.

If Kendall's life is short, within the recovery room before the family can enjoy her life, Stephanie and Kirk will keep Kendall until in a private room before family will be sent back. Family will be informed by hospital staff or maybe Kirk in this situation, so that they may be prepared for what they will be seeing. Please let a family member inform the children on whether Kendall is "sleeping" or not. The same order of family noted above will proceed in this situation as well.

Also upon Kendall's death, we would like Pastor Bob Jolly notified and asked to join the family at the hospital for a time of prayer.

Stephanie and Kirk will notify the hospital staff on when they would like the funeral home to come get Kendall's body. Kendall's body will not be placed in the hospital morgue. The Cribb family will have a memorial service, in which the hospital staff are welcome to join. More info to come.

Organ Donation: If we choose to donate Kendall's heart valves, we will let someone know to contact Life Link giving enough time to do so. We know she will have to be moved to Norcross within a 15 hour time frame after her death.

Mementos for the family:

Stephanie has purchased multiple things for molds and prints of Kendall's hands and feet. The family would also like all armbands, name cards and door decorations.