Birth plans

OBGYN Shamsah Amersi, MD, explains the benefits of creating a birth plan but shares advice on why it's important to keep it flexible and open to uncontrollable circumstances
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Birth plans

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A birth plan is important because it allows you to think about all the things that are important for you and your partner as you prepare for this most exciting time of your life. However, I prefer the term birth wish-list because you truthfully can't plan the birth of a child. Every birth is different and every mother is different, and there are circumstances that you just cannot anticipate or have control over. What is important is to sit down with your obstetrician or midwife and discuss things that are important to you; their views on episiotomy, induction, are the able to support your thoughts on natural child birth? How many people do you want in the room? Most importantly, that you to also anticipate that complications may also occur and for you to be prepared for them. So if they do go according to plan or if they don't, you don't feel disappointment or disenchanted. The most important thing when you have a baby is to feel comfortable with the person taking care of you and to know that you both have the same goal, to have a healthy baby in the most safest way possible for the mother.

OBGYN Shamsah Amersi, MD, explains the benefits of creating a birth plan but shares advice on why it's important to keep it flexible and open to uncontrollable circumstances

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Shamsah Amersi, MD

Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Shamsah Amersi, MD is a preeminent Board Certified physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude, with Phi Beta Kappa membership. At the prestigious, UC San Francisco medical school, Dr. Amersi graduated with top honors, and was recognized as a distinguished member of alpha omega alpha, an honor society for the top 5% of all medical doctors.

Dr. Amersi has received numerous professional and academic awards, including the University of California Distinguished Scholar Award for four consecutive years, an endowed merit scholarship, and the UCLA Alumni Association Achievement Award for four consecutive years. Through her private practice in Santa Monica, CA, Dr. Amersi is the personal physician to several Hollywood A-list celebrities. Dr. Amersi has been in private practice as an obstetrician/gynecologist for over ten years. She specializes in natural child birth, offers VBACs to her patients, and focuses on natural conservative treatment options, minimally invasive surgery, and bioidentical hormone replacement. Her favorite part of her job is delivering babies and sharing this intimate journey with her patients. She provides comprehensive compassionate care for all phases of a woman's life from adolescence through menopause.  Her special interest in female sexuality, libido and the effects of childbirth on pelvic prolapse has led to Dr. Amersi's renowned expertise in these fields. She performs both surgical and nonsurgical treatments for pelvic prolapse and vaginal relaxation.

 

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Transcription: 
A birth plan is important because it allows you to think about all the things that are important for you and your partner as you prepare for this most exciting time of your life. However, I prefer the term birth wish-list because you truthfully can't plan the birth of a child. Every birth is different and every mother is different, and there are circumstances that you just cannot anticipate or have control over. What is important is to sit down with your obstetrician or midwife and discuss things that are important to you; their views on episiotomy, induction, are the able to support your thoughts on natural child birth? How many people do you want in the room? Most importantly, that you to also anticipate that complications may also occur and for you to be prepared for them. So if they do go according to plan or if they don't, you don't feel disappointment or disenchanted. The most important thing when you have a baby is to feel comfortable with the person taking care of you and to know that you both have the same goal, to have a healthy baby in the most safest way possible for the mother.