Hurricane Birth Plan

Welcome August! And with that we welcome our first major storm of the Hurricane Season.

So what does Birth in Hurricane Season look like? Well it looks like planning for a Birth AND Hurricane Evacuation at the same time.

Every year my clients due from August to November are warned early on that they need to be prepared to need to evacuate. So far over the past 6 hurricane seasons, only 3 Births have needed to evacuate and have had their New Blessings while evacuated. Several more have had to evacuate or prepare to hunker down through a storm just after birth as well (keep an eye out for Postpartum Hurricane Planning coming soon).

Why is preparing for Birth in Hurricane Season so important? How do you prepare to evacuate as your BIRTH-day approaches? 

Good questions, keep reading for more information! And for personalized planning please Contact Me.

As anyone who has lived on the coast or in the southeast for long knows, Hurricane Season is a time of year that will come and go just like Christmas and all the other holidays. And like those holidays, we must plan and prepare for its arrival. On a good year we will have our emergency fund stashed away for another time and get to eat some Hurricane foods as treats. But on a not so good year we will need more than our funds allow and our Hurricane food will run out before we are ready. The thing is, only God knows what kind of year it will be.

When most people start Trying to Conceive (ttc) they do not even think about their due date being during Hurricane Season. I know because we have been that family, 3 different pregnancies and Hurricane Birth Planning was not on my mind for those that took place during Hurricane Season. But we live and we learn and we make better plans!

When we live in a coastal town it is even more important to make a Hurricane Birth Plan than if living inland. Many times our towns are evacuated, our hospitals close or they limit their services due to the storms. When we are getting ready to prepare for BIRTH-day this becomes an important topic for the parents-to-be. 

So how does one prepare for BIRTH-day and Evacuation? Here are 5 simple steps to follow to ensure a successful BIRTH-day during an Hurricane Evacuation. 

36weeks on

*First, contact your provider as soon as the news of an impending storms is made. Ask them for a copy of your prenatal records in case of evacuation. 

*Second, know where you are going and know the birth facilities in that area. Give them a call and ask them your top 5 Birth Wishes questions to make sure they will be the place you want to bring your New Blessing into the world.

*Third, inform your insurance company that you may be evacuating and giving birth while gone. Make sure they will cover the birth facility of your choice and make sure they will not penalize you for leaving even if a mandatory evacuation is not ordered. It is always better to follow your intuition and God's leading than to stay, even if it seems it will be safe.

*Fourth, pack for your Birth, Evacuation and Postpartum. Everything you would want for your birth and right after, bring with you. For the Ultimate Hospital Packing List click here. Your evacuation kit should contain 72hrs of everything you and each person in your family needs to survive. Remember to NOW include for your newborn and an Emergency Birth Kit! 

Because storms are unpredictable and we never know when we will be allowed back in from an evacuation or what the damage done will be, you will want to prepare for 1-2weeks of Postpartum away from home. For the Ultimate Postpartum Care List click here.

*Fifth, know your route. Know what hospitals are available on your route in case of labor beginning before your reach your destination. In the event of a car birth, grab your Emergency Birth Kit and pull to a safe place (well not you the birthing mama, but whoever is driving). In most cases if you know your route and how to safely get to the nearest hospital (as well as no complications) it is usually just as safe and fast to continue on to the nearest hospital than it is to call 911. However, if there is a complication or your are unsure of where to go, call 911 and make sure the driver remembers key points of where you are (name of major roads, mile markers, intersections nearby).

Birth is unpredictable! You could evacuate at 40weeks pregnant and return at 41 weeks and still be holding that New Blessing in the safety of your womb. Or you could leave at almost 37weeks pregnant and 3 days later have the newest member of your family riding in their carseat. You just never know. And it is for that reason that when you are going to welcome your New Blessing into the world during Hurricane Season we make a Hurricane Birth Plan. 

Need help? Contact me today for your personalized Hurricane Birth Plan.