The unforeseen and current Bay Bridge closure has thrown a wrench in the commute plans of many Bay Area residents. And for some, the bridge closure adds a new variable to one’s birth plan, especially if you share birth support professionals and birth facilities with the other side of the bay. So how do you plan for the unforeseeable? Here are some tips I’ve crafted over the course of other bridge closures in conversations with clients and other birth professionals.
- Simply, Breathe. Taking a moment for a breath gives one the time and oxygen needed to work with the current situations, calmly and confidently. We all need reminders for this basic human function. Supplying your body what it needs – oxygen – reduces stress hormone production.
- Assess what support people and facilitates are near you. Check in with local friends, care providers, facilities etc. and discuss how your birth plan may be modified.
- Create a “safe house” for yourself on which side is across the bridge from your home. Ask a relative and/or close friend if needed, could you come over and be at home there during early labor and/or late pregnancy needs.
- Have a phone list prepared of important numbers – health care providers, birth support people, childcare providers, family & friends.
- Plot out your public transit options. This depends on the time of day, and public transit can offer some “birthing” support tool NOT available in a car, like:
- Ability to walk and stand during labor
- Allows complete focus of the birth partner on their laboring partner.
- Fast and direct transportation. The use of BART and a taxi can do wonders 🙂
Other ideas on working with a closed bridge and labor and birth support? Please feel free to share! It’d be much appreciated. Be well.
Mindful Lactation & Postpartum Care Arts by Beth Rees, IBCLC CD 
One reply on “Birth Plans and a closed Bridge”
Great post, we all need to deal with this Bridge business, regardless of our profession! I think it’s also a good reminder of the singleness of the Bay Area itself, and how San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Marin, the Peninsula, and the other areas are really one unit, economically and socio-culturally. Numbers one and five above resonate very much with me! It would be great if they could lift the tolls on the other Bay Area bridges during this time, in order that the traffic that’s now clogging those bridges be somewhat alleviated.