Imagine the moment your little one arrives, a tiny miracle nestled against your chest. Every expecting mother dreams the birth of their child would go smoothly and everyone would be healthy. If you are a first-time mom-to-be, you should know that your ideal birthing experience may differ from someone else’s. A birth plan is your way of communicating your version of your ideal birth story.
Your birth plan is personal to you. What you include depends on your circumstances; what you want, your medical history and what is available to you. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know as well as a step-by-step guide to creating your birth plan.
What is a Birth Plan
A birth plan is a written document that lets your medical team know your preferences for labor and delivery. It informs you about your options and helps you get organised for the big day. It covers every aspect of your labor, delivery, and recovery experience. As well as newborn care after delivery.
While a birth plan can’t guarantee how your baby’s birth would go, because when you go into labor and how it progresses can be unpredictable. It can help you decide what is most important to you. It also gives your medical team a chance to get to know you and understand your feelings and priorities. Think of your birth plan as a guideline for a positive birthing experience. With the ultimate goal being a healthy baby and a healthy you.
Why is it Important?
A birth plan can serve a few vital purposes. For starters, it helps expectant parents learn more about available options during the entire birthing process. As a first-time mom-to-be, what goes on in the delivery room is often new and unfamiliar. So, a birth plan serves as a guide for you to ask questions of your obstetrician, midwife and even the facility. You learn about the routine treatment for pregnant women in their care. If their responses are not what you are hoping for, it gives you the time to look for a different healthcare provider or a facility that better aligns with your preferences.
Secondly, a birth plan helps create a line of communication between you and your healthcare provider and facility. This is important because you can’t always predict when your baby would arrive. So, the birth plan helps you layout your wishes on how you want things to go. If the doctor you see during pregnancy happens to be unavailable during your delivery, your birth plan serves as a guide for whoever delivers your baby.
When to Write Your Birth Plan
You can draft your birth plan at any point in your pregnancy, but a good time may be towards the end of your second trimester. At this time, you have a clearer picture on how your pregnancy is progressing and how your baby is developing. When writing your birth plan, you first have to know all the options available to you given your particular situation.
Deciding on your birth preferences at this time also gives you the chance to communicate with your medical team and make changes if needed. You may find out that your healthcare provider is not supportive of a birthing option you feel strongly about. Or that the facility you’ve chosen cannot provide certain services. The sooner you find this out, the more likely you would be able to switch to a healthcare provider or facility that aligns with your preferences.
How Do You Make a Birth Plan
Before making decisions, speak with your healthcare provider and tour the hospital or birthing center you intend to have your baby. Find out about any limitations in your birthing options due to your medical needs, location, or finances. If your pregnancy is high-risk, your healthcare provider may advise against some of your birthing wishes. Stay flexible, prioritise one or two areas that hold the most significance to you and be ready to adjust if needed.
What Information Should You include
Personalise your birth plan. There is no right or wrong way to write a birth plan. Every expectant mom is different, both in how she would like the birthing process to go and what options are available to her due to her pregnancy history.
Here are some things to consider when writing a birth plan.
- Where you envision welcoming your baby – Your options on where to give birth will depend on your needs, risk and to some extent where you live. If you are healthy and have no complications, you could consider a home birth, a birthing centre run by midwives or a hospital. If you or your baby have a medical condition, it’s safest to give birth in a hospital where specialists are available.
- Who you want present at the birth – Check the hospital or birth centre policy on who is allowed to be your support person(s) and the number of people you can have with you. Whether it is your partner, friend, family member or a birth doula, their calming presence can make a world of difference.
- Delivery preferences – Besides your preferred delivery method; unassisted vaginal, assisted vaginal, cesarean section, or vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC), preferences on delivery positions can also be included. Delivery positions include semi-recline, lying on your side, squatting, standing, kneeling on all fours or being in a birthing tub. You can also just do whatever feels right in the moment.
- Labor and delivery atmosphere – Find out if the hospital or birthing centre would let you customise the atmosphere in which you give birth. Can you have soothing music or dimmed lighting. Do you have the freedom to walk around during labor. Can you eat or drink during labor.
- Labor and delivery procedures – Would the foetal monitoring be continuous or intermittent. Can you have as few interruptions and vaginal / cervical exams as possible. If labor needs to be induced or sped up, what options are available to you.
- Pain management during labor – Pain management during labor is important and something you can have a lot of control over. You can decide if you intend to have a medicated or unmedicated delivery. Medicated delivery options include an epidural, a spinal block, opioids via an IV, local anaesthetic and nitrous oxide gas. Unmedicated delivery options include massage and counter-pressure, hot and / or cold compresses, breathing techniques, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, meditation, reflexology as well as labor tools like birthing ball, peanut ball, or squat bar.
- Incase of a C-section – You’ll need to consider a few things. Would you want your partner to be present if possible. Do you want to see the baby coming out. Do you want one arm free of cuff monitors and IVs so you can hold your baby.
- Newborn Procedures – Write down your desires for newborn procedures. For example, delayed cord clamping and your partner cutting the umbilical cord. Holding your baby and breastfeeding immediately after birth. Keeping the placenta to take home. Rooming with baby or letting baby sleep in nursery. Giving baby formula, breastmilk, or both. Offering baby a pacifier. Circumcising baby if applicable. Giving baby first medications like Vitamin K shot, Hepatitis B shot, Erythromycin eye ointment and delaying baby’s first bath.
Birth Plan Template
You can download a birth plan template (word document, 29kb) to print out and fill.
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PDF birth plan template
What Else…
While you don’t need to have a birth plan, it is a living document that provides an opportunity to clarify any misconceptions and promote realistic expectations. It also encourages you to be an active participant in your own care.
You and your medical team have a common goal for your birthing process. That is the safest possible delivery for you and your baby. A birth plan is a great starting point, but you should be open to changes as the situation dictates. Once you finalise your birth plan, highlight your preferences for quick reference. That way your healthcare provider can easily spot the most important parts at a glance. Make sure to include it in your hospital bag so you have it with you on the big day.
