Welcome to motherhood! Preparing for the birth of your child is a momentous and joyous occasion, and creating a birth plan is an essential part of the process (even if you aren’t Type-A). A birth plan communicates your preferences, desires, and expectations to your healthcare team, ensuring you have a more personalized and empowering birthing experience.
Why a Birth Plan Matters
A birth plan is a written document that can be referenced by your team, and outlines your preferences during labor, delivery, and postpartum care. It serves as a communication tool between you and your healthcare providers, minimizing confusion and ensuring that your voice is heard, and that your wishes are respected.
Moreover, birth plans help foster an open dialogue between you, your healthcare provider, and the nursing team. Why is that important? It’s not uncommon for the doctor you’ve seen throughout your pregnancy to not be the doctor to actually deliver your baby. Having a birth plan enables you to articulate your preferences, regardless of how unfamiliar your delivering doctor may be with your desired birthing experience.
Educate Yourself About Your Birthing Options
To create a birth plan that truly represents what you’d like for your labor and delivery, take some time to educate yourself about your available options.
- Location. Would you prefer to give birth at a hospital, birthing center, or at home? Research your hospital and birthing options, and plan to take a tour—learn about their practices and procedures, and what they are willing (and unwilling) to accommodate. Are you interested in a midwife or OB-GYN? Dig in and settle on which option feels better for you.
- Delivery options. While the most well-known delivery methods are Vaginal and Cesarean, hospitals offer additional options such as Assisted Vaginal Delivery (using tools like forceps or vacuum) and Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). But if you plan to give birth at a birthing center or home, your available delivery options might be more restricted.
Birth Plan Checklist: What Should Be Included in a Birth Plan?
Every woman’s birth plan is unique, so don’t stress about creating the “perfect” one for your labor and delivery. There’s no need to adhere to a rigid template or make it overly formal. And if it’s less stressful, begin by simply jotting down any concerns that matter most to you and discussing them with your practitioner during your next visit.
Once you’ve had a conversation about your childbirth preferences, be sure to consider your practitioner’s insights on labor options (take advantage of their expertise!). If any adjustments are necessary, update your birth plan accordingly.
Here are some considerations you may want to include in your birth plan:
- A brief introduction. Include any pertinent medical info your healthcare team should know. While any medical conditions will be in your chart, you may arrive at the hospital, and the doctor on call may be completely unfamiliar to you. Is this your first, second, or third (etc.) pregnancy? Which support people do you want in the room with you? Do you have any pregnancy related medical issues, like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia your team should know about immediately?
- Birth environment. Think about preferences for your birthing room. Do you have any preferences for the ambiance, lighting, or music? Do you want to wear your own clothing? Do you want to be able to use a bathtub or shower? How do you feel about members of the medical team touching you?
- Support team. Who would you like there during labor and delivery? Are you using a doula? Will there be any children or siblings present?
- Labor and delivery positions. Would you like to be mobile? What activities or positions would you like to use (walking, squatting, standing, etc.)?
- Pain management. Are you planning for a medicated or unmedicated delivery? Do you want to take pain medications (epidural, spinal block, or nitrous oxide)? What non-medicated options are you interested in (breathing techniques, massage, movement, meditation, birthing tools like squat bars and birthing or peanut balls)?
- Interventions. Clearly state your stance on medical interventions. Are you willing to have an episiotomy? Are there measures you’d take to avoid one? Would you like your membranes swept or kept intact? Do you want a routine IV? How do you feel about the use of oxytocin to induce labor or augment contractions? What’s your position on fetal monitoring? If you’re having a home both, what’s the plan for hospital transport in the event of the unexpected?
- C-section preferences. What kind of draping do you prefer—full, partial, or clear? Do you agree with vaginal seeding?
- Immediate postpartum care. Do you want to delay cord clamping? Do you or your partner want to do immediate skin-to-skin contact? Do you want to keep your placenta?
- Neonatal care. Do you want your newborn to receive a Vitamin K shot, a Hepatitis B shot, and erythromycin eye ointment? What are your feeding plans—do you want to breastfeed or use formula? Do you want to delay your baby’s first bath? Do you want to circumcise? Would you like your baby to room-in or be cared for in the nursery?
And lastly, make sure to include other basic details like your baby’s pediatrician contact info (the name of both the practice and your specific clinician, phone number, and address). Once your birth plan is complete, print a few copies and stash them in your hospital bag—then take a moment to appreciate what an A+ job you’ve done prepping for labor and delivery.
Once completed, discuss your birth plan at one of your appointments with your healthcare provider. It gives them a clear understanding of your wishes and preferences for the birth.
Finding What’s Right for You
Albee Baby is the oldest family-owned specialty baby shop in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best assortment of baby products anywhere, at fair prices, always. We’re committed to being an inclusive resource for parents, and hope you’re feeling empowered to find the right baby gear for your family. Still have questions? Feel free to contact our baby gear experts at 877.692.5233 or by email at [email protected].