Birth plans! Let’s talk about them. Here is what a birth plan is to me. You will find this also explains why I am so passionate about helping other pregnant mamas create one of their own.
A birth plan is a way for you, pregnant mama, to put down on paper what your birth philosophy is. What is important to you about the way you want to birth? What birthing practices do you absolutely want or don’t want. What can you include in your plan to help your care providers understand your goals, better support you and better advocate for the birth you want. Your birth plan can clarify your goals and easily convey to your care team where they can step in to support you or step back and allow you to birth your way.
This is why you need a birth plan. Members of your care team may not know exactly what you want for your birth if you do not tell them. Often times trying to talk about it during office prenatal visits doesn’t happen and providers will likely not remember your specific desires if they are not written down.Â
Also, if you are going to labor and give birth outside of your home, it is likely that in a birth center or a hospital birth setting your labor will be supported by care providers that you’ve never met. Having a written birth plan will allow those care providers to get to know you more quickly and be immediately aware of the type of support to offer you based on your birth plan.
Before we get to my list of must include items for your birth plan, let’s talk about why there is a stigma associated with birth plans. There is this thought that if a woman has a birth plan, she is more likely to have her birth unfold in ways which do not align with the desires and goals she wrote in her plan. Reason one why I do not agree with this is because no one can predict how labor and birth is going to go. A prepared mama who knows what she desires for her birthing experience is NOT more likely to have a birthing experience outside of what she wants. Reason two why I do not agree with this thought is because a mama who has taken the time to define what her goals and desires are for her birth is more likely to be flexible about unexpected and unplanned events.Â
This is exactly why your birth plan doesn’t have to be rigid or inflexible. A birth plan is NOT written to convey birth goals that you cannot stray away from. It is written to convey your birth goals that you hope for and want to be supported to achieve. I will help you write your birth plan in a way that outlines your desires, but does not make non-negotiable demands.
Presentation is key! It’s not a good idea to explain your birth plan coming across as stubborn and non-negotiable. Having a birth plan is for creating a partnership with your care providers. Be flexible about your plan when something comes up and is medically necessary. We cannot be sure that any birth will go exactly how we planned for it to. You are more likely to be better supported if you present your desires with a non-demanding attitude.
Now…… the content you’ve been waiting for. What should be included in your birth plan. I will list here what I recommend including and also provide an example birth plan using the one I made. This example birth plan is my actual birth plan for my second baby that I plan to fill out and go over with my midwife before my birth. As of early January 2020, I am 34 weeks pregnant and am planning my first home birth!
Include a little about you & your pregnancy. List your support persons & who will be at your birth. State your pain control mindset, labor management preferences, and list any questions you have about interventions. State your birth & pushing preferences and any newborn procedures you want done or delayed. Lastly, describe the type of labor room environment you hope for.
I hope you have found this birth plan breakdown to be helpful! I am here to help you have a more positive birthing experience in any way I can.
Take care mamas and please email me with any questions, comments, feedback or just to say hello!
IF YOU ARE A MAMA PLANNING A CESAREAN SECTION BIRTH please email me and ask for a list of special c-section considerations for your birth plan!
