Creating a Birth Plan: What to Include and Why It’s Important

When preparing for childbirth, many expectant parents consider creating a birth plan. A birth plan is a document that outlines your preferences for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. While it’s important to understand that birth rarely goes exactly as planned, having a birth plan can help you clarify your desires and communicate them effectively with your healthcare team. In this blog post, we’ll explore what to include in a birth plan, why it’s important to have one, and provide a template to help you get started.

Why You Need a Birth Plan

A birth plan is a tool that allows you to express your preferences for your childbirth experience. It serves several key purposes:

1. Clarifies Your Preferences: A birth plan helps you think through the various aspects of labor and delivery, such as pain management, positions for labor, and who you want present during the birth. By writing down your preferences, you can ensure that your wishes are clear to both yourself and your support team.

2. Facilitates Communication: Sharing your birth plan with your healthcare provider allows you to discuss your preferences and any potential concerns ahead of time. This can lead to better understanding and cooperation during labor, reducing stress and misunderstandings.

3. Empowers You: Birth plans empower you to take an active role in your childbirth experience. By being informed and prepared, you can approach labor with confidence, knowing that you have expressed your wishes.

4. Prepares You for the Unexpected: While it’s important to have a birth plan, it’s equally important to recognize that childbirth is unpredictable. Thinking of your birth plan as a list of preferences rather than a strict plan allows you to remain flexible and open to necessary changes.

What to Include in Your Birth Plan

When creating a birth plan, consider including the following sections:

1. Basic Information

   • Your Name: Include your full name and your partner’s name, if applicable.

   • Due Date: List your due date or estimated date of delivery.

   • Healthcare Provider: Include the name of your doctor or midwife, and the hospital or birth center where you plan to give birth. Also include your doula’s name if you have one.

2. Labor Preferences

   • Environment: Describe your ideal labor environment. Do you want dim lighting, quiet music, or aromatherapy?

   • Support People: List who you want to be present during labor, such as your partner, a doula, or other family members.

   • Labor Positions: Indicate your preferred positions for labor and delivery, such as standing, squatting, or using a birthing ball.

   • Pain Management: Specify your preferences for pain relief, whether you want to use breathing exercises, massage or medical options (epidural, IV pain medication).

3. Delivery Preferences

   • Delivery Positions: Note if you have a preferred position for pushing and delivery, such as lying on your back, side-lying, or hands and knees.

   • Assisted Delivery: Indicate your feelings about assisted delivery methods, such as the use of forceps or a vacuum extractor.

   • Cesarean Birth: If a cesarean section becomes necessary, outline any preferences you have for the procedure, such as immediate skin-to-skin contact or a clear drape if offered.

4. Postpartum Preferences

   • Immediate Post-Birth: Specify whether you want immediate skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping, or to breastfeed shortly after birth.

   • Newborn Care: Indicate your preferences for newborn procedures, such as vitamin K injection, eye ointment, and the first bath.

   • Rooming-In: State whether you prefer to have your baby room in with you or spend some time in the nursery.

5. Special Considerations

   • Cultural or Religious Preferences: Include any cultural or religious practices that are important to you during birth and postpartum.

   • Medical Conditions: List any medical conditions or allergies that your healthcare team should be aware of.

6. Flexibility Statement

   • Acknowledgment of Flexibility: End your birth plan with a statement acknowledging that you understand things may not go exactly as planned and that you are open to necessary changes.

Birth Plan Template

Here’s a simple birth plan template you can use to create your own:

Name:
Due Date:
Healthcare Provider:
Location of Birth:

Labor Preferences:

• Environment:

• Support People:

• Labor Positions:

• Pain Management:

Delivery Preferences:

• Delivery Positions:

• Assisted Delivery:

• Cesarean Birth Preferences:

Postpartum Preferences:

• Immediate Post-Birth:

• Newborn Care:

• Rooming-In:

Special Considerations:

• Cultural/Religious Preferences:

• Medical Conditions:

Flexibility Statement:
“I understand that childbirth is unpredictable, and while I have outlined my preferences, I am open to changes as needed for the safety of myself and my baby.”

Creating a birth plan is an important step in preparing for childbirth, but it’s essential to approach it with flexibility. Think of your birth plan as a set of preferences rather than a rigid blueprint. By considering the various aspects of labor, delivery, and postpartum care, you can communicate your wishes effectively with your healthcare team and feel more empowered as you embark on your childbirth journey. Use the template provided to create a birth plan that reflects your desires while remaining adaptable to the unpredictability of birth.

Find doulas, lactation consultants, postpartum support and more in our Capital Region birth directory