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A birth plan will allow you to come to an agreement with your caregiver (midwife, obstetrician, or family practice physician), in advance, regarding the procedures you wish to avoid and those you would like to consider. Creating a birth plan is a good way to explore your expectations, desires, and dreams about your baby’s birth. A birth plan also creates opportunities to discuss your birth wishes with your partner and caregiver.
You have probably been preparing for the arrival of your new baby since the day you found out you were pregnant—selecting a name, buying baby clothes, decorating the nursery, and choosing a pediatrician. At the same time, you may have done little to prepare for the day of your baby’s birth. Because the day of your child’s birth is one you will remember forever, it is wise to plan thoughtfully how your labor and delivery will unfold. In fact, you may find that your expectations for your labor and delivery differ from those of your caregiver and even your partner.
To help you draft a birth plan, review the checklist of birth plan options for the different stages of labor. This checklist presumes a basic knowledge of the procedures most commonly performed during childbirth. Compare the various options and decide which best reflect your desires for your labor and delivery. Of course, not all options are available at each birth facility or with each caregiver. You may find that you need to do additional research or to ask more detailed questions of your caregiver or childbirth educator in order to decide among the alternatives.
Once you have made the necessary choices, you can start putting together your birth plan. The style of your birth plan is entirely personal. Look at some sample birth plans to give you ideas. Your birth plan can be written in letter-style, highlighting your most important wishes only, or it can be written in outline format. Either way, you should make your birth plan easy-to-read and, preferably, no more than two pages long.
After you have finished drafting the birth plan, bring it to a prenatal visit and ask your caregiver to review and discuss it with you. Be prepared to compromise with your caregiver on less important items so that you can insist on those items that are most important to you. Your caregiver should incorporate a copy of your birth plan into your medical file so that all hospital or birth center personnel are aware of your birth wishes. It is also a good idea to take an extra copy of your birth plan to your birth facility, just in case.
Author: Information provided by Amanda Johnston, Childbirth Educator and Certified Doula, MotherSpirit Childbirth & Postpartum Services, Winston-Salem, NC. |
