Do I Need a "Birth Plan"?
Do I Need a “Birth Plan”?
If you're pregnant, chances are you've been asked at least once: “what's on your birth plan?” Birth plans are pretty ubiquitous these days and even the hospitals give you one you can fill out. So what's the deal with birth plans – do you really need to write one? What is the purpose?
What is a Birth Plan?
A birth plan is a written statement of your desires for the labor and delivery of your baby. Depending on your style, you might also call it a preference list or a goal sheet. A birth plan can be handwritten, typed out neatly, or even designed into a cute graphic that can be read at a glance. It is a way to express your priorities for the treatment received by you and your family. A birth plan is not a contract guaranteeing you will have a certain experience, or a way to control the actions of your care providers.
How Does a Birth Plan Help Me?
A birth plan is a helpful tool for pretty much everyone involved. Here's how:
Helpful for you
Writing out your birth plan helps you sort out and organize your thoughts. It's an opportunity for reflection. If there is any procedure or labor position that intrigues you, it gives you the chance to do your research and form an opinion. Even if you aren't super opinionated about the way you labor and deliver, there may be certain elements that you feel sentimental about or that your partner feels strongly about – such as being the first one to announce the baby's sex or give them their first bath – and those are all things that you can request in your written plan. A birth plan also helps communicate your desires to hospital staff while you are focusing through your contractions and unable to carry on a conversation!
Helpful for your care providers
Your doctor or midwife, nurses, and other staff want you to have a great experience. They want you to enjoy individualized care that fits your needs and help you feel satisfied. Your doctor has many patients to keep straight, and your nurses likely haven't met you before. Having a written list of your special requests and desires reminds your care team that you are a unique person having a unique baby, and no one will have to ask you the same questions repeatedly during labor. A graphic birth plan is especially helpful in allowing a busy doctor to absorb the information at a glance!
How to Write a Birth Plan
“Sounds good – now how do I make one?” There are many different ways to write a birth plan, and none of them are wrong. However, over the years we have been able to observe what works best for an awesome, well-crafted birth plan!
State your highest priorities
You don't really need to bring an 8-page, single spaced writeup – and I can pretty much guarantee you nobody at the hospital will take the time to stand there and read it all. While I do recommend a writeup for your personal education and reflection, you should consider summarizing for your doctor on a single sheet of paper, preferably with images.
- Request the things that aren't routine
Some things our clients often research and put on their birth plans include delayed cord clamping, taking their placenta home for encapsulation, delaying the baby's first bath, and pushing in an upright position – and that's because those things aren't necessarily the norm and may require a little reminder of your wishes. You do not have to specifically ask for protocols such as a saline lock or a Vitamin K shot: those are routine procedures already and do not need to be specially requested.
Be kind.
I think everyone who works in labor and delivery probably has some kind of story about someone's birth plan that was rude, demanding, and threatened legal action if any of the commands were ignored. While there are definitely some people in the field who are in a rush or aren't a big fan of certain “kinds” of birth plans, overall doctors, midwives, and nurses want their patients to be safe, happy, and satisfied with their experience. Your goal here is to introduce yourself and express your preferences. You will ensure a much more fulfilling and enriching experience at the hospital when your birth plan is kind, pleasant, and not dictatorial!
Writing your birth plan doesn't have to be a big ordeal. You can research every possible option and write your plan from scratch, you can use an online printable, or you can fill out the one you get from your hospital registration. As your doulas, we provide a whole in-person discovery session to help you with your birth plan. We go over your options, things you might want to think about, mom and baby procedures, and personal preferences – and then we design you a cute graphic birth preference sheet (if desired). We even offer birth planning sessions as a standalone service for parents who aren't doula clients.