What is a Birth Plan?
A birth plan outlines your ideal delivery to your doctor or midwife. It helps you to communicate your preferences for when you go into labour: the type of delivery you would like, what you want to happen and what you want to avoid. Its goal is not to plan out your labour step-by-step as that is not possible, but to list your preferences so that your health care providers know, for example, who you want in the room with you and what pain medication you wish to take or avoid. Because there are so many variables during labour, your plan should be flexible as your doctor or midwife may need to recommend changes depending on what is best for you and your baby during delivery. Include in your plan:
- Who you want with you in the room
Positions you would like to use during labour and for your baby’s birth
- Preferred methods of pain relief
- Whether you will breastfeed or bottlefeed
- Preferences for unexpected situations
A birth plan can be a valuable tool but once you are in labour, even the best-laid plans must sometimes be changed. Embrace the experience for what it is when this happens, and prepare to welcome your long-awaited baby into the world.