Is your Birth Plan Ready?

It’s so often that one thing that we “always mean to get to” but it just seems to slip further and further down our priority list and, as your due date gets closer, the task can become a little daunting, a little imposing and to be honest, what do you write? Where do you start? 

Staring at a blank piece of paper stressing about where to start isn’t what we want for any of our beautiful mummies-to-be, so we’ve set out to try and answer some of your questions and give you some practical info about Birth Plans and how to write yours.

Wait, Slow Down: What’s A Birth Plan?

Birth Plans can look however you want it to - they’re as unique as you, your family, and your new little one!

It can be a plan, or notes, or full-on sentences and paragraphs that you (and your birthing partner) have written which outline your intentions and preferences for your labour and birthing experience. They can be extended to include care in the weeks after birth, too! It can be a few sentences, hand-written on the back of some scrap paper or it can be a 5,000 word assignment-style report, and anything in between!

Make sure you have a few copies of your birth plan. You should give one to each of your care providers involved in your birth and to people who will be with you through labour or at the birth. Be sure to keep one in your hospital bag (on the top!) in case you have a midwife you’ve never met before and your birth plan is hidden somewhere in your file. 

Make sure you and your birth partner(s) understand clearly what’s in your birth plan and when you arrive in the hospital you may even ask to stick it to a wall in your room. 

Probably the most important thing to remember is that things don’t always go to plan. So, however detailed it is, it’s important that you’re flexible with your intentions for the best outcome for you and your baby.

Do I Really Need One?

Oh, no, not at all! You don’t need to have one. It’s definitely recommended, though. It can be very difficult to get across your aims and wishes when you’re in labour. 

How about an example. Let’s just say that in your birth plan, you’ve asked not to be offered an epidural in labour. The midwife you have may not be aware of this wish and instead of encouraging you to keep going, they offer you one. As you’re in a great deal of pain, it sounds like a wonderful idea and you go ahead. 

The chance of the birth ending up as a caesarean is 3 times more likely after an epidural and so this is a likely course of events. This could have been avoided if you were not offered the epidural in the first place. 

The process of writing a birth plan can also be confidence-boosting and can prompt you to ask yourself and your Obstetrician or Midwife important questions.

I’m not sure what to write. I’m just going to go with the flow!

In our experience we find 2 types of people who say they will ‘go with the flow’ for their labour. There are people who have chosen to be educated about the process but are open to whatever happens and then there are people who decide that the less they know, the more relaxed they think they will be. 

Speaking from experience the educated ‘go with the flow-ers’ have better outcomes.

So writing a birth plan can be a way to become more educated. To do a little research, a little reading and a little thinking about what your body is soon to go through.

Can I still have a Birth Plan when I’m having a Caesarean?

The answer is absolutely Yes!

You still have options when you are having a caesarean. Below are some things for you to think about and discuss with you obstetrician when planning your birthing experience.

• What are the anesthesia options?

• Who can be with you (this is ever changing at present)?

• Can you see the birth with a mirror?

• Who will go with the baby if special care is needed?

• Do you want music playing?

• Who will cut the cord?

• Do you want to make sure you are not separated from your baby?

• Discuss Vaginal Seeding (putting vaginal fluid onto the newborn after c-section to help with baby’s immune system)

I’m convinced, I want to write a Birth Plan, but where do I start?

The great news is, there is no ‘correct’ way to write a birth plan.

If you attended antenatal classes you may have been given a template to work off which can be great for triggering ideas. 

Before you’re influenced by a template, though, just write down anything at all that comes to mind about how you envisage your birthing experience. Maybe try closing your eyes and imagine what you want it to look like. Is it peaceful? Is there music playing? Who’s in the room with you? Where are you? What does it look like?

To give you a starting point, check out this Birth Plan Layout with questions that aim to get you thinking about specific aspects. The idea is to talk about these questions with your partner, obstetrician, midwife, doula, parents or even friends to help you decide what you want.

If you’d also like some beautiful, relaxing Pregnancy Acupuncture or just another person to talk birthing plan ideas with, come visit us. Get in touch or book an appointment.