As you get closer and closer to the big day, you'll want to start thinking about how you want your birth experience to play out and ultimately how to write your birth plan. From info about your birth partner to pain relief options, you'll need to gather your thoughts and note down any preferences you might have, so everyone involved is on the same page.
For first-time parents, this can be a little daunting and can feel a little like a test - but don't worry, we're here to guide you through it and hopefully make the birth plan planning a little easier.
What is a birth plan and should I have one?
A birth plan is a record of what you want to happen during your labor and delivery. This can include virtually anything you want the healthcare professionals delivering your baby to know. If you've received advice from your maternity team that you want to stick with during your birth, you'll want to add that to your birth plan. If you have specific preferences about the position you'd prefer for labor, write that down.
It's a good idea to refer to your health insurance and check what your plan will or won't cover when it comes to birth.
Remember, everyone will have their own unique birth plans. Sure, take advice, but make sure that YOUR personal preferences that fit your circumstances are included in your plan. It's all about you and your little one after all!
What to put into a birth plan?
First things first, it's important to include your name, the names of anyone in your medical care team, and your contact information.
Aside from that, there's a lot that you can include in your birth plan to help your delivery team know what you're after during your delivery. Depending on your specifics, like whether you want a home birth, a more holistic birth, or if you'd like a water birth or you want to explore hypnobirthing - you'll need to detail your ideal environment and other conditions you require when you go into labor.
It's important to remember to be flexible, though. Your delivery team will try and follow your birth plan as much as they can but ultimately, they'll do what's best for you and the baby in the moment. You're allowed to change your mind whenever you want and so are the healthcare professionals. Remember, everyone has your best interest in mind.
Options for giving birth
The first thing you'll want to include in your birth plan is where you intend on giving birth. Depending on what's available in your area, you can give birth:
- at home
- in a midwifery unit
- in a maternity team unit in the hospital
Your midwife will probably explain your best options and outline the benefits of each, but the decision is yours. You might find it helpful to get some advice from the pros (aka your mom friends). Most hospitals and maternity units offer tours - go and have a look around. And you can always change your mind about where you'd like to give birth - things don't always go to plan in labor and your main concerns might change in the moment, which is totally fine.
C-section birth plan
If you're having a planned C-section, you should include as much information about this as possible in your birth plan. It's a good idea to think about:
- who you want to take with you - if your caesarean section is carried out under local anaesthetic and you're awake, your partner or companion can sit with you if you'd like them to
- what music you'd like to play during the birth (if any)
- if you want a screen up during the procedure
Choosing a birth partner
Having a birth partner offers way more benefits than just having someone to yell at while you're pushing. It's actually been shown to reduce the need for pain relief while in labor - suppose having someone there to hold your hand is its own pain relief of sorts. But you'll need to provide some information about your birth partner in your birth plan.
You need to outline who they are and where you're comfortable with them being while you're in labor. For example, would you want your birth partner with you if you need a C-section? Or, if you require a forceps or vacuum delivery? All this needs to be outlined in your birth plan.
Doula
During labor, delivery, and the postpartum period, some people decide to have a doula present to advocate for them and provide emotional support.
A doula is a trained professional who offers non-medical support throughout the birthing process. They can help with pain management techniques, provide reassurance, and act as a liaison between the birthing person and medical staff.
When selecting a doula, it's important to have an initial consultation to discuss expectations and preferences. You can also decide how involved they will be in the lead-up to the birth and in the birthing room. Remember to communicate any specific needs or preferences, such as those regarding religion or language, with your doula to ensure a positive and supportive birthing experience.
If you've decided that you'd like to have the support of a doula, be sure to note this down in your birth plan.
Choosing your preferred pain relief
This is probably the one that requires the most research. You can try breathing and relaxation tactics, massage and maybe being in warm water to relieve some of the pressure.
Other than that, you'd have to think about any other pain relief methods you might like to try to assist with delivery and consider whether these are included in your health insurance plan. This can include:
- gas and air
- epidural
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- pain relieving injections
At this stage, it's also worth including if you'd like to try and use hypnobirthing techniques. Helping ease anxiety and stress with hypnobirthing can be an effective and natural form of pain management and one that more and more mums-to-be are opting for.
