Birth Plans

Oftentimes when a person or couple becomes pregnant, there is a lot of emphasis on creating a birth plan. While it is important to go with the flow and surrender to the experience- let’s be honest, sometimes it doesn’t always go as planned- there are important things to consider when forming your birth plan, or birth preferences. 

Let’s start by thinking about where you want to have your baby. This could be at a hospital, a freestanding birth center, or in your own home. What is important to you during your birth? Do you want the freedom to eat and move intuitively? Maybe you want constant monitoring for peace of mind. Maybe you live in a rural place and want to be closer to medical care if you need it. Think about the people you want in the room with you. Do you want visitors? Do you want a doula? Think about people who invoke peace and calm into your life. 

These are just some of the first steps of creating your birth plan. If you decide to give birth at a hospital, some things to think about are common interventions you may see. Knowledge is power, and the more you can learn about these procedures & the benefit and risk factors, the more likely you can make informed decisions- which ultimately lead to more positive birth outcomes and perceptions. 

Other things to think about are: if you want cervical checks, what you want the environment to look and feel like, skin to skin contact when baby is born (most hospitals have this as their protocol, but it’s important to check with your provider), delayed cord clamping, monitoring, pushing preferences, and newborn medications. 

It’s important to feel empowered- in YOUR power- during your labor and birth, so tell your providers, nurses, and doula what you want and what you don’t want! To loop it back, these desires can change throughout, so it’s important to go with the flow, surrender, and give yourself grace.

As a doula, I love helping my clients form their birth preferences, and I work directly with M(o)therboard Birth to make this happen. All of my clients get access to this App and the plethora of information they have on their site. Head on over to https://www.motherboardbirth.com/parents to learn more!