Making a Birth Plan

Creating a birth plan not only helps your medical team understand your wishes for birth but it also helps you to really sit down and think about what is most important for your birth. But before you can start a birth plan, you need to educate yourself on your options and understand the pros and cons of those options. 

Once you feel you have the foundation set, you can start writing it all out. Here are some of my doula tips on what to include and how to format. 

• First, and this is so important, keep it simple! Start by making a long list of all your birth goals. Slowly but surely, start crossing off the items on the list that are not as important OR that don't matter for your birth team. For example, having tea light candles in your room is a beautiful addition to your birth experience, but the team won't care that you have that on your list - just bring them! However, if another checklist item for you is that you do not want to be ask about your "pain level", write that down because that is something you could definitely be asked during labor, and they need to know not to do that. 
• Formatting your birth plan to simple bullet-points makes it easy for your medical team to understand and read. They don't have hours to read a novel of your wish-list items. So, give them the deets in a digestible format.
• Discuss your birth plan with your provider (and doula) during your prenatal visits. Make sure they are on board with what's important to you. If they have any hesitations or concerns, talk through them. If you still find yourself at odds, it might be a good option to switch - there are other providers out there who have the same goals you do. 
• Have one sheet for YOUR birth plan and one sheet for the BABY or include the baby items in a separate section. Your Midwife/OB is not the same provider for your baby once they are earth-side. Have a separate sheet for the baby's care team that is also clear. This one can be more detailed, though - it's your baby!
• It's also helpful to include a bit about your relevant medical history and allergies at the top so they can keep all of those things in consideration when supporting your birth

Finally, while creating a birth plan is helpful and can manifest the birth you are dreaming for, it's important to stay flexible. Birth is unpredictable and it's ok if we have to adjust - whatever happens during your birth is meant to happen.