Birth Plan - isn't that a funny name when we often talk about births not always going to 'plan'?! Perhaps we could call it Birth Preferences or Birth Ideas instead.
As a Birth Worker I believe it's really important to write down those things that are important to you during your birth. Are you hoping to have your baby at home / in the birth center or in a hospital? Are you hoping your partner and perhaps your Doula will be there as your Birth Support? Would you like to labour and perhaps birth in the water? Maybe you already know the importance of being active and upright during labour, rather than staying on your back - then you need to tell the midwives and doctors so. Perhaps you don't want any vaginal exams during labour or maybe you don't want to know how far dilated you are, as you worry that this number might play games with your mind? These are things that might be important to you, but perhaps not other labouring mums. Therefore, it's so important to write down your birth preferences, as you won't be able to communicate all of this to staff during labour....
Your Birth Preferences can be kept short and to the point, as most doctors wont have time to read a 10 pages document. And what if your birth doesn't go 'to plan' and you will need to change your preferences? Just because you need a Cesarean doesn't mean your birth has come to #$@ and it's all over. Cesarean births can be really beautiful too. Did you know that you can request to put on your hospital gown the wrong way round so that the front is open and you can place your baby on your chest straight away? And did you know that you can ask staff to lower the drape as soon as your baby emerges so you can see her being born? Again, unless this is all written down in your birth plan, no one will know.
I have a super easy to use Birth Plan Template, which I'd be so happy to email you for free. Just drop me a message here, lovely!
