Birth Plan Basics

A birth plan doesn’t take the responsibility off of you and put it on your provider. If anything, it places the responsibility on you because you will have to make sure you employ the three Ps: Pick the items for your plan. Prepare your body for the birth you want. Provide copies of the plan to everyone involved. 

Your birth plan is a living document. It should grow with your belly. As you attend appointments, research, and meet providers, you will add/or subtract items from it. Here are a few items you’ll want to address in your birth plan. The final version should be ready for distribution by week 36 of your pregnancy.

Storytime: I made my first and only birth plan in 2001. I was addicted to TLC. Back then it was really about learning stuff. Now, not so much. Anywho, I would spend all day watching episodes of A Baby Story and Birth Stories. I guess you could say those shows were the beginnings of my birth work. I learned about what I wanted and didn’t want to happen when I gave birth to my baby. Between those shows and the experiences I had with my two other babies, I was ready to take control. I eventually had a page explaining everything I wanted to happen while I was in labor and during the birth.

EVER-REE-THANG!!

Look, ain’t nobody read that document, not even me. 

That was when I learned that the birth plan has to be short and sweet. It’s best to get all of your wishes on one page. Start with these areas below:

• Attendance – Clearly spell out who should be there for labor and who should be in the room to witness the birth. Actually, name names. This is not the time to mince words or be afraid to stand up for what you want.  Likewise, be clear about who you do not want to be in the room. Do this with your best experience in mind. Give the people who you don’t want to be present, other tasks to complete. Their contribution isn’t less important, it’s just different. 
• Birthing Environment + Location – Really get clear about the environment where you’d like to labor and give birth. Do you want to have bright lights and lots of noise? Would you prefer to have dim lights, people who speak in low tones, and music playing in the background?  If you choose a birth center or home birth, you also have the option of burning incense or practicing any other rituals you see fit. If you choose to birth any location other than a hospital, please be sure everyone knows where your backup facility is and how to get there. 
• Labor + Pain Management – What type of labor do you want for yourself? Would you like to be medicated immediately? Do you want to go as long as you can without meds? Is it important to stay mobile while you are in labor? Would you like the option to use a birth ball, peanut ball, or a CUB? Is it important to you to labor in water? There are so many ways to labor and you probably won’t know what will work until you’re actually in the moment.  You can plan all you want, but please realize that the two Bs call the shots – your body and your baby. Something that you like on a regular day will disgust you on labor day. 
• Birth Wishes – When your baby finally makes their entrance into the world, what do you want to happen? Do you want to delay clamping the umbilical cord? Or would you like a lotus birth? Would you like immediate skin-to-skin? Will you exclusively breastfeed? Should the baby be given Vitamin K and antibiotic eye ointment? Barring any NICU needs, should the baby room exclusively with you? 
• Newborn/Postpartum Care – Would you like pitocin to help expel your placenta? Would you like to save your placenta? Who will pick it up? What is the timeline for home visits? Will there be someone in charge of a meal train? Will the baby co-sleep or have their own room? If a male child is born, will he be circumcised? Cloth or disposable diapers? 

This is just a sliver of the decisions you will need to consider when planning your labor and subsequent birth. That is why it is important to start early and do your research. Assemble a birth team that supports your wishes and are willing to advocate if you are unable to do so. But advocacy is a conversation for another time.