If you’re expecting a new addition to your family, you may have many questions about what’s ahead. That’s entirely normal, especially when it comes to labor and delivery. Creating a birth plan can help you think through the process ahead of time and prepare for what’s to come.
Not quite sure where to begin? We answer a few common questions about birth plans below.
Q: What Is a Birth Plan?
A: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines a birth plan as “a written outline of what you would like to happen during labor and delivery.”
Your birth plan describes your ideal labor and delivery experience. It’s important to remember that birth rarely goes exactly as planned. Challenges often occur during labor and delivery.
Your care team, including your OB/GYN or midwife, will do their best to adhere to your birth plan but will deviate from it if your health or your baby’s health is at risk.
Schedule an appointment at one of our women’s health clinics and ask about our prenatal care book. From there, you will receive a birth plan outline and other resources.
Q: What Should I Include in My Birth Plan?
A: Your birth plan can be as detailed as you’d like. You may only have specific wishes related to certain aspects of labor and delivery, and that’s fine.
If you aren’t quite sure what to include, the ACOG offers some helpful guidance. Answer these questions when creating your birth plan:
- Are you trying for a vaginal birth after a C-section?
- Do you want to be able to move around during labor?
- How would you like to stay hydrated? Sips of fluids, ice chips or other options – an IV will still likely be required during labor.
- Who do you want with you during labor? During delivery? During a cesarean delivery?
- What tools or techniques would you like to try during labor? (This could include a birthing ball, birthing stool, birthing chair, squat bar or a warm shower.)
- Do you want pain medication during labor? Under what circumstances?
- What other pain management techniques would you like to try? (This could include massage, heat and cold, changes in position, hydrotherapy, hypnobirthing, relaxation or breathing techniques.)
- What would you like to happen around you during the actual birth? (This could include whether you’d like music or quiet, whether you’d like the lights dimmed, and what you want your support person to do.)
- Under what circumstances would you like have an episiotomy? What else would you like to try to avoid needing one?
- Do you want to delay cord clamping for your baby?
- Do you want immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby after birth?
- Do you want to try to breastfeed immediately after birth?
In addition to outlining your wishes for labor and delivery, your birth plan can also detail how you’d like to care for your baby after birth. This includes whether you will breastfeed or use formula.
Once you decide on your preferences, you can turn those wishes into a birth plan however you’d like.
Q: What Do I Do With My Birth Plan?
A: By creating a birth plan ahead of time, you can clearly communicate your desires for labor and delivery with your provider. This planning lets you carefully consider your preferences and document them before you’re in the delivery room.
A birth plan also offers emotional benefits. A study in the Journal of Perinatal Education found that mothers and their partners who had a birth plan felt more positive about their birthing experience.
Ultimately, it can help you feel more in control of the process.
Once your birth plan is ready, share it with your OB/GYN or midwife. They may have suggestions or offer insight into the hospital’s facilities and the typical labor and delivery procedures. After you make your final adjustments share the final copy with your OB/GYN or midwife and keep a copy with you for reference.
Q: What Happens if Things Don’t Go as Planned?
A: Your medical team will make every effort to respect your birth plan, but ultimately, your and your baby’s health and safety are their top priority. If complications arise, your delivery team will adjust the plan as needed to safely deliver your baby.
Because the labor and delivery process isn’t one-size-fits-all, it can be helpful to outline “what ifs” in your birth plan. For instance, you might want a vaginal delivery. Still, it’s wise to include your preferences for a C-section, just in case.
That way, your provider will know what you’d like to do in case your delivery doesn’t quite go as planned.
Pregnancy Support at University Health
Schedule an appointment with one of our expert OB/GYNs and get the expert care you and your baby deserve.
At our Women’s & Children’s Hospital — a Level IV maternal care facility with a Level IV NICU — we provide the highest level of care available for high-risk pregnancies and newborns who need intensive support. In addition, we are a premier teaching hospital, which means medical students and resident physicians will be part of your care team, providing the best care for you and your family.
You’ll also have a dedicated patient navigator at our women’s health clinics. Every expecting mother receives personalized guidance and support throughout her pregnancy journey.
