Pregnancy is an exciting journey, and as your due date approaches it’s normal to think about how you want your baby’s birth to go. While labour and delivery doesn’t always follow a script, it always helps to have a birth plan at hand to feel more prepared and in control.
A birth plan isn’t a rigid checklist—it’s a guide that shares your preferences about your baby’s birth with your midwife and medical team.
If you’re unsure where to start, don’t worry! Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you how to create a birth plan that suits you.
A birth plan is a written document that has the information about how you want things to go during labour, delivery, and after your baby’s birth. It can include everything from your pain relief preferences to who you would like to be by your side during labour.
It’s not a binding contract—it’s a way to communicate what matters to you.
Sometimes circumstances change and flexibility is needed, but having a birth plan helps your care team understand your priorities.
You should know that if you change your mind about something, you can always make changes in your birth plan at any time you want.
Your birth plan is personal to you. It depends on your personal preferences, your circumstances, and what options are available at your maternity clinic.
You can include things like:
Try to keep your birth plan simple and easy to read during labour, you can discuss the details with your care team beforehand.
It is not necessary to always write a birth plan. It’s up to you, if you like, you can write one. You can discuss it with your midwife. It’ll help you understand your options during labour and delivery, along with their risks and benefits.
As it’ll be difficult to communicate your choices or ask questions during labour and having contractions every few minutes, it’s better to have all the information beforehand and make informed decisions.
On top of that, it’ll allow your midwife to know you better and understand how you would want things to be. It’ll also be helpful in sharing your feelings and wishes with your birth partner, family, and friends.
You don’t need to have a specific form for your birth plan. You can write it down on plain paper.
You can also download a birth plan template from the NHS and fill it.
It’s always a good idea to have a few copies of your birth plan and keep them in your hospital bag.
Not everything always goes as you expect. There can be a complication or unavailability of the facility you want. In that case, you should be flexible and prepared for anything that may change your plan.
Your care team will be there to give you advice. If you need, you can ask them questions to have a better understanding of the situation.
Having a birth plan is not about controlling every single detail, it’s about feeling more prepared and confident. It makes your care team understand your preferences and helps you and your partner be prepared for one of life’s most incredible moments.
Remember: Whatever happens on that day, the goal is a safe birth for you and your baby.
