Making a birth plan.
Making a birth plan is a great exercise for every mom and her partner. The process begs you to pause and consider how you will focus on and engage in your birth experience.
Think about things like lights, music, affirmations, photos, aromatherapy, privacy, hydration, and nourishing snacks.
Describe the environment that will promote your comfort and relaxation.
Specify who will be present at your birth and each of their roles including friends, family, your doula, photographer, and who will care for older children.
Outline comfort measures like hydrotherapy, massage, relaxation techniques, encouragement, reminders, and movement options you’d like to have available.
Communicate any cultural or religious preferences you may have.
Outline how you’ll prepare your home and birthing space and what you’ll gather for your birth kit.
Decide what you will do with your placenta.
Be flexible about what to expect in each stage of labor.
Include an emergency preparedness section detailing your medical preferences if a higher-level facility is needed. Your midwife will liklely discuss where you would potentially transfer and under what circumstances at your 36-week visit.
Describe your goals for newborn care in the immediate postpartum period including delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin time, newborn assessments, vitamin K, and erythromycin eye prophylaxis.
Remember a birth plan isn’t a set of rules but a tool to communicate your preferences to your birth team. Following your plan won’t guarantee an out-of-hospital birth but it will promote collaboration and help those around you set the stage for a positive and satisfying birth experience.
