Birth Plans How do you expect your labor, delivery and recovery to go?

Birth Plans
A birth plan is simply a written form of communication that is used to inform health care professionals of the parent's wishes prior to, during and after the delivery of their baby. Your birth plan should be simple, easy to read and easy to understand. Remember that no matter how well you try to plan your delivery, no birth will go exactly as planned. Try to leave space in your birth plan for flexibility so that the health and safety of both the mother and the baby is not compromised. Birth plans are not contracts. Most doctors and nurses will try to make every effort to accomodate the desires of their patients. Create your birth plan early on and discuss it with your doctor, spouse and anyone else that will be a source of support during the delivery. Try to be understanding of routine procedures that doctors must follow, even if there is a slight conflict with your birth plan.

Before Birth

• Do you wish to have visitors in the room?
• Do you want children to be able to visit?
• At what point do you want visitation to end?
• What would you like the environment to be like? Dim lights? Soft music?
• Do you wish to have an enema?
• Is external monitoring okay?
• Is internal monitoring okay?
• Do you want to walk during labor?
• Do you wish to use a birthing ball?
• Do you wish to use a shower or bath if available?
• Are you comfortable with student doctors and nurses being in the room or doing procedures?
• Is an amniotomy (breaking of the amniotic fluids) okay?
• Do you want to wear your own clothes (remember childbirth is messy)?
• Do you wish to be induced if contractions are not steady or strong enough?
• Do you want to avoid an IV for hydration by drinking lots of fluids?

During Birth

• Who do you want to be with you during the delivery?
• Is external monitoring okay?
• Is internal monitoring okay?
• Do you wish to wait for the urge to push rather than being directed to do so, even if you are fully dilated?
• Do you wish to use a mirror so you can view the process and progress of delivery?
• Are there any positions that you are more comfortable with to deliver your baby?
• Do you want pain medications? If so, what kind and at what point?
• Do you wish to tear or have an episiotomy?
• Does the father or labor coach wish to cut the umbilical cord?
• Are you comfortable with student doctors and nurses being in the room or doing procedures?
• Do you want to wear your own clothing, no clothing or hospital clothing?
• Do you want to touch your baby's head as it is crowning?
• If possible, who would you like to "catch" the baby?
• If a cesarean is needed, do you wish to have the baby held up immediately for viewing?
• Are photographs or video recording wanted?

After Birth

• Do you prefer to breastfeed immediately after birth?
• Do you want the baby placed directly on your chest after birth, given to labor coach or cleaned up?
• Do you want the umbilical cord cut and clamped immediately or after it stops pulsating?
• Do you want to be present for baby's first bath, shots, weight check, etc. if allowed?
• At what point can visitors come to see you and the baby?
• Do you want children to visit?
• Do you want to wear your own clothing?
• Do you wish to room in with the baby? How much?
• Do you want to breastfeed only, bottle feed only or both?
• Do you want your baby to have a pacifier?
• Do you want your baby boy to be circumcised?
• Do you wish to have pain medications?
• Do you wish to have a stool softener?

Sick Baby Or Mother

• If one is transported elsewhere, do you want both to go to the same location?
• Will you accept a blood transfusion if necessary?
• Are there any religious reasons for avoiding or not allowing any medical procedures?

Comments: Birth Plans

Comments 1 to 24 of about 69.
1 2 3 Next

danisue - 7 days ago.
I went to a VBAC class the other day and the instructor gave really good advice regarding the Birthplan. When you first walk into the hospital and at the beginning of each nurse shift, the nurses assisting with labor assemble and decide which nurses should work with each of the laboring mothers. If you can tell something about your personality and the way you like to communicate in your birthplan, it helps the nurses determine who the best fit it for you. In the end, you spend most of the time with the nurses. If you think you might want to do a natural labor, nurses who like working with mothers doing natural labor will assist you. I thought this was really great advice. BTW, you can always fire a nurse you don't like. Just send your partner to the head nurse station and let them know a certain nurse doesn't work for you, and they will get a new nurse for you; you can't do this with the on-call doctor though.

gr8scottswife - 16 days ago.
Has anyone tried hypnobirthing? If so, what are your reflections?

kla2200 - 17 days ago.
bellyfullofjelly - your comment was really helpful to me. I am almost 7 months with my first pregnancy and although i have read so much about birthing plans I have always had it in my head that the experienced doctors and nurses will lead me in the right direction when the time comes. Like Kristan said, how are we supposed to know what we are going to want when we have never experienced this before?

bellyfullofjelly - 17 days ago.
This is my fourth pregnancy and what i learned is that i just go with the flow and try to do what the doctor tells me, since he/she is the professional and i think when the time comes at the moment i will let the doctor know what i want done. That is what i always did with everyone of my births and all my births turned out great...But i am not against birth plans by all means go for it if you want to do it.

dawnmarie - 25 days ago.
Good morning ladies! Some of you are so negative about the use of birth plans. They can be helpful if you go into the process with an open mind. Creating a birth plan is a good way for you and your partner to go over what you want, to let you know what is available and make a choice. Too many women find later that they could have had more say and get upset. You do have to go into it with a flexible mind set. Things do happen and interventions need to be made but as a patient you have a responsibility to your own care. If you just tell the Dr's 'whatever' or make no specifications, then of course....it's not going to go the way you want....but you can stand up for yourself, or your partner can stand up for you if you're not in the best state. I'm a Patient Rep/Advocate and you have so much more say about your care than you think. Create a birth plan, know what you want and stand up for yourself, but do so while being well informed of what is going on and what other options are available. A lot of Dr's will only tell you what they want for you rather than any alternatives that might be just as effective, because it may be easier for them...or they may benefit rather than you. Although Dr's are well educated, they are human with personal motives as well. Take charge and read as much as you can.

mlmmdjm - 27 days ago.
kristan, you can do whatever you feel like doing when the time comes. I had a birth plan all in place when I had my first. It went out the window when she decided to come 2 weeks late and only because I was induced. Everything was pretty much set for me. For my second I just 'played it by ear' so to speak. I definitely wanted to walk with him, it was just so uncomfortable for me to be laying down or siting. You will know what's right for you when the time comes. Don't be afraid to ask the nurses what's available to you in the L&D room. We had them bring in a pregnancy ball and also a special chair they had which was so relieving. It's nice to have a general plan, but don't be surprised if it all changes when the time comes. Congrats on your first!

kristan - 27 days ago.
This is my first pregnancy and I feel completely clueless about the birth plan. I've never had to stay in a hospital and the most severe pain I've ever had was when I broke my ankle. I don't know what I'll feel comfortable with. I don't know I want the environment to be like or if I'll want to walk. Is it really necessary to guess at these things ahead of time or just deal with it when it comes?

kimberley1979 - 29 days ago.
Does anyone know where i can find more information on water birth? I have been hunting around the site but can't find a forum... I am pretty sure it is what I want to do (there is a water birthing room at the hospital and I love the idea of it) but want to know more about the risks/benefits and especially about peoples experiences with it!

mattie4 - 44 days ago.
im going to try to avoid getting an iv. my last pregnancy i was stuck 13 YES 13 times. I dont have the best of veins :(. I am going for a med free delivery...wish me alot of luck...lol. I am putting the no iv and not to offer me meds unless i ask in my plan.

TNMom - 50 days ago.
I think it's important to have a birth plan that covers major issues. I had one with my last one and I'm so glad I did. I was flexible and compromised on some things, but was able to get the biggies like delivering while standing. Think GRAVITY!!!! (I had a 7lb 15oz baby with a BIG head and didn't tear at all. I've delivered all 3 of my children in this position and LOVE IT!!) I plan on doing one for this baby as well. I think they're good as long as you are willing to compromise on some things and realize that in an emergency it may go out the window.

rachel17 - 64 days ago.
I think for myself I will write a birth plan or list of requests and only give it to my birth coach (my husband). This way I don't feel like mom-zilla and it gives him a job. If things get really crazy he can let them know what I need. Basically for my first birth I needed the birth plan more for my in-laws and my sister enforced it. My SIL was literally popping her head into the room to see if the family could come in. I needed more time to be with my little one and my sister set them straight and told them to hold tight for a bit longer. It’s up to my husband whether or not he wants to cut the cord and I’m sure he will have some requests too. It seems trivial to me when all I want is my baby but I can understand that some women want a birth plan because of the horror stories I’ve read. I don’t care about having music or candles. Once I got my epidural the first time nothing could have bothered me. I was too happy being pain free. I want to tell them in my birth plan that once I deliver they better not put another mother in the recovery room but that’s not an option with this hospital.

meredyth0315 - 64 days ago.
Scooby - In a rush setting, then most likely no your birth plan won't be followed to a T. It depends on what your wishes are though. Like if you plan on nursing you may not want the baby given a pacifier or bottle, some people want to bathe the baby themselves, cord cutting, eyedrops, things like that. Also you can do a c-section birth plan as well. It's a good idea to go over your plans witrh your OB so they are aware, and put it in writing and make copies to take with you to the hospital to give to the nurses station or even post on your room door. It's your birth & body, you're giving them the privilege of delivering, you don't have to submit to anything you don't want to!

Scooby-doo - 65 days ago.
Is it really neccesary to have a brith plan. I mean if there is a rush going will they still be able to abide by it. I'm really thinking about doing one since I never did before and things didn't turn out like how I wanted them to.

bonnieheather - 66 days ago.
ladies..birth plans are something midwives and doctors give expectant mothers to do, so they can research for themselves what is available to them during labour.. to say i dont want an epidural or an episiotomy, i will have gas and air but not pethidine. i want to be in water until i am ready to push - is just not likely to happen!! i have never heard of any woman who has succesfully followed a birth plan, as you cannot plan for the unknown! and believe me you dont win any medals for going drug free. i think they just give you the form to fill in to stop you being bored in the last few weeks!!!!

us-n-kenzie - 66 days ago.
My birth plan is to have someone, almost anyone, with a medical degree to get the thing out of me as quickly and with as little pain as possible. Other than that, I dont really care and I trust that they will do what needs to be done. If I did not trust them, I would have chosen a new set of Drs long ago. What I want is a plan on what will happen after the birth. I am having a CSection and it is very important that after I am done in recovery, my husband and my 6 year old daughter (5, but she'll be 6 then) come spend some time in the room with the baby and I alone. Just the four of us. Our parents can go get lunch or something after my husband tells them that everything is ok and collects my older daughter from them. This is the only thing that is really super important to me. Other than that hour after recovery, I dont care who cuts what or how its done. They can invite the janitor in to cut the umbilical cord with a chain saw and I am good with that.

sunny3 - 70 days ago.
IM SO UPSET! i just found out that my hospital doesn't have tubs for waterbirths and i really truley wanted to do it... i feel like it would make me so much more comfortable b.c i love taking baths at home.. i take one every night and whenever i am in pain i dont think twice about pain meds i just say screw it .. i'll take a bath.. and it always works for me. im soooo BUMMED! =[

Rosieb - 73 days ago.
With none of my births (there had been 4) did i have a birth plan. I went along with what my body wanted at that time. With the 1st 2 i had pethedine. But when the 3rd one came along i was told they dont give it no more and was given gas which didnt work. With my 4th baby there were no drugs available and thats what worried me the most, how am i going to have a baby without any drugs?? But a friend told me that if u keep yr fluids up and have paracetamol and do some practiced breathing things r easier. And it was. Even if drugs was available to me the last time i couldnt have asked 4 it. Baby was born within 5 minutes of reaching the hospital. I didnt wait too late. I waited till my contractions was 5 min apart when i left home. We lived 3min drive from the hospital. I hardly had time to get on the bed when baby's head crowned. :)

9mo - 92 days ago.
I don't really see the point of a birth plan either. I've put a very basic one together that just says that my husband is the birth partner, my husband will cut the cord, I want to breastfeed, and and that unless necessary I'd prefer to go natural without drugs and intervention.

Martina26 - 92 days ago.
gemz very few have lil bellies leaving the hospital. i lost all the weight quickly but the skin on my stomach hung down a bit til i did crunches to tighten it back up. im scared this time around b/c ive gained more ;(

GEMZ-XX - 92 days ago.
ok peeps this sounds daft so plz excuse me! im wondering will be belly be normal once the baby is born or will it stay sticking out for a while? if so will it be firm or jelly like? hope sum1 can shed sum light! xx

SBYMom - 95 days ago.
When I had my 1st born, my city had no such things as 'birth-plans'...this time they do, however, I have informed my Dr. that it is garbage because with my 1st, I wanted a natural birth. After 37 hrs, I was sectioned. I obviously had to have drugs & it all snowballed continually into something else. What I learned...go with the flow. Why make it hard on yourself & set you up for *sometimes* unrealistic expectations!? This time around, however it goes down, I will be ready...because my 'birthplan' is to just take it as it comes.

theshimel - 98 days ago.
i actually read a thing the other day that said NOT to do a birth plan because it can increase the rick or post partum depression. it totally makes sense too. i had PPD and one of the big things that caused it was that my delivery did not go the way i wanted. and if you take the time to plan out every detail of you delivery and then something slips it up and nothing goes the way you want. trust me...it hurts. and you grieve. and it really sucks. with this one i have maybe 2-3 stipulations....no one in the room but my hubby, no meds, and i want a mirror. anything else goes

hugs and kisses - 106 days ago.
is there really any point of having a birth plan? is it really gonna go the way you want it? i dont think so! lol

jamesmom - 108 days ago.
i had a water birth and i am definatly not having one this time around. i really dont think it helped with pain or was soothing at all by the end i was just cold, wet, and really sore.

lizzie287 - 111 days ago.
Hey ladies, just a quick question for anyone who may have had a water birth in the past. I was thinking about this option and wondered if anyone can give me some insight into their experience, pros and cons and things like that?


1 2 3 Next


All forums   latest comments
Trying to conceive   latest comments
Pregnancy   latest comments
Birth   latest comments
Birth defects   latest comments
Babies   latest comments