How to Create Your Birth Plan: A Checklist for Parents

How to Create Your Birth Plan: A Checklist for Parents

Writing a birth plan is becoming a must for all the mums out there, whether this is your first time or you already know what to expect. Parents write this plan because they want to be prepared as much as they can in order to prevent any inconveniences from happening. This doesn’t mean something won’t go as planned, but with all the things labor includes, you need to try to control everything as much as you can. There’s no ideal time for writing the plan – many mums like to do this at the early stages of their pregnancy in order to have everything settled, and there are those who like to explore and read in the first two trimesters, and then use the last one to write their birth plan.

Birth plan facts


In the beginning, you should write down a few facts so that you can easily share them with your partner, your doctor, and your family. This needs to include where you’d like to have birth, who your doctor is, whether you have a doula or someone to assist you during the delivery, and any other information when it comes to people who need to be involved. Also, think about your medical history and create a separate sheet with any information that could be useful during your delivery. Your doctor is probably familiar with these facts, but think about unexpected situations and be prepared for your doctor not to be there when your delivery starts.

The atmosphere

Not many women think about this, but just imagine going through labor and having things that relax you so you can find your zen. Things like being able to walk, having a place to shower, or even having a TV or a radio can relax you and help you go through contractions. Having a partner or someone else who can calm you down is crucial, especially if this is your first time having a baby and you’re feeling scared.

How do you want to give birth?

This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make during your pregnancy. If there are some medical indications showing that you need to have a C-section, you can plan the delivery with your doctor. Choose who you want to perform your C-section, organize your return home, and learn what you need to do after the procedure to get back on your feet quickly. On the other hand, if you plan on having a natural vaginal birth, there are also things to go through with your OB-GYN – do you want to wait for it to start naturally or would you like to be induced? Go through details with your doctor in order to get familiar with all the facts about this type of labor.

Labor specifics

If you’re one of those women who love to have everything under control, you need to know all the details regarding your labor before it happens. Would you like to cut the umbilical cord or do you want your partner to do that? Would you like to save your stem cells? What medication would you like to receive before and after the labor? How would you like to monitor your baby? Would you like a breastfeeding counselor to visit you to help you with feeding your baby? These are just some of the things to think about, so start doing that right now.

Postpartum options


In addition to your delivery, your birth plan should also include postpartum treatment and how you can make your life easier in those first few days after going back home. You need to understand that giving birth is an exhausting process and having some help is crucial so you and your baby can rest. Ask family members to help you with house chores, taking your baby for a stroll, and if you have older children, they can help you divide your time between all of them because every single child is going to need your care and attention, no matter how old they are.

 

Having a birth plan is crucial and every expecting mother should make a list that can guide her through the process. This will help you prepare for the process and give birth in the quickest and most satisfying way possible.

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