The Importance of Creating a Birth Plan
By Liz Pickett

When a pregnant mother thinks about her upcoming labor and birth, she may have a vision of what it will be like. Unfortunately, she is the only one who can see it! The solution to this problem is simple: create a birth plan. This enables your physician or midwife, your labor and delivery nurse, and anyone else who may be attending your birth, how best to meet your needs.

A birth plan is a roadmap of your desired labor path. The events of labor and delivery can be unpredictable, so it is important that your birth plan is flexible and not set in stone. When creating a written birth plan it is best for you to cover general areas such as: Who will be there to support you? Are there comfort techniques that you learned in your childbirth education class you would like to use? Do you want to avoid using pain medications? Do you plan on breastfeeding your baby? If you are having a boy, do you plan on circumcising him? What about other newborn care procedures?

There are many decisions to be made during labor, so creating a list prior to your hospital admission will help you to be prepared. A birth plan includes categories such as labor, monitoring, labor augmentation/induction, pain medication, cesarean, episiotomy, delivery positioning, rooming in, breastfeeding, circumcision, and photo/video preferences. To view a sample birth plan, visit www.birthplan.com.

After you have finished writing your birth plan it is important to bring a copy with you to your next prenatal visit so you can discuss it with your doctor or midwife. Perhaps you stated that you do not want IV fluids unless medically necessary, however, your doctor or hospital may have a routine IV fluids policy with all patients Suppose that you were interested in obtaining an intrathecal epidural anesthetic, and your doctor informs you that the particular hospital you are going to does not offer this procedure? These things are very important to consider, so it is crucial to not wait until the last minute to write your birth plan. Having this conversation with your care provider during pregnancy will be more useful than waiting until you show up in labor! It’s better to know ahead of time that some of your options may be limited. If necessary, you can rethink your plans and make the best decision for you and your baby.

Make a few copies of your birth plan to bring to the hospital. When you are admitted, give a copy to your nurse to read and put in your chart. This is an effective way to communicate your preferences for your labor and the birth of your baby to the hospital staff. They will know if you plan on breastfeeding, and how you feel about newborn procedures. Have an extra copy on hand for your labor support partner, too.

Remember that although birth is a process that can’t be controlled by you, it can be an experience to be treasured forever!

Liz Pickett is the perinatal health educator for Maternal-Infant Services Network (MISN) of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, a not-for-profit organization that coordinates health and human services for pregnant women and children. Contact MISN at 1-800-453-4666 or visit www.misn-ny.org.

For More Information on FREE or LOW COST Health Insurance, Prenatal Care or Breastfeeding Support Call 1-800-453-4666.