Now is the time to start drafting your birth plan ideas, but what exactly do you need? Here is your comprehensive guide to writing your birth plan ideas, helping everyone be on the same page for your labor and delivery.
Researching birth plan ideas is a crucial part of your pregnancy journey; it serves as the ultimate advocacy tool, short of having your loved ones by your side. It was not until I was pregnant that I actually heard of a birth plan, or even knew why it was so important.
Now, it is all together for you, so you can take your birth plan ideas, and clearly outline your preferences and wishes for your pregnancy, and your support group knows exactly what you want!
Are you asking yourself: Do I need a birth plan? The answer is YES!!! Every Mama should have one because your birth plan ideas will keep everyone in line with your preferences and wishes, including everything from your information and support team, pain management, vaginal and c-section preferences, newborn plan, and more.
Labor and delivery can be exciting, but they can also seem overwhelming, especially if you are a first-time parent. Noting your birth plan ideas on paper will help to streamline your plan (and back-up plans) to decrease stress and help you be ready to jump on the next step, so you can have a safer delivery for both you and your baby.
This post is all about the critical birth plan ideas every mom should include for a less stressful labor and delivery.
Critical Birth Plan Ideas
The Overall Layout of Your Birth Plan
It’s important to know that birth plans are not legally binding and are simply a culmination of your birth preferences and wishes, to make your medical care team and support group aware.
Your medical team will not review your birth plan if it’s too long (it’ll take too much time), so remember that your birth plan should be:
- No longer than one page and organized into two columns, covering the following 11 sections.
Be sure to include this in your document folder with your hospital bag essentials, so you have it ready to hand out, and give a copy to your midwife well before you go into labor.
As for me, I was working with a doula during my pregnancy, and she helped me a lot with my questions as well.
#1 Birth Plan Idea: Your Information
This will be the first section in your one-page birth plan template.
In this section, you will provide the following:
- Your name, date of birth (DOB), and your blood type.
- How do you want others to talk with you during labor and delivery?
- I asked my care team to explain things to me as we go along, so I understood the process, and being a first-time mom, that helped me.
- Do you want a warning before people touch you?
- Birth is very up close and personal anyway, and you want to be as comfortable as possible.
- Any other tips or pointers your care team should keep in mind when making you feel comfortable?
- This is where I reminded my team that if I got nauseous, what I wanted and needed for relief, but you can put other things in here, too.
This is a great section to list anything about your health and conditions that your medical care team may need to know.
#2 Birth Plan Idea: Support Team
For this next section of your birth plan checklist, you will be providing information about your support team.
Here you will list the following:
- Everyone who will be there with you during your labor and delivery.
- How are they related to you?
- What will they be doing during your delivery?
- What is their contact information, in case the care team needs to get hold of them?
This is a great section to outline your point person, family members, friends, and if you have a doula, list them here as well!
#3 Birth Plan Idea: Pain Management & Various Positions
Now we are getting into the gritty of your plan, and if you are writing a natural birth plan template (like I did), this is one of your most important sections.
Here you will be listing things like:
- Are you aware that pain medications pass to the baby during labor, through the cord?
- Do you want an epidural or any other pain medication?
- Are you aware that an epidural blocks your ability to feel the natural urge to push?
- So you’ll need directions from your care provider if you choose this option.
- Do you want a saline lock so you can stay moving?
- How would you prefer to be moving during labor?
- Walking, stretching, swaying, lunging, etc.
- What various birthing positions do you want to try?
- Birth ball, all fours, shower/tub, side lying with leanut ball, etc.
- Are you going to do any special breathing, like a de-stressor or diaphragmatic technique?
- How do you want your partner to support you? Is your main support person going to remind you of specific things?
- Breathing reminders
- Verbal Reminders: take it one wave (contraction) at a time, or you’re strong and can do anything for 10 seconds!
- How would you like people to touch you? Would you prefer things like holding hands, light massage, hot and cold therapy, counter double hip squeeze, and accupressure?
If your goal is to have a natural birth, then ask yourself how you truly handle pain and what makes you feel better. This section is a reflection of you and how your body and mind respond to certain things in times of great pain and discomfort.
I was not expecting the double hip squeeze or accupressure to feel so good for me, but I knew I liked massage, and those two things were lifesavers during my contractions, or waves.
#4 Birth Plan Idea: Labor Room Environment
The environment where you will be giving birth is really important because you want to feel safe and comfortable when you are giving birth to your baby.
So, if you are drafting a plan for a hospital birth or a home birth plan template, this information will help your support group understand how you want things to be as far as the room goes.
In this section, you will address things like:
- How do you want the lighting?
- What smells do you want or do NOT want to smell?
- Do you want music playing in the background?
- What light snacks and drinks are you planning to have on hand for you and your support people?
- How would you like people to visit, and foot traffic going in and out of the room?
In my experience, lighting, smells, pain management, and hydration (Coconut Water) mattered the most.
I put music on there and created a playlist, but when labor started, I didn’t care about the music!
[Related Post: 27 Must-Have Hospital Bag Essentials for Birth Every Mom Should Pack]
#5 Birth Plan Idea: Monitoring & Pushing
When collecting birth plan options, you will want to include monitoring and pushing preferences for your care team.
The following points are very useful to include:
- How often would you like baby and cervical monitoring done?
- Would you like a warning ahead of time?
- Are you flexible in the positions you want to try?
- Would you like guidance or suggestions on when to change positions?
- Would you like to follow your body to know when to push?
- Would you also like guidance on when it’s safe to push?
I found this section to be really helpful for me (being a first-time mom), and my care team understood how I wanted them to guide me and to let me know before monitoring took place.
This was also really helpful because there were a couple of minor complications, and everyone stayed on the same page.
#6 Birth Plan Idea: Vaginal Birth Preferences
As you review birth plan examples for a natural birth, keep in mind your preferences for a vaginal birth. It is essential to understand that tearing can still occur naturally, despite your best efforts, and you will heal.
In this section, think about the following:
- How would you like to prepare to minimize tearing while in labor?
- Do you want perineal massage with warm oil, a warm cloth on your perineum, and/or maybe use various positions?
- Do you want to attempt to labor and/or deliver in the shower or tub?
- Water births can also help minimize tearing.
I had planned to give birth in the water, but just couldn’t get comfortable, so I wound up on the birthing stool, and my son was born with a full head of hair. Dunzo!
#7 Birth Plan Idea: C-Section Preferences
A huge purpose of having a birth plan for a C-section is to make sure you are ready for the unexpected. For some women, C-sections are preferred, and for others, vaginal delivery can result in a C-section.
Think about the following things:
- Are you open to having a C-section at any point?
- Would you only consider a C-section if it were medically necessary and as a last resort?
- If you were not oriented enough to make that decision, who would make it on your behalf?
- If you had to have a C-section, do you want to be awake for the procedure?
Remind yourself to be flexible if or when things don’t seem to fit your pictured birth experience, just help keep yourself and your baby safe.
#8 Birth Plan Idea: Medical Interventions
Discussing medical interventions is a great opportunity to set the boundary for which procedures you will allow and not permit.
Birth plans for first-time moms are so important and useful for this because sometimes procedures may also be pushed more than necessary on first-time moms, especially since their bodies have never performed labor before, making delivery that much harder.
So, make sure to ask yourself the following:
- Have you told yourself you are most likely going to tear?
- What are you planning on doing to prevent tearing, and are you prepared to tear naturally?
- Have you researched episiotomies, and do you want one?
- Do you understand the need for induction, and would you be okay with being induced if needed?
- Would you permit the doctor to break your water if not broken yet?
I learned from my birthing group that it is better and safer for your body if you tear naturally, making an episiotomy a dark age procedure that should be kissed goodbye forever.
[Related Post: 5 Best Hospital Bags for Labor for an Easy Bugout to the Hospital]
#9 Birth Plan Idea: Postpartum Preferences
Let me say “Well Done, Mama!” This section is designed to help your care team and support group understand how you would like certain things to be carried out while you bask in the glow of your newborn baby.
Discussing postpartum preferences in birth plans for first-time moms may require a little research to have a better understanding.
Here are a few things to consider for postpartum preferences:
- How are you planning on handling the umbilical cord?
- Who is cutting the cord?
- When is the cord being cut?
- Clamping the cord when it stops pulsing ensures your baby receives every last drop of what they need once the cord is cut. This greatly diminishes the risk of jaundice in newborns as well.
- Are you going to use your placenta for anything?
- You can encapsulate or turn your placenta into a tincture and use it later (during menopause) to replenish your hormones naturally.
- Some parents choose to take it home and bury it in a special spot.
- Donation is also an option, and be aware that this means your stem cells will be harvested from these pieces and used in various products and experiments.
- Would these experiments or products align with your moral standards when considering a donation?
- Disposal as biohazard waste is also an option for both the cord and placenta.
Take your time to consider all the angles in this section, and don’t be afraid to ask your midwife or do a little research yourself.
#10 Birth Plan Idea: Feeding Preferences
Any birth plan examples should include your feeding preferences for you and your newborn baby.
Breastfeeding is hard, and remember your body was made for this, and getting help from the start can be greatly beneficial for both of you.
So, make sure you note the following in your plan:
- Do you know what to look for in a good latch?
- What are some good feeding positions while nursing?
- What signals should you be looking for from your baby regarding when and how much to feed?
- How to avoid complications while breastfeeding, such as blockages, infections, or being sick?
These are just little tips and tricks that will help you and your baby successfully breastfeed.
Remember, you can also reach out and ask for a consultation with a Lactation Consultant to help you better understand the ins and outs of this next journey for you and your baby.
I had a really hard time with my production (in addition to other life stuff happening during this time), and I wish I had reached out to a Lactation Consultant for any help possible.
So, please know you’re not the only one, and you can get help along the way.
#11 Birth Plan Idea: Newborn Plan
When considering your preferences for your newborn care plan and a birth plan for no vaccines (if this is what you want), then you’ll want to be clear in this section.
Here are some important things to consider:
- Would you like to waive vaccines and have them done at a later date, or do you want your newborn to have them done right after birth?
- Would you like to hold your baby while they receive any necessary medications?
- When can the care team administer eye ointment (if needed) and perform blood typing on your baby?
- Do you want the care team to get hand and footprints for you before you leave?
- If you are having a boy, when would you like him to be circumcised?
- Make sure to discuss this with your insurance company too, so can understand how this may be covered.
Feel free to note anything else your baby here in this section, and ask questions (I had so many my first time around)!
Well, there you have it! All your birth plan ideas are now compiled into one document and organized into sections for your support group and care team.
This post was all about the critical birth plan ideas every mom should include for a less stressful labor and delivery.
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