Throughout your pregnancy, you might get asked a few times by friends, family and health professionals about how you want to give birth, but it can sometimes feel as though there is no real guidance on how to write a birth plan.
There are so many different things to think about through pregnancy, especially more exciting things such as baby names and all the things you need to buy, that how you're planning to give birth and writing a birthing plan might not have even crossed your mind yet - but don't panic!
As a mum of two currently expecting my third baby, I'm here to tell you to take a big deep breath and remind you that there is no right or wrong way when it comes to giving birth or writing a birth plan, and it really comes down to what you want.
With my own experience and the expert advice from Midwife Pip, we're here to guide you through what you should include in your birth plan and how to advocate for yourself too.
What is a birth plan?
A birth plan is exactly that, a written plan that helps to communicate with your partner and your birthing team what kind of birth you would like to have. This also includes your goals and wishes for everything before, during and after labour.
It's important to remember that your birthing plan is a best-case scenario plan, and how you'd ideally like your labour to go, so it's worth discussing with your midwife and hospital what your options are, as some types of births might not be possible.
Although you can write your birth plan at any stage during your pregnancy, Midwife Pip recommends having your birth plan completed by no later than 36 weeks.
I found that from around 28 weeks of pregnancy to be the best time to write a birth plan. During my first pregnancy, I wrote my plan at 20 weeks, and my idea of how I wanted my birth to go changed by the time I entered my final trimester.
Birth plans can be really important for advocating for yourself during labour, so it's important to be clear with your partner and team your ideas for giving birth to help have a positive birth experience.
What to include in a birth plan
Sharing her top tips on birth plans, Midwife Pip says it's important to consider them as preferences and to think about the plan you’d like if birth takes a twist or turn, as "a birth plan for a smooth birth is nowhere near as helpful as for a birth that has complications."
Midwife Pip said: "It's important to include ideas around language you would like used, the environment you would like created, pain relief measures that most appeal to you, and how you would like to approach making decisions," she adds, "These are helpful to include as well as feeding preferences, the golden hour and immediate care for you baby such as vitamin K and delayed cord clamping."
With that in mind, here is what to include in your birth plan:
Preferences before labour
Before the labour is just as important as during your actual labour, as this can help you to feel calmer in the lead up to birth. Your preferences should include:
Who you'd like in the room whether it's your partner, a friend or doula.
Personalising the atmosphere through lighting, music and even candles - although it's important to ask if you can have these changes if you're planning a hospital birth.
What equipment you'd like whether it's a birthing ball or a birthing tub.
Preferences for during labour
For this, you need to be clear in how you'd like to labour, but it's important to remember this might have to be adjusted depending on your labour progression.
The type of birth whether you want an elective c-section, (also known as a planned section), or a water birth.
Medication use, whether you want completely unmedicated labour or if you'd like to have the epidural.
Assists in childbirth, which would include the use of forceps etc where needed.
Type of birth
Even if you plan to have a certain type of birth, it's good to create plans for the different types of birth just in case. It can feel overwhelming if your birth doesn't go the way you expected, so preparing for a second case and third case scenerio can really help you prepare for that.
Newborn care preferences
When you deliver your baby, your delivery team might whisk them away to be measured and eager to cut the cord, which might have to happen in some cases, but you can tell your team your preferences on what happens after you give birth.
Delay cord clamping is not something a c-section will allow, but you can ask through a midwife led unit or hospital if you can delay having the umbilical cord cut.
Holding baby straight away
Any requests around the placenta
More FAQs on how to write a birth plan
Do I need to write a birth plan?
Birth plans are not compulsory, but they can help to communicate your wishes to your delivery team.
A birth plan can be useful for planning out different birthing situations too, and gives you the chance to focus on giving birth rather than discussing your birth while in active labour.
Some mums choose not to have one as it can feel overwhelming or they are worried about being disappointed if the birth doesn't go the way they planned. However, you can still talk to your delivery team about ways you can feel prepared without writing a plan.
How should I prepare for writing a birth plan?
The best way to prepare for writing a birth plan is by discussing your options with your midwife and delivery team. They can offer the best advice on what is available to you based on any medical needs you have, such as whether or not you can have a water birth, if you'll be needing a planned c-section or even if a home birth is possible.
With this guidance in mind, you can then plan for your ideal scenario and also what you'd like to happen if down the line your ideal birth cannot happen.
About the expert
This article contains expert advice from Midwife Pip. Midwife Pip is a truly passionate midwife and advocate for the profession, bursting with knowledge. Pip is an experienced, practicing Midwifery Sister, MSc graduate, founder of Midwife Pip Podcast, Hypnobirthing and Antenatal Educator, co-author of published research and very importantly, a mum.
About the author
Samantha Ball is a Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby, having written for the brand since 2018. She's a mum of two aged seven and three, and is currently expecting her third. She loves searching for the best and current trending products for little ones. She loves to bake, but spends most of her free time between football and ballet classes.