Create a Personal and Comprehensive Birth Plan

You and your partner are waiting for one of the most memorable moments of your life. To ensure the moment arrives without in flaw or complications it needs to be planned. Thus it is vital that not only you and are partner are informed about your birth plan but also your caregivers.

It is going to be one of the most exciting experiences of your life and also a life changing one. You will need to spend some time to think about the preferences for your baby. You will certainly have some desires and wishes for this memorable day which you should pen down for it to be well executed. To begin with write a journal and jot down all the plans and ideas that you have for the birth. This journal will help you to prioritize your options.

A birth plan is nothing but a clear and simple statement all of one page that helps you to set the preferences for your babies birth. This copy can be shared with everyone involved in the birth of your baby. This will help each one of them to communicate to each other and work out the final delivery exactly the way you want it to be.

The birth plan works out to be more comprehensive if planned in advance. As there are various aspects of birth that you need to consider it is well planned if you start early. Keep in mind that you should be flexible as deviations may arise. After all, the final goal is the safe delivery of your little bundle of happiness and joy!

Given below is a step by step process of how you can create your birth plan.

Considerations: To begin with find out the routine procedures and policies that is followed for “mommy care”. This can be discussed in your regular birth setting. If there is something that you do not agree with then you can discuss it with your health specialist. A session with your health care specialist will help you to create a comprehensive birth plan.

Thus accordingly in discussion with the health care expert you can create a plan for uncomplicated birth or postpartum. You can also create a plan just in case any complications occur. You can go through the following list of questions and prioritize them accordingly.

• Who are the ones you would like to be there?
• If you would want a doula?
• If there would be any siblings or children present?
• Would you prefer mobility or you would like to be confined to your bed?
• Which are the activities you would like to use? Like standing, hands & knees, walking and squatting.
• Which position would you prefer to give birth
• What would you like to do for pain relief? ( medication, Jacuzzi or tub, breathing exercises, relaxation, labor imagery, positions, hot and cold packs and massage)
• What is your opinion about fetal monitoring?
• What is your plan to keep yourself hydrated? IV, ice chips or sip of drinks?
• Would like to intake pain medications or is it something that you would like to avoid? If you would like to use pain medications then are there any specific ones that you would like to have?
• Are you open to use episiotomy? Or are there some other measures that you plan to take in order to avoid one?
• What are things that you have as your preferences when it comes to your baby’s care? Like where and when to sleep, when to feed etc.
• Would prefer to have a heparin/saline block, a routine IV or absolutely nothing?
• Would you like to be in your own clothing?
• Would like to have focal points and listen to music?
• What would you prefer to use – a shower or a tub?
• When it comes to hospital transport, what have you planned whether it is a home or birth center birth?
• If there is a situation when you have to undergo caesarean, is there any specific request?

 

Consultation with a Health Care Provider: More often then not, there is a specific routine that is followed by the health care professionals. They are trained professionals whose job is to always ensure what is best for the birth of the baby. Thus being experts they may or may not agree with certain ideas that you would have in your birth plan. There could be certain points in your list which according to them could be seen as demands or it could also be something tat would lead you to failure or disappointment. This could be possible if things fail to work out precisely as planned.

You need to remember that every birth is different. Thus a normal birth can have a broad variety of definitions. You can use words like “our wishes of childbirth”, “birth preferences”, “unless there is an emergency” or “as long as birth process is normal”. So to begin with go for an appointment with the labor and birthing center of your area or hospital. Share your birth plan with the experts there and get their suggestions and feedback.

This will help you to be more confident about the birth location that you have chosen and also your birth plan.

Control and Confidence: Many a times during the birth of the child, women feel as if things are out of control. But with a birth plan in place you feel in control and confident about the happenings around you.  You need to be positive in your thoughts and you will see that it will certainly help. Thus use words like “We anticipate”, “We plan” and “We hope” rather then using words like “We would like to avoid” or “We don’t want”.

There are many books available to help you develop a positive frame of mind. All these together will help you come up with a successful birth plan.