Creating the Perfect Birth Plan: Everything You Need to Include

Crafting the perfect birth plan is an important step for expectant mums to feel empowered and prepared for childbirth. A birth plan is a written document that outlines your preferences for labour, delivery, and postpartum care. It helps communicate your wishes to your medical team and support people, ensuring that everyone is aware of your desires during the birth process. While flexibility is key—since labour can be unpredictable—a well-constructed birth plan gives you peace of mind and helps you maintain control during this transformative experience.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential components of a birth plan, covering everything from antenatal care to natural pain relief methods, birth positions, and post-birth preferences. By the end, you’ll feel confident in creating a plan that reflects your individual needs and priorities.

1. Why You Need a Birth Plan

A birth plan allows you to think through and communicate your wishes in advance of your labour. While you cannot predict every aspect of childbirth, a well-organised plan provides a guideline for both you and your medical team. It can cover a wide range of topics, such as your preferences for pain relief, the atmosphere in the room, who you want present, and how you would like to manage certain medical interventions.

By discussing your birth plan during antenatal appointments with your healthcare provider, you’ll gain clarity on what is possible, what is recommended for your health, and where you can make choices to personalise your experience.

Tip: Remember, a birth plan isn’t set in stone. Be open to the unexpected, and use it as a flexible guide that reflects your preferences.

2. Key Elements to Include in Your Birth Plan

Your birth plan should be clear, concise, and adaptable. Break it down into categories to cover every aspect of your birth experience. Here are the essential sections to consider:

2.1. Preferences for Labour and Birth Environment

The environment where you give birth can play a huge role in your comfort and ability to manage pain. Think about how you envision your surroundings during labour:

Lighting and Atmosphere: Would you prefer dimmed lights, candles, or a quiet atmosphere?

Music: Some women find playing calming music or nature sounds helpful for relaxation.

Room Preferences: Would you like access to a birthing ball, birthing pool, or mat for different positions? Discuss these options during your antenatal care visits.

Tip: Consider practising relaxation techniques such as antenatal yoga, which can help you feel more comfortable and confident in your birthing environment.

2.2. Birth Positions

Staying mobile and changing positions during labour can help progress labour and ease discomfort. Many women find different positions more comfortable as labour progresses, such as squatting, kneeling, or using a birthing ball. It’s helpful to list your preferences in your birth plan so your midwife or doctor can support you in maintaining mobility.

What to Include:

Preferences for upright or active positions.

If you would like to use a birthing pool or birthing stool.

Any tools or aids you’d like to use, such as a birthing ball or chair.

Tip: Practise different positions during your antenatal fitness or antenatal yoga classes to understand what feels most comfortable for you.

Find out more about different labour positions from the NHS.

2.3. Pain Relief Preferences

Your preferences for pain relief are a crucial aspect of your birth plan. Some women choose natural methods of pain relief, while others may opt for medical interventions. It’s important to consider what you are comfortable with, but also stay open to the idea that your preferences may change during labour.

Natural Pain Relief Options:

Breathing techniques: Focused breathing can help manage pain naturally.

Antenatal massage or acupressure: Massage techniques can provide comfort and relaxation.

Water therapy: Labouring in water can help soothe contractions and ease pressure.

Hypnobirthing: Visualisation and relaxation techniques can help reduce pain perception.

Medical Pain Relief Options:

Gas and air (Entonox): A commonly used option that can help take the edge off contractions.

Epidural: If you’re considering an epidural, include when and how you’d like to discuss it during labour.

Tip: Attending antenatal education classes near you can help you explore and practise natural pain relief methods in advance.

Explore your pain relief options.

3. Preferences for Medical Interventions

While many women hope for a natural birth, medical interventions such as induction, forceps, or episiotomy may become necessary. It’s important to include your preferences for these interventions in your birth plan so that you and your healthcare provider can discuss them in advance.

What to Include:

If you would prefer to avoid an episiotomy unless medically necessary.

Your feelings on interventions such as forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery.

Preferences for when and how induction is discussed, should labour stall.

Tip: Use antenatal checkups and clinic visits to ask about these medical interventions and how they may be used in different scenarios.

4. Post-Birth Preferences

Once your baby is born, there are several important decisions to make regarding postpartum care, both for you and your baby. Make sure your birth plan reflects your desires for these aspects of care:

4.1. Immediate Skin-to-Skin Contact

Many mums prefer immediate skin-to-skin contact after delivery, as it promotes bonding, regulates the baby’s body temperature, and encourages breastfeeding. Indicate your wish for this early bonding experience in your birth plan.

4.2. Delayed Cord Clamping

Delayed cord clamping is another common preference, as it allows more blood to transfer from the placenta to the baby, which can be beneficial. Many hospitals offer this as standard practice, but it’s worth including in your plan.

4.3. Feeding Preferences

Whether you choose to breastfeed, bottle-feed, or a combination of both, note your preferences for feeding in your birth plan. You can also include whether you’d like immediate breastfeeding support or a lactation consultant.

4.4. Partner Involvement

Discuss how involved you’d like your birth partner to be in the process. This might include cutting the umbilical cord or being the first person to hold the baby.

Tip: Discuss your post-birth preferences during your antenatal care appointments to ensure they are included in your plan.

5. Special Considerations: Caesarean Birth Plan

While many mums create birth plans focused on vaginal delivery, it’s important to also consider what you would like in the case of a caesarean section. Whether you plan to have a caesarean or wish to include it as a backup, there are still several personal preferences to outline.

What to Include:

Preferences for the atmosphere (music, lighting).

Whether you’d like your partner to be present during the surgery.

Skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding preferences after the caesarean.

Tip: Use your antenatal appointments to discuss a caesarean birth plan and what options are available to personalise the experience.

6. Reviewing and Sharing Your Birth Plan

Once your birth plan is complete, review it with your midwife or healthcare provider during antenatal checkups. They can help ensure your preferences are practical and align with the policies of your birthing centre or hospital. Make sure to provide copies of your birth plan to your birth partner and any other key people involved in your care.

Remember, a birth plan is a guide, not a contract. Stay flexible, as labour can take unexpected turns. The most important thing is to focus on having a positive birth experience, no matter how your plan evolves.

Conclusion: Creating a Birth Plan That Works for You

Crafting the perfect birth plan requires thought, research, and communication with your healthcare team. By including your preferences for your environment, pain relief, medical interventions, and post-birth care, you can feel more prepared and confident for labour. Use your antenatal care appointments to fine-tune your birth plan, and trust that with the right support, your birth experience will be uniquely yours.