Birth Plan 101

Here is a template Birth Plan

From my experience, after going through two births, the simpler and straight forward the birth plan, the more likely they will read it and honor it. The best thing to do as well is go through it with each OBGYN at your hospital if it’s a rotating staff, so each one is aware of your birth plan and can answer questions you may have, so when the big day is finally here everyone is on the “same page”. **Please delete what is needed and remember this is an example of a birth plan, the one I used, and you can customize it however you desire and see fit for your needs and wants. It’s YOUR BIRTH JOURNEY. Try to keep Birth Plan to fit on 1 page.

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Hospital Birth Plan For (Your Name) & Baby

For (name of hospital) administration and staff located in (Name of town)

Dear Hospital Staff,

Thank you for attending to me and my baby during this wonderful and important event in our lives. We are so grateful and appreciate your expertise and knowledge. We would like to make it clear, that we have spiritual beliefs in wanting to deliver this baby as naturally, unmedicated, and with minimal intervention as possible. We understand your protocol and hope to work along with ours.

I hereby appoint (spouse/name) as my legal advocate, my husband and father of the baby. If I am incapacitated in any way, the hospital MUST have his permission to carry out any procedure(s) on me and our baby.

[add here specific procedures you would like to undergo, if necessary, i.e.: vaginal exams, induction, membrane sweeping, IV port, Electronic fetal monitoring, induced with Pitocin or generic oxytocin, episiotomy, etc.

[Ambiance of room can be described if wanted, i.e., quiet room, lights dimmed, playing a playlist, etc.]

Pain relief

-birthing ball, shower, massage are my choices.

-No medication will be needed

-please do not offer me an epidural or pain medication. I will request as needed.

In the events a C-section is needed

-I would like [spouse] and/or [name] to remain with me at all times in the theater.

-Father [name] to conduct skin-to-skin if I am unable to.

-For baby and mom to be reunited as soon as possible

-vaginal seeding is to be (or not) performed.

-I wish to remain conscious if possible. But if I must choose, I would choose general anesthetic instead of spinal tap. At least one arm free during procedure.

When Baby’s head is out

-I would like delayed cord clamping

-I would like spouse [name] to reveal sex of baby

Delivery of placenta

-No Pitocin, I would like the placenta to deliver on its own.

-I would like spouse[name] to cut umbilical cord if he wishes to after placenta is delivered on its own.

After birth

-Skin-to-skin and hold off any tests until after the golden hour

-Do not wipe down baby. I would like vernix to remain on baby until I decide.

-I will have my own towel and soap to bathe baby when I choose to do so.

-I would like baby to be weighted and measured near me, or with my spouse [name] assisting in procedures. I or spouse [name] must always be present.

-I plan to breastfeed baby

Vaccines and medication

-No Hepatitis B vaccine to be administered. We will wait until pediatrician visit.

-No antibiotic Eye treatment, we forgo treatment

-We forgo the vitamin K shot procedure

Thank you for your kind attention and co-operation for my birthing experience and plan. I appreciate that you understand that this is my birth journey, even though it takes place in your facility, with your most experienced and valued doctors and staff. we are grateful to share this experience with you and thank you dearly.

May God bless you, and all your loved ones,

[your name]

Birth plans are great to have, because they give the nurses, doctors, and staff an idea of what you want, but it's not "airtight" to get the birth you hope to have. What I mean by that is, the hospital has "their protocols" and if you have wants and needs that go against those protocols, they will ignore your desires, and blatantly without feeling apologetic. If you are interested in having a Natural and unmedicated birth check out my post about how to commit, and make it happen at the hospital. I did! I didn't with Alina, my first baby girl, but I was able to do so with Annabelle. Learn how and feel confident doing so.