My Simple Birth Plan
Here is the birth plan I used for all four of my babies
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I like to keep my birth plan simple because most of the time, your nurses and doctors will walk you through each step and give you your options.
However, there are some things they may not ask you or may overlook. They are delivering babies all day long, and what may be standard procedures to them will be brand new to you, so it never hurts to go in with some knowledge and a little bit of a plan!
Speaking of the word plan, I heard a suggestion to call your plan "birth preferences." There is a lot of power in language. Changing the world "Plan" to "Preferences" may help us let go of a bit of control if need be! As much as we want everything to go as planned, sometimes it doesn't, and the end goal is to make sure mom and baby are healthy!
Here is the plan I have used each time when giving birth. For three out of my four births, I was induced. Labor wasn't progressing, and risks became higher to the baby, so I was given Pitocin in those cases. For me, once you are given Pitocin, all bets are off! The contractions that happen due to Pitocin are WAY more intense than naturally occurring contractions. There was no way I would be able to manage the pain. So when I am induced, I ask for an epidural right away. I no longer can walk around or bounce on a birthing ball in those cases, and I am okay with that!
While there are risks and side effects to taking an epidural, it has gone through many clinical studies and trials and is ultimately deemed safe. You can read more on my thoughts about an epidural and why no one should feel shame for taking one here.
If you would like to learn more about some of the items on my birth plan, such as delayed cord clamping and leaving the vernix on baby, check out the videos below!
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