Up to you if you want to give it a try or not. But, if you do (and you don’t have your own one), make sure that the medical staff knows in advance so that they can source one for you. Some midwives travel with one, but not all of them.

Note that if you buy a pregnancy planner, 90% of the times a birth plan template is included in the planner, so that’s something to consider if you are looking for a more comprehensive set of tools to help you stay organized during pregnancy and prepare for birth and postpartum.

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It’s more of a permission type of list, rather than a guide to help your care providers understand your desired birth plan. Once you are admitted to hospital, it can help to share some key information, and then bring up that everything is summarized in a birth plan if they’d like to see it. I will note that there are a few items that are a shameless plug for the brand like “I would like to give my baby their first bath using non-toxic baby products.”

I personally wouldn’t want my baby to be vaccinated straight after birth unless I was Hep B positive and my baby had a greater risk of contracting the virus. Here are a few examples of these bigger picture goals that we can try to honor regardless of how your birth unfolds: If you are going into labor with the mindset of having a natural and unmedicated birth, then make sure to include this in your natural birth plan. You definitely don’t want to have medical staff constantly asking if you need pain medication – you know your limit and will tell them if you can’t take it anymore. Since every new mom has different needs for their birth plan, we’ll tell you if each plan fits specific needs.That said, a birth plan is more like a list of “birth preferences”: a list of things that you’d like to have or happen during your birth experience ( before, during and after labor and delivery), or things that you’d prefer to avoid if possible. It doesn’t necessarily mean everything will go according to what’s written in it but, when you are in labor you won’t have time to discuss any of it with the medical team around you. Be absolutely clear about this, particularly if you are planning on breastfeeding! Pacifiers can interfere with breastfeeding if given very early after birth.

Make fully informed choices. Every birth is different, and many choices will have to be made on the day itself. But with your plan, you will always be reminded that you have options and are part of the decision-making process. It also gives your midwife the chance to get to know you better, and understand your feelings and priorities, and allows you to think about or discuss some things more fully with your partner, friends and relatives.I really found that I could concentrate way more easily on my breathing, and therefore be in way less pain, if I didn’t have people talking to me or asking me questions. Even when I was still at home, before getting to hospital, I spent most of the time in the bedroom with the lights off while my wife spent time with our older daughter, so I could concentrate on all the hypnobirthing techniques I had learnt.