Making a birth plan

A birth plan is a written list of what you’d like to happen when you are in labour and give birth. A plan includes things like who you’d like to be with you in labour, and what position you’d like to give birth in.

It’s a good way to let your midwife or doctor know what kind of care you’d like in labour, birth and afterwards (if possible), and if you’re planning to breastfeed.

It will also help you be more involved in decisions about your care and help you prepare for the big event. But before you make a plan, you need to know more about what birth is like and what choices you have.

You can find out more by:

• going to antenatal classes
• asking your midwife or doctor about any issues or concerns you have about the approaching labour and birth
• ask about who will be involved in your care, how many people will be involved and who has access to your medical records
• reading about birth
• talking to other mothers who have given birth at the hospital or birth centre you are going to, or to women who have had a homebirth, if that is what you are planning
• talking to your partner or other relatives or friends who’ll be there to support you at the birth. What sort of labour and birth would they like you to have? How do they see their role?

Remember that things may not go according to plan! There may be complications or you may change your mind about something. Some women say they want to give birth without pain-relieving drugs, for instance, then find they need them after all — and that’s ok.

So think of the birth plan as a guide, and stay flexible.

Things to think about:

• Where do I want to have my baby?
• Who do I want with me in labour (birth companion), for example my partner, my children, another family member or a friend? Support in labour is important.
• Do I want my birth companion to stay with me all the time, or are there certain procedures or stages in labour when I would prefer them to leave the room?
• How would I like the birth environment to be: do I want music, and low lighting?
• What birthing aids am I likely to need in labour — for example a beanbag, squatting bar or birth stool?
• Do I want pain relief — if so, what kind? Are there any types of pain relief I want to avoid?
• How will the type of pain relief I choose affect the labour or the baby?
• What position do I want to try during labour and to give birth in?
• What is the usual practice for an episiotomy?
• If my labour slows down or is taking too long, do I want my caregiver to do anything to speed it up? Or would I prefer to wait?
• What if I need a caesarean? Would I prefer to have a caesarean with an epidural anaesthetic so I can stay awake? Do I want my partner to be with me — and will my partner be able to cope?
• What is the usual practice for an induction?
• What procedures may be recommended and why?
• What equipment may be used in my pregnancy care, and for the birth of my baby, and why?
• Who will cut the cord?
• Do I want to have an injection to speed up the delivery of the placenta or not?
• Do I have any cultural or religious needs around giving birth?

When you decide about any kind of treatment it’s important to make decisions based on good information. Talk to your midwife or doctor about the pros and cons of different treatments before you’re likely to need them. Think of your own safety and wellbeing and that of your baby when you make these decisions. It is a good idea to have gone through your birth plan with your caregivers before you are 36 weeks pregnant.

Sources: NSW Health (Having a baby). Opens in a new window.Raising Children Network (Birth: an overview). Opens in a new window.