Creating a Birth Plan

Shonda Faye
Apr 1, 2025
2 min read

Creating a birth plan is a great way to communicate your preferences for labor, delivery, and postpartum care with your healthcare provider and support team. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you craft one that aligns with your values and needs.

Step 1: Start with the Basics

Include your name, birth partner’s name, due date, and healthcare provider’s name at the top of the plan. Also, specify where you plan to give birth (hospital, birth center, or home).

Step 2: Choose Your Birth Preferences

1. Environment & Atmosphere

Dim lighting or natural light?
Music or silence?
Essential oils or scents for relaxation?
Minimal interruptions and medical staff in the room?

2. Pain Management Preferences

Natural pain relief: breathing techniques, yoga, massage, or water immersion.
Medications: epidural, IV pain relief, or nitrous oxide.
Open to medical interventions or prefer to avoid them unless necessary?

3. Labor & Delivery Preferences

Freedom to move and change positions?
Birthing ball, squat bar, or water birth?
Continuous fetal monitoring vs. intermittent?
Who do you want in the room (partner, doula, family)?

4. Medical Interventions

Thoughts on induction (Pitocin, membrane sweep, breaking water)?
Preference for assisted delivery (vacuum, forceps, or only if necessary)?
Feelings about an episiotomy (avoid unless necessary or open to it)?
If a C-section is needed, do you have specific preferences (skin-to-skin immediately, delayed cord clamping, etc.)?

Step 3: Preferences for Baby’s Care

Cord clamping: Delayed or immediate?
Skin-to-skin: Right after birth or after initial checks?
Feeding plan: Breastfeeding, formula, or both?
Newborn procedures: Vitamin K shot, eye ointment, hepatitis B vaccine?
Rooming-in or nursery care: Do you want baby to stay with you at all times?

Step 4: Postpartum Care & Recovery

Preferences for postpartum pain management?
Thoughts on hospital stay length?
Mental health support plan?
Cultural or spiritual traditions after birth?

Step 5: Keep It Flexible

While a birth plan is helpful, it’s important to remain open to changes based on how labor unfolds. Focus on what’s most important to you while allowing room for adjustments.

Interested in how a doula can help with your birth plan, book your consultation today!