Preparing for Childbirth: How to Use a Birth Plan

Whether you’re pregnant with your first child or your fourth, the days leading up to delivery can feel chaotic. Between setting up the nursery, running to final prenatal appointments, and getting your other kids ready for the arrival of your baby, you may have little time to think about what you really want to happen during labor and birth. That’s where a birth plan can help.

A recent review of birth planning research found that birth plans can give parents a sense of independence and control during birth. They can also help parents prepare for the unexpected and make decisions more easily no matter what happens on the big day.

Here’s everything you need to know about writing a birth plan, plus a free birth plan template to help you get started.

What is a birth plan?

A birth plan is a document of your hopes and expectations during birth that you share with your birth care providers. While it’s not necessary to write it down, writing it down can help parents feel more calm and in control during the process of welcoming their newborn. Writing may even lead to better birth outcomes, especially if you have strong preferences for how you want to give birth. Recent studies have found that having a birth plan may increase vaginal birth rates and improve outcomes for mothers and newborns, as well as birth satisfaction.

Sharing and discussing your birth plan with your healthcare providers a few weeks before your due date can help provide them with the information they need to give you the birth experience you want. For example, if you really don’t want to have an epidural, you should let your caregiver know before labor begins.

Creating a birth plan also gives you and your partner time to think about the process and agree on some important questions, says Betsy Caldwell, PhD, a physical therapist who specializes in childbirth, pregnancy, and postpartum health. “The process of creating a birth plan is an opportunity for expectant parents to learn about all aspects of the birth process,” she says.

How to write a birth plan

Leave plenty of time for your birth plan. As you get closer to your due date, Dr. Caldwell suggests opening the notes section on your phone and writing down some of your birth plan.

“Don’t wait until the third trimester,” she warns. “Preparing for and planning for birth takes time and can change from week to week. Read positive birth stories, learn about your options, and practice respectful and clear communication during your prenatal appointments.”

Some topics you may want to include in your birth plan include:

• If you want to move and walk during labour
• To reduce pain during childbirth
• If you are willing to have your cervix checked during labour
• What position do you want to push in (for example, kneeling or lying on your side rather than lying on your back)
• Preferences regarding interventions such as the use of forceps
• If you are willing to continue monitoring your fetus
• Delivery room environment options (if you want to dim the lights and quieten the voices in the delivery room)
• If you are strongly opposed to any procedures during birth 
• What you can and can’t do when caring for a newborn 
• If you plan to breastfeed
• Contact details for your partner and birth team

“If you’re giving birth in a hospital, find out what their usual procedures are and make sure you write a letter whether you agree or disagree with them,” Dr. Caldwell says.

Your birth plan will depend on your own preferences, but most experts recommend keeping it simple.

“I think having a finished product that’s more than a page or two longer is probably too much,” Block said. “I want it to be simple, easy to read, easy to understand, and easy for my team to reference.”

Be sure to print out extra copies and share with everyone in case shifts change during the birth.

Disadvantages of birth planning

There is a lot of evidence that using a birth plan often leads to higher birth satisfaction. However, one study found that increasing the number of requests in the birth plan was associated with a significant (80%) decrease in satisfaction ratings. In other words, if you set your expectations too high, you are more likely to be disappointed. It is also important to remember that your care team are the experts and to respect them.

“Try to avoid an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality,” says Dr. Caldwell. “Think of your birth plan as a guide for open communication. Instead of saying, ‘Don’t do this,’ write, ‘We prefer x, y, or z’ in certain situations.”

Birth Plan Template

Ready to create your birth plan? This basic template is a great starting point. Just select the points in each category you want to include, and feel free to add anything else that’s important to you.

contact address

Patient Name:

Patient Care Providers:

Baby Pediatrician:

Emergency Contact:

We would like the following people to accompany you during birth:

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Labor

• I like having control over the temperature, lighting and sounds in the birthing room.
• I’m happy to be able to move around during labour.
• I want to be able to stay hydrated during labor.
• I do not agree with examining the cervix during labor.
• It is [okay/not okay] for someone in training to be present when I give birth.
• I would like to try birthing aids such as a birthing ball, birthing chair, squatting chair, showers and warm baths.

Pain Management

• I [planned/unplanned] to have an epidural during labor.
• I like to use the shower or whirlpool bath to relieve the pain.
• I like to use massage and breathing techniques to relieve pain. 

transportation

• We want to avoid the use of forceps and episiotomy.
• I like to use the [directed push/self-directed push technique].
• I want to bank my cord blood.
• During a normal birth, I would like my husband to support me while I push.
• For vaginal birth, you will prefer a quiet, calm environment with dim lighting.
• I would like someone to document the birth process with photos and videos.
• My partner is going to cut the umbilical cord.

Emperor Cut

• If I have a C-section, I would like [person’s name] to be with me.

After birth

• I loved having my baby directly on my chest right after he was born.
• I like to give my baby a thorough clean before I put him on my chest. 
• I plan to breastfeed my baby as soon as possible after giving birth.
• I want to see how my child is doing before giving him eye drops. 
• After the birth, I would like [person’s name] to hold the baby immediately if I am not available to hold it. 
• I would like [person’s name] to go to the nursery with my baby. 
• If my baby is a boy, I would like him to be circumcised at the hospital/birth center.

Newborn care

• I plan to [exclusively breastfeed/bottle feed/combined breastfeeding and bottle feeding].
• Please don’t give my baby a [pacifier/formula]
• I like my baby to be in the room (always with me/except when sleeping/only when I’m breastfeeding).