Birth Plan Template
Preparing for childbirth can be an exciting but overwhelming experience. A birth plan is a helpful tool that allows you to communicate your preferences for labour, delivery, and postpartum care with your healthcare providers and support team. This document serves as a guide to help you understand the various sections of the birth plan template before downloading and completing it.
An in-depth planner and checklist for your babies birth. Print out, and fill out, to make sure everything is covered.
Why Use a Birth Plan?
A birth plan ensures that:
Your medical team understands your labour and delivery preferences.
You feel more prepared and in control of your birthing experience.
Your partner and support team know how to best assist you during labour.
You have a written record of your wishes, which can be referenced when decisions need to be made quickly.
How to Use the Birth Plan
Once you’ve completed your birth plan:
Discuss it with your healthcare provider to ensure it aligns with medical recommendations.
Share it with your birth partner and support team so they are aware of your wishes.
Print multiple copies to bring with you to the hospital or birth centre.
Remain flexible – birth can be unpredictable, so be open to adjustments if necessary.
What to Consider Before Completing Your Birth Plan
Before filling out your birth plan, take time to consider:
1. Your Birth Environment
Decide where you’d like to give birth:
Hospital
Birth Centre
Home
Consider whether you prefer a calm atmosphere with dim lighting and music or if you are open to having medical students present for learning purposes.
2. Pain Management Preferences
Think about how you want to manage pain during labour:
Natural methods (breathing exercises, massage, water immersion, hypnotherapy)
Medical pain relief (gas/air, epidural, pethidine)
3. Medical Interventions
Some medical interventions may be necessary, but you can express your preferences, including:
How often you’d like foetal monitoring
Your stance on vaginal examinations
Whether you’d like your waters to break naturally or with medical assistance
Whether you’d prefer an episiotomy to avoid tearing
4. Delivery Preferences
Consider how you’d like the actual delivery to go, including:
Preferred birthing positions (e.g., standing, kneeling, squatting)
Whether you want to touch your baby’s head or have a mirror to watch the birth
Preferences for delayed cord clamping or who should cut the cord
5. Baby’s First Moments
Decide on your baby’s immediate care, such as:
Skin-to-skin contact
Breastfeeding preferences
Newborn medical interventions like Vitamin K and the Hepatitis B vaccine
6. Postpartum Care & Special Requests
Your birth plan can also outline your postpartum preferences:
How long you wish to stay in the hospital
Special dietary needs
Whether you wish to bank cord blood
If your baby needs special care, who should accompany them