Birth Plans - Checklist (Page 2 of 8) in pdf

Birth Plans - Checklist Page 2

What is a birth plan?

A birth plan is a way of communicating with the

doctors, and nurses who care for you in labour.

It tells them about the kind of labour you would

like to have, and what you definitely want to

avoid. What one needs to understand is that it is

not written in stone, because the best birth plans

acknowledge that things may not go according

to plan.

You need to write the plan in such a way that

your midwife or doctor doesn’t feel she has her

hands tied. She may need to recommend a course

of action, which is not what, you had originally

hoped for, but which is in the best interests of

your baby and you.

How do I go about writing a birth plan?

Before you start writing, get as much as information

that you can. This can involve:

Prenatal classes at your hospital.

Talking to other women who have given birth

at the hospital you are going to.

Find out if the hospital can provide you the type

of care you are looking for.

Talk to your partner or, the person who will be

with you at the time of birth and their role.

The type of labour and birth would you like to

have.

Birth Plans - Checklist Page 2