Creating A Birth Plan

Childbirth

During early pregnancy, and particularly before conceiving, many health care providers talk about the importance of having a pregnancy plan. However, there is not much to say about creating a birth plan because pregnant women simply look forward to the moment when labor and delivery starts, but not the importance in developing their own birthing plan.

Because there are many options for your birth experience this is why a plan is necessary, and once planned, it must be given to your health care provider to ensure you will receive the kind of attention that you want. If you write down you birth plan your decision will be clearly understood, and nothing will be left or forgotten.

Furthermore, once your plan has been created, you can discuss every step with your health care provider and modify it, if necessary, following the advice of his/her expertise. In recent years, birth plans has become more common, and offer the additional advantage to getting your partner involved in many of your childbirth decisions.

The best way to map a birth plan is by being realistic with your desires and expectations. If you create a flexible plan that covers all possible alteration, you will not feel disappointed or discouraged if the things during childbirth do not go exactly as planned. Even if you are programmed for a surgical intervention, you can participate in the decision if you create your birth plan ahead of your due date.

Amount the issues that you should consider when creating your birth plan, take in mind the following:

Your eating and drinking during labor
Pain relief techniques or possible medications
Rupture of membranes, if spontaneous or induced
Fetal monitoring throughout your pregnancy
Frequency and number of vaginal exams
Positions during labor and other activities (squatting, lying on back, hands and knees, Kegels, etc.)
Relaxation techniques (music, massages, shower, bathing)

As well as those related to the time of birth:

If you want enemas or shaving of the pubic hair
Who you want to be with you in the delivery room
Mirror, cameras or video cameras use during birth
Umbilical cord cutting and/or cord blood banking
Length of hospital stay, barring complications
Cesarean preferences (partner's presence, anesthesia, etc)
Baby's bath, weighing and eye drops administration, postponed after hold or breastfeed, or even being present there.

Your birth plan may include as many other features as you want or feel comfortable with, such as catherization, episiotomy, use of pitocin, forceps, circumcision etc. Once written down, make enough copies for you, your health care provider, the hospital staff, and your support people and, of course, your partner.