Writing Birth Plans - a primer on curiosity and flexibility

Birth plans aren't mandatory, and some get very little attention even when you have them, but the exercise of creating a plan can be incredibly empowering and educational for new families. Many "fill in the blank" birth plans will stimulate you to think about things you might not have considered. For example, did you know that even during a cesarean section, you have options for how your birth goes down? You can request soothing music, dimmed lighting, aromatherapy, family centered c-section, etc.

For the purposes of this blog post, the suggestion we are making are:

Peruse a few boiler plate birth plans to get ideas flowing, (here are two to try 1 2 )
Research questions you might have using reputable resources like Evidence Based Birth, Lamaze International, or the Cochrane Review.
Once you've established what your top 3-5 birth requests would be, make a VERY short birth plan. A single page with easy to read, bullet points will be more likely to get read & passed on between nursing shifts than a detailed novelette.

Your birth team at the hospital wants you to have a safe, satisfying birth experience. They will do all they can to accommodate your wishes. Make it as easy as you can for them to know what they are. Also ensure that you know your rights and understand what you CAN have. You don't get a do-over, so let's stack the deck in your favor!