Sometimes when you're pregnant, it just feels
like there is SO much information out there and it can be hard to know what the
heck to do!
From my experience, one thing that parents
have been really grateful to have with them is a
Birth Plan.
A Birth Plan is a short document which lets
your midwife know how you’d like your birth to go – essentially what you’d like
to include and what you might prefer to avoid.
If you’ve never seen a Birth Plan before, you
might like to have a quick look at the one included at the back of your
maternity notes. Plus, I've given you a
link to the one we share with our HypnoBirthing Students – just click here to check
it out.
So, in the interest of making this busy time
in your life that little bit easier, I've put together a 5 step “Guide to
Preparing Your Birth Plan” – it worked great for me and has certainly helped
the hundreds of HypnoBirthing Couples we've shared it with!
So here are my top 5 Tips for putting together
your stress free Birth Plan:
Tip 1: Keep it Simple!
Thankfully there's no need to write long,
descriptive paragraphs detailing your Birth Plan in great detail.
Remember, midwives are busy people will
probably appreciate a Birth Plan that's brief, to the point and succinct. So my advice it to use bullet points and try to keep it to no more than 2
sides of A4.
Tip 2: Stick to the Essentials
What this means is to include those things that
are especially important to you. So if, for example, you really wanted to
give birth in a birthing pool, stick that in!
It's also worth including those aspects in
which your birth which might differ from the norm. This might include opting to
give your baby Vitamin K orally (rather than via injection) and having a
natural/physiological placenta delivery.
Tip 3: Involve Your Birth Partner
Whilst it might not be obvious, your birth
partner will play a key role in ensuring your Birth Plan is read by the midwife
looking after you. Why? Well, hopefully by the time you arrive at
the hospital or birth centre, you'll be well into established labour (i.e. at
least 4 cm dilated) and rummaging around in your bag to
retrieve your plan will probably be the last thing on your mind!
So it's a good idea to have your birth partner
pack your plan and agree beforehand that he'll be responsible for ensuring it gets read.
Tip 4: Be Flexible
You'll be relieved to hear this tip has
absolutely nothing to do with executing fancy yoga poses!
What I'm referring to is your mental approach
regarding the way your birth unfolds. Whilst of course you’ll have your own hopes and desires for your birth, ultimately it isn't something you can
control 100% and therefore it's really helpful to maintain an open and
adaptable mind set.
This way, if unexpected circumstances arise,
you can meet them with a greater sense of calmness and confidence – knowing
that it’s completely fine to deviate from your original plan.
Tip 5: Consider What Happens Before Labour
Starts
Whilst your Birth Plan is predominantly
focused on what happens once your labour has started, it's also important
to consider what your options are if labour doesn't start - especially if
you're approaching 42 weeks.
So whilst this isn't something that you need to
officially write down and include in your Birth Plan, I highly recommend
being informed about what's involved during an induction process and get
clued up on ways to bring on labour naturally.
Again, there's tons of info out there - so to
make your life easier - my next 2 blog posts will provide you with the nuts and
bolts of:
- What
to Expect During a Medical Induction
- How
You Can Help Start Labour Naturally
So look out for them and I promise to save you
hours surfing the internet, trying
to do all the research for yourself!
I've given you my top 5 Tips for a simple and
stress-free approach to your Birth Plan and now I'd love to hear what you're
planning on including in your own Birth Plan - or if you've given birth - what
you put into your Birth Plan - let me know in the Comments Box below.
Please share this article with your pregnant
friends on Facebook!
Warmly,
Leyla
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