Your due date is creeping closer and you are getting opinions from all sides about your delivery, how you will breastfeed, or formula feed, how you will diaper your child…Everyone has some sort of opinion for you, right?
This is a time of chaos, so much can feel out of your own control. And when you sit and think about your delivery, there is even more uncertainty, right?
So, do you need a birth plan?
You have a great doctor, you’ve read all of the books, you even have a doula. Why would you even need a birth plan? There are a few reasons you may feel like writing a birth plan is right for you. No matter the preparation you have made, we can not be in total control of our birth. Things can happen that may make you deviate from your ideal delivery. We don’t always plan for things like inductions, cesarean sections, or other medical interventions.
A birth plan is less about writing a plan, and more about exploring all medical interventions and having a plan in case you are faced with the unexpected.
This allows you to be empowered and prepared to make decisions when things may not be the most ideal. A birth plan will allow you, your partner and caregivers the chance to be on the same page as labor progresses, and allows you to be on the same page post-delivery as well. You see, we can’t control everything. But, we can control how we prepare for it. A birth plan is exactly that. It is a vision of your ideal birth and a plan in case it doesn’t go how you imagined it would.
The greatest power you can have is preparation and understanding your options in the delivery room.
We have put together this awesome template to help you create your own birth plan.
