Making a Birth Plan

A birth plan is a written page of your wishes for your labour, birth and baby care. It's an optional way of recording your preferences so you can share them with your care providers and support people so when you're in labour, you don't need to explain everything. By sharing your birth plan with your care team in advance of your birth, it helps everyone understand your priorities so they can work together to support you better. It's best if birth plans are flexible in case your wishes in labour change.

A birth plan can list:

1. Goals for your labour and birth,
2. Ways you want to be cared for
3. Procedures you'd prefer to have or avoid
4. Ways you or your support people want to participate
5. Comfort techniques and/or pain management options you would like available to you during your labour or birth
6. Ways you might want to celebrate your birth

There are some good questions and examples in the links below that will help you consider what you might want to write.    

• Pregnancy Info - Preparing for deliver - Birth plan

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• Baby Centre - Writing a  Birth Plan

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• Baby Centre - Sample Birth Plans

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• Pregnancy Info - Birth Plan Template