Article by Daniela ONeil
Preparing your birth plan is an important task to complete before you go into labor. Once the contractions start, it can be hard to express your wishes. Your birth plan will ensure they are respected.
The most important part of any pregnancy is the big day, the day your child is born. When you are pregnant birth is the thing you spend the most time thinking about and planning for. As a part of the preparations for the birth of your baby, you should consider making a birth plan.
A birth plan is a list of your specific wishes for how the labor and delivery of your child should proceed. It can be as simple as you wish, or as detailed and complicated as is needed to make you feel sure all of your requests are understood.
A good birth plan will include at least these basics: who will be in the room, what type of medication if any you would like to have, what sort of activity you would like to engage in during the labor, and what sort of ambience you want for the room. You can also add all kinds of details relating to the process of birth itself.
Bear in mind as you go through the pregnancy stages and the day of birth approaches that all may not go exactly as planned. If you hoped for a natural birth but complications result in a c-section, be sure your birth plan allows for this. Write down your preferences in the event of a deviation from the plan.
From the first signs of being pregnant through to the day you deliver, you will be thinking about that day. Take this time to read as much as possible and learn about your options. This way, you will write your birth plan with as much knowledge as possible.
