Do You Need a Birth Plan? 5 Ideas to Help You Create A Pleasant Birth Experience.

1.       Intermittent Fetal Monitoring Only (Unless medical reason require otherwise)

It is not suitable nor comfortable to be strapped to a bed for the constant monitoring of your baby’s heart rate. It’s highly restrictive and not what’s best for you or your baby, nor does it always provide accurate readings. You should have free range of motion during labor to be able to walk, squat, or whatever is most comfortable for you. Your provider can utilize handheld monitors, which can also be used underwater, to monitor your baby’s heart rate during labor.

2.       Access to food and water during labor

This is for women giving birth in a hospital. Hospitals don’t typically allow women to eat or drink because they’re prepping you for a C-section in case things don’t go according to plan. Hospitals require you to be in a fasted state before surgery. There’s actually nothing wrong with snacking and drinking during labor. If you’re high-risk your provider may discourage this but that doesn’t mean you cannot make the request and have that discussion.

3.       Only Person A and Person B are allowed in my room during labor and delivery (and/or after baby is born)

Many women don’t fully realize how certain people can impact your birthing experience. While one person may help you ascend to a place of peace, someone else may be enough to stall your labor due to their negative energy bringing you down. Your labor can stall if your body does not feel it is a safe environment to give birth. Leave the drama out of your birthing place. Protect your peace.

4.       No Visitors

Besides the grandparents of course! This is essential if you want rest. Visitors can wait 2 to 3 days, once you’re back home recovering. Shortly after your baby is born they will go into a long sleep period as their body recovers. After all they worked hard to be born! Typically moms are visiting with everyone during this time instead of resting as well. Please take that time that God set aside for you and your newborn and REST.

5.       Do not Disturb!

This is another one for hospital births. You will not rest if nurses are in your room every hour. You can limit them to every few hours or possibly more. If you and your baby are healthy there is no real reason for them to check in on you that often.  So tell them nurses in the most loving way possible to leave you alone. How do you do that? Put it in your birth plan! Don’t wait until you’ve had the baby and are exhausted because by that time it’s already too late. If it’s in your birth plan ahead of time they will get the memo and likely place a do not disturb sign on your door. You may even want to bring one along just to be on the safe side.

Honorable Mention:

Your birthing partner bathes your baby

This was very important for me. I wanted my husband to be the one to bathe our baby under the supervision of my midwife for bonding and health reasons. I brought homemade soap to the birth center where my son was born. I made that decision after witnessing, years prior, my client’s newborn break out into little red bumps all over his body and face after being bathed with Johnson and Johnson shampoo by a nurse who didn’t seem to notice. You can decide who handles your baby and how after they are born.