Why Creating a Birth Plan Can Help You Feel More Confident and in Control
When you’re pregnant, you hear it all:
“Birth never goes according to plan.”
“You can’t control how labor will go.”
“Just go with the flow.”
And while there’s some truth to that — labor and delivery can be unpredictable — that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare.
A birth plan isn’t about controlling every second of your birth. It’s about understanding your options, exploring your preferences, and communicating clearly with your birth team.
💡 So What Is a Birth Plan?
A birth plan is a simple document where you outline your wishes for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. It helps your providers and support people know what’s important to you.
Think of it as a guide — not a rigid script.
It says:
✔️ This is how I’d love things to go
✔️ Here’s what matters to me
✔️ Here are my boundaries and hopes
✔️ I understand things may change — and that’s okay
🧘 Why Making a Birth Plan Matters
Even if labor goes differently than you imagined, writing a plan helps you:
- Learn your options (like pain relief, positions, and newborn care)
- Feel informed and empowered
- Communicate better with your doctor, midwife, doula, or nurse
- Reduce anxiety by knowing you’ve prepared
- Include your partner in the process
- Stay grounded if things become overwhelming
💛 Most of all, it helps you feel like an active participant in your birth — not just a patient on a table.
📝 What to Include in Your Birth Plan
Your plan doesn’t have to be fancy or long. One page is enough. Here are some key categories:
1️⃣ Labor Preferences
- Where you want to give birth (hospital, birth center, home)
- Who you want present
- Preferred lighting/music/environment
- Freedom to move, walk, or change positions
- Use of birthing tools (ball, stool, water tub)
2️⃣ Pain Management
- Natural coping (breathing, massage, water)
- Pain relief preferences: epidural, IV meds, none
- Comfort measures you’d like to try
3️⃣ Medical Interventions
- How you feel about induction
- Preferences on membrane rupture, Pitocin, cervical checks
- Positions for pushing (squatting, side-lying, hands and knees)
- Episiotomy vs natural tearing
4️⃣ Delivery
- Delayed cord clamping
- Immediate skin-to-skin contact
- Who will cut the cord
- Quiet environment during baby’s first moments
5️⃣ After Birth
- Breastfeeding immediately (if possible)
- Vitamin K shot, eye ointment, vaccines
- Rooming in or nursery
- No pacifiers or formula unless medically needed
6️⃣ Unexpected Situations
It’s helpful to mention preferences for:
- C-section (skin-to-skin in OR, clear drape)
- NICU care (if baby needs special attention)
- Your support person staying with baby
🌸 My Experience
As a mom who gave birth naturally — twice — I found that writing my birth plan gave me clarity.
I knew I couldn’t control every moment, but I felt ready.
I could breathe through my contractions knowing my team understood my wishes.
And when things got intense, I wasn’t guessing — I was grounded.
Even though my plans weren’t followed 100%, the fact that I had a voice in the process made all the difference.
🧡 Final Thoughts
A birth plan won’t guarantee a perfect birth — but it will help you walk into your experience feeling heard, supported, and informed.
And that? That’s a powerful way to begin motherhood.
