birth plan

birth plan

birth positive ™ doulas will help you write up a birth plan in advance of the birth so that your birthing experience can include the environment and procedures you want and exclude those you wish to avoid. This sample birth plan is provided by birth positive ™ to give you an idea of what you might want to address in your own birth plan.

Introduction

We are looking forward with great excitement (and some nervousness) to having our first baby (we don't know yet if it is a boy or a girl). We have prepared ourselves through extensive reading, as well as prenatal classes with birth positive. While we know much more than we did nine months ago, we are still novices, so we have arranged to have Jane, a certified doula, assist us as our doula. Dr. Jones has been Julie's primary caregiver during pregnancy.

Our ultimate goal is to have a healthy baby and we would also like to be supported in having an unmedicated birth with breastfeeding initiation as soon after the birth as possible. We would appreciate everyone's support in helping us achieve this by allowing us to request pain medication before pain medication is offered to us.

Labour

We plan to labour at home as long as possible. When we feel the need for the security of the hospital setting, we will move to St. Joe's. Jane will assist us with the following comfort measures:

• Emotional support
• Relaxation (breathing, focusing, music)
• Movement (walking, position changes, birthing ball)
• Water (tub, shower)
• Massage

We would like to avoid the epidural during labour; however, if medication becomes necessary our first option would be the nitrous oxide.

Birth

We would like to use the following techniques for pushing:

• Spontaneous pushing
• Squatting bar, side-lying, no-stirrups
• Warm compresses, would prefer to tear over an episiotomy

Postpartum

While we room at the hospital we request your assistance with:

• Breastfeeding on demand
• Bathing
• No separation

We recognize that things rarely go according to plan. If interventions are indicated we would like the opportunity to discuss things in private (as time and circumstance permits). You will play an important role in the memory of this day for our family and we are grateful for the care and support you will be providing us with.

Sincerely,

John and Julie Smith

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