What Is a Birth Plan and How to Prepare One
The modern woman plans and controls her pregnancy from the very first week. However, all of this control fades away once delivery begins, which is why preparing a birth plan can help everything go how you’re hoping it will.
If you analyze it well, a birth plan lets you choose the way you want to give birth. The things that are specified in this written document are very important for women today.
What Is a Birth Plan?
Although you may have already decided how you want your birthing process to be, in the middle of an emergency, everything fades away. Normally, that happens because the doctors and nurses aren’t aware of your preferences.
Therefore, to make sure that everything we want comes true, it’s important to have a birth plan. This is a document that has all of the wants and desires of the mother in regards to the baby’s birth.
There is a series of factors where the mother can traditionally decide what she wants, both in relation to herself and the newborn.
What Can You Plan Through this Written Document?
Among the things you can decide on are the use of anesthesia during childbirth. Additionally, you can choose who will be in the delivery room with you or even request that they don’t separate you from the baby right after delivery.
You can also determine other aspects that have to do with childbirth. For example, nowadays you can prevent them from shaving the vaginal opening, implementation of an enema or choosing a position to help them dilate.
Surely, we’re referring to requests that don’t affect the work of doctors and nurses, and that don’t make a negative impact on your health.
Other Requests to Make for Your Birth Plan
On the internet, there are various models to give you an idea of the types of written requests that you can make. In some cases, they allow the patient to choose the music they’ll listen to while in labor. Also, they can choose their clothes or other materials, such as birthing balls.
If the person wants more privacy, they can bring up the possibility of the doctor having as little people as possible in the delivery room during labor. You can also choose catheterization, if you’d like.
The patient can also request to be informed at all moments about the medical processes that they are facing. Other options are to limit vaginal examinations as much as possible and avoid inducing labor.
The Birth Plan Should Be Made throughout Pregnancy
There are some pregnant women who start planning barely two months beforehand. However, it’s best to prepare this document over the course of the nine months, with the end goal being to be able to make requests that adapt to the needs of yourself and your baby.
Once the doctor in charge has the written document, he will be in charge of managing the birth so it all goes according to the way the mother wants it.
If there are complications as the months go on, the OB/GYN can make recommendations for the mother to help her emotionally prepare herself. The wishes of the mother should be fulfilled unless there is risk for the mother and newborn.
Where to Find Samples
In Spain, the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality has an online web document. In it, you can find some of the requests that pregnant women can make in the medical center. Additionally, this model shows the national standards.
Additionally, you can ask for a model of a plan at your clinic where you have your doctor appointments. They will most likely have you write one during one of your monthly check-ups.
Some clinics publish plans on their digital portals that they use for consultations. In any case, it’s important for women to choose their plan and begin preparing ahead of time.