Birth plan template

[Stargazer87]

Has anyone come across any good birth plan templates? I've been trying to do mine today and struggling a little! x

The NHS website have a good one. It's the one I used for when I had DS 👍🏻

(With the proviso that my birth plans were not as useful as they were made out to be pre-birth)

I found the Positive Birth Movement book, which I read when I was old and cynical and before my third birth, was really good.

I went through the options with my midwife and she made some notes / are we meant to do a proper written plan? I don’t really see the point when it’s impossible to know what’s going to happen!

I'm glad I had a birth plan as I had about ten midwives during my birth experience. I'm glad I had some important things noted down. One of which was 'husband to tell me the sex of the baby'

I really liked the NCT one (I didn't do the classes but it's online).

Obviously the plan goes out of the window when the baby actually arrives, but I found the process of completing the template a really helpful way to get my thoughts in order.

I've been advised to do a proper plan just to talk through with my midwife and for the staff to read through when you arrive at hospital to get a real feel for your preferences, the one in the birth notes is very basic and more medical based rather than preferences on your environment etc...

I have used the nhs one twice (about to have DD2). On my first plan I wanted a water birth, lavender oil, the lot. It all went out the window except that I didnt want to have an epidural. This time around I have focused more on staying active but it's very vague. I found the nhs one can be as specific and vague as you like.

In my experience, you only need one category. ‘The drugs I’m not allergic to.’

My birth plan is simple.

Water birth.
Gas and air.
Husband is the first one to pass baby to me

For those of you planning for a particular type of birth like @PopsicleHustler, what have you done about planning for different scenarios? I need to revisit my plan as late pregnancy complications mean a water birth is looking less likely despite me being set on it for ages, but I'm wondering how many eventualities to plan for. It feels a bit overwhelming and I'm wondering if it's easier to just say what I don't want rather than what I do want!

@TrufflePuff when you say plan, what do you mean? I hate to say it, but when it comes to births, they dont actually follow any plan. You can say what pain relief you want or dont want, although that may also change when you are in labour, and you can say if you want a water birth, but again that changes if something happens like waters breaking early so infection rates rise, or baby needs to be monitored more. Plans are sort of a false idea, as babies dont read birth plans, and come whatever way. All you can do is state your preferences for pain relief, movement during labour or environment, and the details like PPs have said about DHs involvement, but the rest will sort of happen out of your control.

Preferences in different scenarios is definitely a good way of thinking about it.

I loved my birth even though many would see it as a 'failure': augmented labour, forceps and episiotomy. Pph. Because I'd written down my preferences in each possible scenario. There was no 'plan' or 'ideal' birth.

Yes I agree plan is a really odd term to use! I didn’t think the one in the notes was basic, it covered all the important things and like you say best to think in terms of preferences. It’s my first time mum so I am not ruling anything out.

My last birth didnt go to plan unfortunately. And I feel bitter and upset over it.

I have ridiculously long labours. Am talking a day and half to two days ladies.
My last baby born in 2018, was 32 hour labour and I went to hospital after labouring pretty much 18 hours at home after to-ing and froing from the hospital to check how much dilated I was.
Anyway, i went back in the evening and was with a lovely lady, we will call her Julia. I was eager for another water birth as I had it with my 3rd in 2016 and it was just lovely. So I really wanted again. Julia helped me into the birthing pool but because my contractions were still coming slow, she said to break my waters to speed things up. No problem. She broke my waters and afterwards I said can I get back into the birthing pool again
She said absolutely. But it came to the end if Julia's shift and so 2and midwife took over. A real bossy boots, we will call her Sarah. I told her I wanted to get back into the birthing pool, she said no, she had a bad back. I am very polite, so I didnt say anything but I was rather annoyed as the birthing pool was really helping me. I asked again, an hour or so later, practically begging. She again said no. She cant bend down because she has a bad back. I was absolutely gutted. Because giving birth in a birthing pool the last time was a wonderful experience for me, plus with my 1st , I laboured a lot in the bath. When i have spoken this people about it, they said it was rude of her. Yes, I understand she has bad back, but I am the one in labour so shouldnt it be about what I want. Anyway I was very upset. But this time with my 5th baby due in January, I am absolutely making sure that I say i really want a water birth, can i please have a midwife without any bad back issues. Dont know that sounds rude. Can anyone tell me if it does, or what you would have done if you had been in that predicament. ....
Would you have asked for another midwife....part of me feels I should and my Dh also agreed. In fact, he didnt know of all this until I told him like a month ago....and he was there with me lol. He must have been in some other zone.

After last time, my birth plan this time is “drugs, give me all the drugs”

Plans go out of the window, general notes is a good way to go though.

Maybe plan is the wrong word, it's just what it's called but I see it very much as preferences...

[quote SqidgeBum]@TrufflePuff when you say plan, what do you mean? I hate to say it, but when it comes to births, they dont actually follow any plan. You can say what pain relief you want or dont want, although that may also change when you are in labour, and you can say if you want a water birth, but again that changes if something happens like waters breaking early so infection rates rise, or baby needs to be monitored more. Plans are sort of a false idea, as babies dont read birth plans, and come whatever way. All you can do is state your preferences for pain relief, movement during labour or environment, and the details like PPs have said about DHs involvement, but the rest will sort of happen out of your control. [/quote]
The positive birth movement birth plans encourage you to think of different scenarios and what preferences you have- including if you need to have a c-section or go to theatre etc

Technically all interventions in labour are offered to you and it’s your choice to accept or decline, everything that happens needs your consent and permission, and often, even when things don’t go perfectly, there are still different routes that can be taken. I found that having a birth plan actually helped when I did have some issues in labour with my baby’s heart rate and labour progression, I had a better idea of what was actually happening thanks to research beforehand and what the options actually were so I was able to have a better say in my care and what happened. I think I’d had no birth plan then I would have easily just been ‘told’ what was going to happen with no say in it and gone down a route that wouldn’t have been my own preference.