As we all begin to build our birth plans, here’s some information to have on how to have the best birth experience you can— even if things don’t go to your “plan”.

1- birth plans aren’t really “plans”. Birth is a beautiful, crazy ride and babies tend to make their own plans. But that doesn’t mean we should go in uninformed. It’s always a good thing to educate yourself and decide what your preferences are, what your hospital policies are, and have a few different coping techniques in your toolbox. Remember: even if an epidural is what you want, it’s always good to have some other pain management techniques available because epidurals aren’t always guaranteed 😉

2- make the best decision for YOU! Each birth is beautiful and wonderful, and worthy of being celebrated. Don’t make it out of fear, learn about the birth process. Learn about the risks and benefits of each thing. And do what feels right for you and your baby. And PS: its totally ok to change your mind on any of those decisions once you’re actually in labor. None of it is set in stone, and some things you may not be able to decide on until you actually are experiencing labor.

3- make sure you trust your provider. You DONT have to put up with a provider who doesn’t listen to you or care about you. This is the person who will literally be in charge of you and your baby’s lives during birth. Make sure you feel like they care about you and your concerns, and line up with your birth plan preferences. If you want an all natural birth, seek out a doctor who has low rates of epidurals and c-sections; a doctor who does mostly mediated births isn’t going to be able to support you best. If you want a medicated birth or c-section, choose a doctor who has experience with these things the most. They’ll be able to know how best to support you and your decisions.

4- last but certainly not least, c-sections. Did you know you can still have a birth plan with a scheduled c-section? Talk to your doctor about gentle c-sections! Ask what options you have as far as being able to see the birth, have immediate skin to skin, and breastfeeding support. Some even allow you to play music in the OR to help keep you calm 💕

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask!

- sincerely, a doula 😊