Birth “Plans”
Written by Ali Sugarman, Birth and Postpartum Doula, Family Chef and Sanctuary Operations Team Member
Often times when a person or couple becomes pregnant, there is a lot of emphasis on creating a birth plan. While it is important to think about your ideal birth- let’s be honest, sometimes it doesn’t always go as planned. There are important things to consider when forming your birth plan, or as I like to call it, birth preferences.
Let’s start by thinking about where you want to have your baby. This could be at a hospital, a freestanding birth center, or in your own home. What is important to you during your birth? Do you want the freedom to eat and move intuitively? Maybe you want constant monitoring for peace of mind. Maybe you live in a rural place and want to be closer to medical care if you need it. Think about the people you want in the room with you. Do you want visitors? Do you want a doula? Think about those who invoke peace and calm into your life.
These are just some of the first steps of creating your birth preferences. If you decide to give birth at a hospital, some things to think about are interventions and augmentation (procedures that are done to keep labor progressing- Pitocin or your provider “breaking your water”, Knowledge is power! The more you can learn about these procedures & the benefit and risk factors, the more likely you can make informed decisions- which ultimately leads to more positive birth outcomes. It’s important to ask your provider about these things during your prenatal visits, so you know what to expect and everyone can be on the same page.
Other things to think about are: if you want cervical checks, what you want the environment to look and feel like, skin to skin contact when baby is born (most hospitals have this as their protocol, but it’s important to check with your provider), delayed cord clamping, monitoring, pushing preferences, and newborn medications.
It’s important to feel empowered- in YOUR power- during your labor and birth! Don’t be afraid to tell your providers, nurses, and doula what you want and what you don’t want. To loop it back, these desires can change throughout labor, so it’s important to go with the flow and surrender as much as possible.
