A birth plan is a document that tells your medical team your preferences for such things as how to manage labor pain. Of course, you can't control every aspect of labor and delivery, and you'll need to stay flexible in case something comes up that requires your birth team to depart from your plan. But a printed document gives you a place to make your wishes clear when you have a choice.
A written birth plan also helps refresh your provider's memory when you're in labor. And it informs new members of your medical team — such as your labor-and-delivery nurse — about your preferences when you're in active labor.
I supply all my clients with a mock birth plan template so that we can easily talk about all the things you can expect at birth. Often times (especially for new moms) we have no idea what to expect in birth until we're there, in the moment. And though we can talk with our physician or mid-wife what to expect, its often impossible to talk through all the scenarios and choices there are in birth without having done it yet. There are so many variables that contribute to the birth experience and having a birth plan helps us prepare psychologically for birth. A birth plan can really empower a woman to have a voice during birth. I recommend giving everyone a copy of your birth plan that is expected to be in the room during your labor (doctor, hospital staff, doula, friend or relative, etc.) This is because you want those who plan to be there with you know how to best support you. It simply is not best to only inform your doctor/mid-wife what you desire in labor and birth. Every support person you choose to be in the room with you during labor and birth will effect your experience - it's important every person present are on the same page - and thats it's all about the mother who is laboring.
A birth plan also helps us talk about the possibilities and alternatives to things not going according to The Plan. So much of birth prep is mental, that evaluating all your options and alternatives can prepare you for processing your birth experience in a healthy way if things don't go according to plan.
Here is my template I use, with options listed so moms have a good understanding of what is available to them. This plan has worked really well with both home, birth centers, and hospital births.
