Hellobee Boards Topic: If you had a written birth plan....

Hellobee Boards Topic: If you had a written birth plan.... https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 16:56:52 +0000 Mrsbells on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1136361 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 14:25:24 +0000 Mrsbells 1136361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @kjpugs: I had a written birth plan, I used guides from different websites but ultimately wrote mine from scratch. My advice is keep it very brief and to the point, no long winded paragraphs. Everything should be short bullet points allison on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1136352 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 14:23:30 +0000 allison 1136352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I made a one-page, bulleted plan with the most important things in bold. My doctor looked it over and made some suggestions first, then I printed out several. She kept one, had one sent to the hospital for my file, I gave one to my doula, husband had one... I was a little concerned that no one would take my birth plan seriously and that I'd be viewed as "that first time mom". But that wasn't my experience at all! All of my L&D nurses were always up-to-speed on my wants, and I never had any issues. I'm really glad I wrote one up! I stuck to a one-page format for brevity's sake, but when I went for my hospital tour, the tour guide suggested to provide one but "keep it down to a few pages". Ha. So my hospital was very accustomed to birth plans. Maybe yours is, too? Mrs. High Heels on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135860 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:57:24 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1135860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @kjpugs: I took Bradley Classes, and had never even heard of a birth plan until my instructor brought it up. It was one of our assignments in one of the classes, so I drafted one up by googling and looking at various other unmedicated birth plans online. Then my bradley instructor/doula simplified and edited it for me because some things I listed were "standard practice" and didn't really need to be mentioned. This was what I had in my birth plan: <a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2012/12/11/our-birth-plan-for-an-unmedicated-hospital-birth/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2012/12/11/our-birth-plan-for-an-unmedicated-hospital-birth/</a> artsyfartsy on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135847 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:53:50 +0000 artsyfartsy 1135847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I copied mine from Missy's from The Bumps Along the Way YouTube channel. It's one page, has a short intro and YES and NO columns. Super simple. I'll edit this post and link the video when I can. I'm on my phone. The link to her birth plan template is in the description. ETA: here's the link to the vid in case anyone is interested. <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=9oEfB9596mc" rel="nofollow">http://youtube.com/watch?v=9oEfB9596mc</a> MamaMoose on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135806 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:41:56 +0000 MamaMoose 1135806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My husband and I just sat down and went over our preferences and then we had a talk about them with my OB at my 36 week appointment. T.H.O.U. on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135801 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:40:17 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1135801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I just made sure my husband knew that I was open to anything but we needed to question EVERYTHING. What is this medication, why am I getting it, what are the side effects, what are the other options, does this procedure have to be done now, can I refuse this procedure, can I talk to a doctor about this procedure, etc. Maybe make a list like that for your husband as well so he can advocate on your behalf if you aren't able to. hellocupcake on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135786 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:35:09 +0000 hellocupcake 1135786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @junebugmama: I love how keep placenta is pacman (: haha yellowbird on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135654 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:40:58 +0000 yellowbird 1135654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @junebugmama: That's really cool. I like the visual!~ yellowbird on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135653 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:40:33 +0000 yellowbird 1135653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I just wrote out a 1 page outline. I never pulled it out during labor..oops! junebugmama on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135602 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:17:11 +0000 junebugmama 1135602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I love this one. It's quick and direct and has pictures, which makes it easier for everyone, so there's not a ton to read. This is just an example I found on line [attach=1372/13/mub14o.600x462.Birth-Plan.jpg] lovehoneybee on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135584 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:11:13 +0000 lovehoneybee 1135584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I used a template...I think from either BC or The Bump, I don't remember which. I worded it to say something like "Under ideal and normally progressing birthing circumstances I would like A, B, and C to happen" but with the understanding that if things deviated from that that I trusted my doctors and nurses to safely deliver him. I even printed it out and took it to the hospital, but to be honest I never even took it out. ShootingStar on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135480 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:30:41 +0000 ShootingStar 1135480@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I was thinking of starting thread on birth plans this morning too. I thought I'd have more to write after our childbirth class this weekend, but I'm still drawing a blank. My midwife/ob office gives you a template and it's worded kind of funny. It's all fill in the blanks, like "Unless medically necessary I'd like to avoid ____" or "In the even of a c-section I'd like ________ extra support person." I basically want to stick with their standard procedures (i.e. no episiotomy unless necessary, skin to skin immediately after, etc) and I want to eventually get an epidural. Not sure I even need a birth plan! Foodnerd81 on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135456 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:23:38 +0000 Foodnerd81 1135456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I called mine birth preferences too. I took out anything that is standard at my hospital. It was just bullets for labor, and bullets for after. Basically I said I wanted natural unless they felt I needed intervention. For after I wanted to make sure they knew we were team green and for Dh to announce the sex. I don't know how much they looked at it other than seeing I wanted natural. After that I just relied on their guidance to do that. sarac on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135406 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:09:10 +0000 sarac 1135406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Short and specific is what my midwife specified. She said that she was more than happy to read a narrative, 5 page long document - but that it would be 20 minutes less she had to spend by my bedside. So I made sure to keep mine short and bullet points. Next time, I won't even bother. My progressive hospital already did all the things I wanted anyway. Honestly, the only thing that it was really good for was that ensuring that if she'd turned out to be a boy, that no one would even say the word 'circumcision' around her. looch on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135370 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:54:34 +0000 looch 1135370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think the exercise is important, even if you don't do anything with the plan once it is all written out. I had a list of preferences and it was super helpful to discuss it with my husband, since we didn't utilize a doula. kjpugs on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135320 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:36:21 +0000 kjpugs 1135320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @prettylizy: I also LOVE flow charts soooooooo... not crazy. And I agree- I think part of the reason I'm not all about making one is more to help DH, even if just to be aware of my preferences so he can help verbalize them and feel involved. kjpugs on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135317 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:35:31 +0000 kjpugs 1135317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @prettylizy: walled you! @MrsTiz: yes please!!!!!! And SAME THING. I feel like above all, I trust the hospital/doctors (I chose them for a reason!) so I don't want to feel like THAT person. I hope I can strike a balance of it being direct but not insulting or too rigid. I figure I'll have to be somewhat flexible! prettylizy on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135313 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:35:09 +0000 prettylizy 1135313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @MrsTiz: Oh man mine was a two sided page and I was the bossy FTM. lol! While everything didn't go exactly as planned (which I knew was a strong possiblity) I think DH got more use out of it than I did. We had like 5 copies with us and everything. Fact: I also had a flow chart. Hand to God I made a flow chart. I'm an over planner and it was calming for me to do silly things like that. MrsTiz on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135302 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:30:29 +0000 MrsTiz 1135302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Um, mine is on an index card.. haha! I started getting worried that I needed more detailed info so I just typed one up in bullet format/word. (can e-mail to you if you want?) I am so torn on this and it's so silly because I don't want to have a long one and seem bossy, and I don't want to have a too short one, because then it's like..what's the point? #ftmproblems Boheme on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135301 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:29:57 +0000 Boheme 1135301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I made mine based on a bunch of others I read that were similar to mine. We just worded it in such a way that the doctors and nurses knew I respected their expertise. I think we even titled it 'birth preferences', since we knew things could go in a different direction. Definitely keep it to 1 page with bullet points. Show it to your OB or midwife in advance because some of the things you mention might already be standard practice at your hospital, so you can omit them. And lastly, write it so that in the event of a c-section, your preferences for that are listed too. My preferences for a c-section were that I not be separated from the baby unless medically necessary, that DH accompany baby for all tests, and that I still get immediate skin to skin instead of being sent to a recovery room. Since I got darn close to needing a C, I was happy I included it! JerricaBenton on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135298 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:28:33 +0000 JerricaBenton 1135298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Our hospital provided a template. It was pretty basic, but it had everything I wanted to say. I honestly didn't even take it out at the hospital because nothing went as I had planned lol. Mrs. Jump Rope on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135297 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:27:31 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1135297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We made a birth plan in our childbirth class. The hospital provided a template for us to use. I also made a more specific one through a template via babycenter. Both plans were for a vaginal birth. When I scheduled my c-section I changed my plans & went through them with my OB beforehand! prettylizy on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135296 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:27:30 +0000 prettylizy 1135296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I took a sample off the internets and then made it my own. I had headers for each section, (pain management, pushing etc). I still have it saved on my desktop if you'd like a copy to modify for yourself :) mrs. mochi on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135288 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:23:47 +0000 mrs. mochi 1135288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I kept mine to one page and it was a flowdiagram (I used MS Visio). It was visual and there was the "happy path" (vaginal, non-med, unaugmented) as well as paths that lead to epidural and labor augmentation based on need/situation at time. Revel on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135279 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:21:09 +0000 Revel 1135279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I just made a list in a word document. Then I discussed it at one of my last appointments with the midwives and took the hospital tour, so was able to whittle down the list to items that were not mentioned as standard practices. I ended up not giving it to anyone - not even sure I brought it with me - but it was helpful for me because I remembered the things I wanted to request. loveisstrange on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135244 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:08:12 +0000 loveisstrange 1135244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I was told to keep it short and to the point. 1 page max. I used a template, I think from Baby Center? In the end, I never printed it because my midwife told me is wasn't really necessary. She and I discussed what I wanted and she wrote notes in my file. ETA: I used one like this. I checked the boxes for what I wanted and it generated it for me. <a href="http://www.childbirth.org/interactive/ibirthplan.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.childbirth.org/interactive/ibirthplan.html</a> kjpugs on "If you had a written birth plan...." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-had-a-written-birth-plan#post-1135239 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:06:02 +0000 kjpugs 1135239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ ...how did you write it? Did you use a template? Did you just stream of conciousness type up your hopes for your labor/birth? Were there certain categories you touched on specifcically? Anything else I should know? DH took a "daddy bootcamp" class and now REALLY wants me to - it would make him feel better, which I totally get. And since I found out about some issues I may have, I have specific ways I'd like to labor. However I still feel like I'm half "this is what I want" and half "you're a nurse/doctor and I REALLY trust your expertise and years of schooling/working." What resources or advice would you recommend?