5 reasons why you need a birth plan!
Picture this: you're getting ready to welcome your baby, and you want everything to go just the way you envision. So you aren’t stressing about what to do when things take an unexpected turn…
You make a birth plan, and trust me, it's like having your own secret weapon for an empowered birth experience.
First off, think of your birth plan as a roadmap.
You know how you use GPS to navigate, right? Well, your birth plan is like the GPS for your birth journey. It lays out your preferences, desires, and what you're hoping for during labor, the birth, and immediately postpartum.
I like to think of it as a roadmap with GPS because sometimes you have to divert from your original route if something unexpected happens and it’s nice to know that you have different options in your back pocket!
So you might be wondering, why is a birth plan always suggested, birth is unpredictable anyway right?
Well yes, you’re right but at the same time, I want you to realize that the point of the birth plan is not so you can have something to follow turn by turn but to have a broad understanding of what you might want or need in certain circumstances.
Also a birth plan helps you decide what interventions you might or might not want and you won’t even have to refer to your birth plan because you’ll remember researching it. When you research something it helps to imprint it in your brain better and actually sticks! 🙌
I want you to remember, you can have the best-laid birth plan to have an undisturbed home birth but end up transferring to the hospital from exhaustion and then end up having an empowered but unplanned c-section.
It is definitely possible to have an empowered birth experience even if everything you didn’t want to happen, ends up happening. Planning for the unexpected helps make sure that the birth is on your terms and having a birth plan is the step you need to take.
Alright, let's dive into the benefits of birth plans and why they're so valuable, while also keeping in mind that birth is a bit like a wild adventure – unpredictable yet beautiful.
Benefit 1: Improved Communication and Satisfaction
Having a birth plan improves communication between you and your healthcare providers.
A study published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing found that women who had a birth plan were more likely to discuss their preferences with their healthcare team, leading to increased satisfaction with their birthing experience1.
Benefit 2: Reduced or no Interventions
Women who create birth plans are more likely to experience fewer medical interventions during their labor and birth.
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology revealed that women with a birth plan had a lower likelihood of induction and cesarean section rates compared to those without a plan2.
Benefit 3: Enhanced Informed Decision
Making Birth plans help to empower you with knowledge about your options, helping you make informed decisions.
A systematic review published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing found that birth plans were associated with increased awareness of pain relief options and decreased anxiety about childbirth3.
Benefit 4: Greater Autonomy and Control
Having a birth plan can help you to have a sense of control and autonomy during labor.
Research published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine highlighted that women who created a birth plan reported feeling more in control of their birthing experience and more satisfied with their care4.
Benefit 5: Positive Impact on Maternal Well-Being
A birth plan can have a positive impact on your mental well-being.
A study published in the Journal of Perinatal Education found that women who had a birth plan experienced decreased fear and anxiety during labor, leading to a more positive emotional state5.
Ultimately, the culmination of these factors can contribute to you having an overall positive birth experience and can help you bond with your baby more quickly after birth. Women who used birth plans were more likely to feel respected and have a positive view of their birth experience.
Incorporating these insights into your birth plan journey can provide a strong foundation for a confident and empowered birth experience.
Remember, a birth plan is your tool for effective communication, informed decision-making, and fostering a sense of control in an unpredictable yet transformative journey.
Hope this was helpful for you!
If you’d like to dive deeper into birth education and create your unique birth plan, join me in The Sacred Birth Academy! Click Here to join us!
Resources
Cottrell, B. H. (2004). Satisfaction with childbirth: Using a qualitative analysis to understand a quantitative measurement. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 33(6), 726-737. ↩
Waldenström, U., & Nilsson, C. A. (2004). Women's satisfaction with birth center care: a randomized, controlled study. Birth, 31(1), 11-17. ↩
Fenwick, J., Gamble, J., Mawson, J., & Hauck, Y. (2007). Women's experiences of creating a birth plan. Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(4), 15-22. ↩
Lindgren, H., Radestad, I. J., Christensson, K., & Hildingsson, I. M. (2008). Outcome of childbirth in relation to the woman's sense of coherence and other factors. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 1(2), 71-79. ↩
Chang, S. R., Hsu, C. H., Hsu, Y. Y., & Lin, K. C. (2002). Birth in Taiwan: women's voices. Birth, 29(4), 268-274. ↩
Maude, R., Foureur, M., & DeLaune, S. (2006). Birth plans: The good, the bad, and the future. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 35(2), 295-303. ↩
