A birth preferences plan helps communicate what is important to you during labour and birth. While birth is unpredictable and plans may change, discussing your wishes can help you feel informed, involved, and prepared.
You may wish to consider the following.
Labour environment
- Lighting, music, and atmosphere
- Who you would like present for support
- Personal, cultural, or religious preferences
Coping with labour
- Hypnobirthing
- Breathing techniques
- Movement and position changes
- Water immersion
- Massage
- TENS
Pain relief preferences
- Entonox
- Opioid injections
- Remifentanil PCA
- Epidural
Monitoring during labour
- Intermittent monitoring
- Continuous monitoring if required
- Communication during examinations
Birth of your baby
- Preferred birth positions
- Guidance with pushing
- Who cuts the cord
- Who announces the baby’s sex
If additional assistance is needed
- Assisted vaginal birth
- Caesarean birth
- How you would like information communicated if urgent decisions are required
After the birth
Skin-to-skin contact
Skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth helps regulate your baby’s temperature, breathing, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. It also promotes bonding and supports the initiation of feeding.
Watch the video: Meeting baby for the first time video (Baby Friendly Initiative).
Delayed cord clamping
Delayed cord clamping means waiting before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord, usually until the cord has stopped pulsating or for at least 1 minute after birth.
Benefits for babies may include:
- Increased blood volume
- Improved iron stores during the first months of life
- Reduced risk of iron deficiency and anaemia
- Benefits for both term and preterm babies
Most babies can be placed skin-to-skin with their mother while delayed cord clamping takes place. However, immediate cord clamping may occasionally be recommended if urgent medical treatment is required for the mother or baby.
You may wish to include your preferences about delayed cord clamping and who will cut the cord in your birth preferences plan.
Feeding your baby
Consider your feeding preferences and discuss any support you may need with your maternity team.
Find our more from Baby Friendly resources
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is recommended for newborn babies to reduce the risk of a rare but serious bleeding disorder. You can discuss the available options with your healthcare professional.
Things to remember
Remember that birth preferences are not a test or a contract. Labour and birth can be unpredictable and plans sometimes need to change to keep you and your baby safe. The most important thing is that you feel informed, respected, supported, and involved in decisions about your care throughout your birth journey.
Resources
Birth Plan: How to write it and what to include (Tommy’s)
Birth information (AIMS)