A birth plan is a very important step to having the natural birth you want. A birth plan is about putting down your preferences, in black and white, before labor begins so that you are prepared for whatever events may arise and can make informed choices about your and baby’s care and safety.
During Labor
- No medication
- Free movement (positions include: squatting, hands & knees, access to toilet, side lying, standing upright, on a peanut ball, shower, birthing tub, birthing stool, squatting bar)
- Natural water rupture
- Lights dim (natural light if possible)
- Intermittent monitoring (continuous monitoring can affect mama’s ability to relax and focus. In addition, constant fetal monitoring is not recommended for the baby
After Delivery/Newborn Procedure
- As long as my baby is healthy, I would like them placed immediately skin-to-skin.
- Mamas are encouraged to have baby placed below breast for baby to breast crawl.
- If has any problems, I would like my partner to be always present with baby, of possible.
- I would like to have newborn routine procedures to be performed delayed until bonding and breastfeeding has occurred.
- Delayed cord clamping: please wait for umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it is clamped.
- For mama to know: This allows billions of red blood cells, stem cells, white blood cells, and other necessary nutrients to pass from the cord to baby.
- Please do not administer Vitamin K Shot
- (if you choose to, in place of the vitamin K shot, please give the oral Vitamin K – it is 3 smaller doses)
- For mama to know: The vitamin K shot is a class C drug which is also 5,000 times.
- Please do not administer any eye ointment.
- For mama to know: The use of antibiotics can harm a baby’s guy health and could cause blurry vision which might impact bonding and breastfeeding.
- If I choose to give eye ointment, please delay an hour after delivery,
- Please do not administer the hepatitis B
- Mother is not infected.
- If I choose to administer, please delay an hour after delivery,
- Please do not bathe my baby.
- For mama to know: Bathing washes away all the protected vernix and good bacteria from vaginal delivery
- Please do not give formula because I prefer to breastfeed.
- Please do not give any pacifiers.
- Pacifiers can lead to nipple confusion, which can complicate breastfeeding.
