How to Create a Birth Plan That Covers All Your Bases

If you’ve been pregnant for more than five minutes, chances are you’ve heard the term birth plan (and also heard wildly conflicting opinions about whether you “need” one at all)!

Some parents swear by them. Others say birth plans just set you up for disappointment. And if you’re already feeling overwhelmed by decisions, preferences, and unknowns, the idea of creating yet another document might feel like more pressure than support.

As a certified birth and postpartum doula, here’s the truth I want you to hear first:

👉 You do not need a birth plan to have a positive birth experience.
👉 But knowing your preferences ahead of time can make birth feel calmer, clearer, and more collaborative.

A birth plan isn’t about control. It’s about communication. It’s about understanding your options before you’re in the middle of labor, tired, vulnerable, and trying to make decisions on the fly.

This guide will walk you through how to create a birth plan that covers all your bases, while staying flexible, realistic, and supportive no matter how your birth unfolds.

What a Birth Plan Really Is (and Isn’t)

Let’s start by reframing the term itself.

A birth plan is not:

• A rigid script

• A guarantee

• A list of demands

• A test you can fail

A birth plan is:

• A summary of your preferences

• A tool for informed consent

• A way to help your partner advocate for you

• A starting point for conversations with your care team

Think of it less as a plan and more as a decision-making guide that helps you feel prepared without boxing yourself in.

Why Birth Plans Can Reduce Anxiety (When Used the Right Way)

Many parents worry that creating a birth plan will increase anxiety. In reality, when done thoughtfully, it often does the opposite.

Knowing your preferences ahead of time means:

• You’re not trying to learn new information while in labor

• You feel more confident asking questions

• You understand what’s routine vs. optional

• You and your partner are on the same page

Even if your birth looks different than you imagined, having discussed these topics beforehand can make unexpected moments feel less scary and more grounded.

The Most Important Rule: Keep It Flexible

This is the heart of a healthy birth plan:

Preferences, not expectations.

Birth is unpredictable. Plans change. Interventions sometimes become necessary. Being flexible will help keep you and baby safe.

You can absolutely write things like:

• “If possible…”

• “I prefer…”

• “I would like to try…”

• “Please explain options if…”

Leaving room for conversation keeps your birth plan supportive rather than stressful.

Core Sections Every Birth Plan Should Consider

Below is a thorough breakdown so you don’t miss anything. Even if you ultimately decide to keep your plan short and simple.

1. Environment & Atmosphere During Labor

This section focuses on how you want your space to feel.

Common preferences include:

• Dim lighting

• Minimal interruptions

• Music or silence

• Freedom to move around

• Limiting the number of people in the room

• Avoiding students or observers if possible

These requests are often easy to honor and can significantly impact how safe and calm you feel.

2. Support People & Roles

Clarify who you want present and how involved they should be:

• Partner

• Doula

• Other support people

This is also a great place to define how your partner can support you, especially if you become tired or overwhelmed.

3. Pain Management Preferences

There is no “right” way to manage labor pain.

Your preferences might include:

• Breathing techniques

• Movement

• Hydrotherapy (shower or tub)

• Massage or counter-pressure

• Nitrous oxide

• Epidural

• Openness to medications if needed

It’s perfectly valid to write that you want to try certain methods before deciding on others. Or that you want pain relief early. But be open to plans changing based on how your delivery goes.

4. Movement, Positions & Pushing

This section covers how you want to labor and push if possible:

• Freedom to change positions

• Laboring upright

• Side-lying or hands-and-knees pushing

• Avoiding coached pushing unless necessary

• Using warm compresses to support the perineum

Many of these preferences support comfort and may reduce tearing, but medical needs should always come first.

5. Interventions & Monitoring

You can express preferences around:

• Intermittent vs. continuous fetal monitoring

• Use of IV fluids vs. saline lock

• Avoiding episiotomy unless medically necessary

• Vacuum or forceps only if truly needed

Again, framing these as preferences keeps communication respectful and realistic.

6. Cesarean Preferences (Just in Case)

Even if you’re planning a vaginal birth, it’s helpful to consider cesarean preferences ahead of time.

Options may include:

• Partner present

• Clear drape

• Immediate or early skin-to-skin if possible

• Delayed cord clamping

• Music

Planning for this possibility will make it a whole lot less stressful if you do end up needing a C-section. You’ll know your preferences and be reminded that you do have some control, even if things haven’t gone as you imagined.

7. Immediately After Birth

This section often has a huge emotional impact.

Common preferences:

• Immediate skin-to-skin

• Delayed cord clamping

• Who cuts the cord

• Newborn procedures done on your chest if possible

• Initiating feeding when ready

These moments matter, and many are easily accommodated when communicated ahead of time.

8. Newborn Care Decisions

This is where many parents feel pressure, but knowledge is empowering!

You may want to note preferences about:

• Vitamin K

• Eye ointment

• Hepatitis B vaccine

• Bath timing

• Rooming-in

• Feeding plans (breast, formula, combo, pumping)

There is no moral hierarchy here. Informed choice is the goal.

9. Feeding Preferences (With Grace for Change)

Feeding intentions are deeply personal and can evolve.

You might write:

• “I plan to breastfeed, and would like lactation support”

• “I plan to formula feed”

• “I’m open to supplementing if needed”

Leaving space for change protects your mental health.

10. Recovery & Postpartum Preferences

This often gets overlooked, but as someone who specializes in postpartum recovery, it matters!

Consider:

• Desire for uninterrupted rest

• Rooming-in vs. nursery use

• Visitors

• Pain management preferences

• Feeding support

Your recovery is just as important as your birth.

Why Talking Through Your Birth Plan With Your Partner Matters

Your partner is often your primary advocate. Especially if you’re exhausted or unable to communicate clearly.

Discussing your birth plan together helps:

• Reduce confusion during labor

• Clarify who speaks up when

• Strengthen teamwork

• Ensure your wishes are honored respectfully

Decisions That Are Typically Yours Alone

• Pain management

• Positioning

• Sensory preferences

• Who is present during delivery

• Feeding your body and baby

Decisions That Are Often Joint

• Visitors

• Cord cutting

• Photos or videos

• Some newborn procedures

There’s no universal rules! It’s just what feels right for you as a couple.

You Can Have Preferences Without Having a Birth Plan Document

This is important to say clearly:

👉 You don’t need a written birth plan to be prepared.

Some parents prefer:

• Talking through preferences with their provider

• Discussing scenarios with their partner

• Knowing options without writing them down

That is completely valid.

The goal is not the paper, it’s the clarity.

Final Thoughts: Prepared, Not Pressured

Birth is one of the most unpredictable experiences of your life — and also one of the most powerful.

A well-thought-out birth plan doesn’t lock you into outcomes. It gives you:

• Language

• Confidence

• Awareness

• Support

And when things change (because sometimes they do), that preparation helps you adapt with less fear and more trust.

No matter how your baby arrives, what matters most is that you feel heard, supported, and cared for before, during, and after birth.

And remember: birth is just the beginning, it’s the weeks that follow where the real life change happens!

If you want to feel supported and informed as you navigate newborn sleep, baby care, and those early days at home, my downloadable resources are a great place to start. They’re created from a postpartum doula’s perspective to support you through the fourth trimester with clarity, reassurance, and practical tools you can lean on when you’re tired and unsure.