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Top Five Reasons Why you should have a Birth Plan before you
go into Labor
You will find there are many opinions on what kind of birth is best. Will yours be a Natural birth or medically assisted? Within those two broad areas there are many choices again Whatever birth method you and your partner decide on a Birth Plan is vital.
1. A Birth Plan is a channel of Communication. Working through the Birth Plan with your partneris extremely helpful in getting a clear picture of what you both want and expect during labor and the birth.
2. A Good Birth Plan should give you Confidence : It will help you both feel in control of the process, especially if you are having a hospital birth. You can discuss your options with your Doctor and midwife more clearly as, in writing your Birth Plan, you will research many things which you may otherwise not have thought of.
Your birth plan will allow your doctor/midwife and nurses to be clear about what you want. You should discuss this with your pregnancy caregiver between your 32 - 36 weeks of pregnancy. In this way there will be no surprises for you or your caregiver in what choices you have made or need to make and you will know the amount of flexibility the hospital/birthing center allows couples in their personal choices. That means if your birthing center can't or won't give you what you really want you still have time to find an alternative.
3. A Birth Plan gives Reassurance. Getting your doctor or midwife to agree and initial it before the due date means you can provide it to the birthing center when checking in. It is really reassuring to know exactly what to expect from your birth and health provider before going into labor. As importantly, your partner or support person can make the right decisions for you if you can't.
4. Provides a Plan in an Emergency. You will have discussed many alternatives while preparing your Birth Plan. This will allow quick, calm decisions to be made should an unexpected emergency arise during labor.
5. Bonding at Birth. In discussing and preparing your plan you will both come to know the really important and less important aspects you want in welcoming your baby into the world. Almost certainly it will help get mother and baby off to a great start and will be good for the whole family.
Importantly it also helps when all chaos has broken loose,and labor pains have taken control of that sweet, loving woman and now she is a bundle of growling, panting, groaning, swearing, humanity. At least you know some of the
answers in advance (but be warned Plan B could swing in anytime … ‘cos you know a girl always has the right to change her mind!).
By the way if you would like a free copy of "Guy's Guide to the Delivery Room, just go here and I'll send you a copy
. It's hot off the press!!