Birth plan

I had my birth plan meeting at 36 weeks. At 34 weeks I was that was when the meeting would happen and I should think about it. I knew my preference of natural birth but have health implications (dodgy cervix and opiod allergy 🙄) My midwife took her time and explained everything fully and answered every question I threw at her. There was also a consultant anesthetist to help out with the pain relief options. By the time I left I had a full birth plan, a back up plan and also a pain relief plan for everything before, during and after including emergencies. Don't worry if you have no idea as I had very little but I'm perfectly happy with my plan and also know I can change it at any point too should I want to or if anything changes.

I’d say try and be as open as possible with your birth plan, every labour is different and you may need to take a different route for various reasons so it helps to be a bit more fluid with it. Maybe sit down and google each bit to get an idea on what options are available and what you prefer the sound of. Mine for example I’ve said I’d like a water birth but I know this may not be possible. Only drug I’ve said no to is gas and air because it made me feel sick. Episiotomy not against it but to ask permission first etc. vitamin k injection yes and yes to injection to support delivery of the placenta but if you work your way through it googling you have a better understanding of each question and what you’d prefer x

Have a look at birth plan examples online. The NHS birth plan is very technical and the need to knows. I have written a separate birth plan for my midwife on the day to read all about how I want the environment to be right down to the language I want to be used. The online birth plans gave me lots of ideas of things I hadn’t even considered from reading the NHS one

If you Google NHS birth plan then that will give you a template. It doesn’t cover everything but might give you an idea of things that you want to explore with your midwife in terms of options. Also I think you do need to be really fluid. I had written no forceps with my first however he became very distressed and it was the safest way to get him out so we ended up delivering him that way x

Your birth plan can be whatever you want it to be. I was asked for my birth plan at my appointment yesterday and my only response was “get the baby out” You absolutely can make your birth plan up as you go during labour and there’s nothing wrong with doing that.

Try to think about it as birth preferences, then you won't get so hung up on if it goes wrong. My experience with my first pregnancy, the midwife I had my appointment with wasn't actually interested in my "plan", she just wanted to know if I was having the injection to deliver the placenta and if the baby was having vitamin k injection. If you feel better, just write out what you want rather than using the app (I've started filling out the Badger notes section and it is really detailed)