Creating a birth preference list sometimes also called a birth plan is a great way to communicate your wishes and priorities for your labour and birth. While birth can be unpredictable, having a clear outline of your preference in a list helps guide your midwives in supporting your vision for the experience. Birth preference lists can help you navigate the options of your labour and birth.
Here’s what to consider including in your birth preference list and why each element matters.
General Birth Environment
Who You Want Present: Whether it’s your partner, doula, or close family members, specify who you want in the room.
Room Preferences: Music, dim lighting, aromatherapy some small touches that create a calming environment.
Photography/Videography: Indicate whether you want photos or videos taken during the birth.
Pain Management Preferences
Natural Coping Techniques: Breathing exercises, hypnobirthing, movement, massage, or water immersion.
Medical Pain Relief: Specify if you are open to having an epidural, IV medications, or if you’d like to avoid them.
Birth Preferences
Preferred Positions: Would you like to use a birthing ball, birth in a squatting position, upright position or on the bed.
Monitoring: Would you rather continuous foetal monitoring or intermittent monitoring, if given the choice?
Induction Preferences: Whether you prefer natural induction methods over medical ones if labour doesn’t begin spontaneously.
Delivery Preferences
Pushing Position: Hands-and-knees, side-lying, or on the bed.
Coached vs. Spontaneous Pushing: Some women prefer guided pushing, while others opt to follow their body’s cues.
An assisted birth, including episiotomy: Indicate if you’d prefer to avoid it unless absolutely necessary, an assisted birth includes forceps and ventouse, an episiotomy is a cut made from from the vagina to the perinium.
Immediate Skin-to-Skin Contact: For supporting babies transition from womb to world, bonding and regulating baby’s body temperature.
New born Care Preferences
Delayed Cord Clamping: Allows extra blood flow from the placenta to the baby.
Golden Hour: A request for uninterrupted bonding time right after birth.
New born Procedures: Weighing baby, Vitamin K
Feeding Plans: Breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a combination.
Unexpected Situations
Caesarean Birth Preferences: Skin-to-skin in the operating room
NICU Plan: If your baby requires NICU care, specify if you want a partner or doula to accompany them.
Postpartum Preferences: Rooming-in, visitor policies, and recovery support.
Final Thoughts
A birth preference list isn’t a rigid script but it’s a guide that helps ensure your voice is heard and respected during your labour. Share your preferences with your midwife beforehand and remain flexible in case circumstances change. The ultimate goal is a safe and positive birth experience, no matter how it unfolds.
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