Birth plan: how to write it and why it's important

The birth plan is a written document in which you can express wishes, needs and preferences on how you would like to experience labor, delivery and the first few hours with your boy or girl. It is a tool for dialogue and active participation between you and the team that will assist you, to ensure that childbirth is an experience that is as respectful as possible and consistent with your values. It is not an obligation, but a recognized right: you can deliver it to any public or private birthpoint.What is it for The birth plan allows you to: Know your options and decide in an informed manner.Clearly communicate your preferences to healthcare personnel.Feel like an active part of the process, not just the recipient of decisions.Obviously, in case of clinical need, some choices may have to change, but having a plan helps to maintain an open and respectful dialogue.What you can indicate in your birth planHere are some topics you can consider and personalize: Who you want next to you during labor and delivery (partner, doula, family member, friend) .Pain management: epidural desires, natural analgesia, breathing techniques or movement? Positions for labor and delivery: lying down, squatting, standing, in water.Lights, sounds, environment: do you prefer soft lighting, music or silence.Immediate contact with the newborn: do you want skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth? Umbilical cord cut: do you want it to be delayed to allow the remaining blood to pass through? First care: how to administer vitamin K, vaccines, how to breastfeed in the first few hours.How to prepare itWrite it clearly and simply, a maximum of one or two pages. You can talk about it with your midwife or present it at the point of birth during pregnancy, so that it can be included in your medical record. Here are some useful questions to fill it out: What would make me feel calmer during labor? How would I like to manage the pain? What medical interventions or practices would I like to learn more about before accepting them? Which post-partum moments (skin-to-skin, breastfeeding, presence of a partner) are a priority for me?