The importance of planning your birth.
Birth is one of the most natural things a woman can do. We’ve been doing it since the beginning of the world and we will be doing it until the end. Our bodies instinctively know what to do, if we were in a coma our bodies could birth a baby without our needing to be conscious for it. So if a lot of how we birth is instinct, why do we need to prepare and make a birth plan? I think there are several reasons why and I would love to go over a few of them. Yes your body physically could give birth, but birth can take from you mentally just as much as physical. Without preparing mentally for the physical challenge that having a baby presents, you can go through your birth feeling out of control, like birth is happening to you and you don’t have any power over the experience. This is why it is important to learn about the birth process while pregnant, so that while you are in the pain of labor you can know that this is a good pain, you have knowledge about what is happening with your body. Mentally preparing for giving birth is key in having a good birth experience.
Secondly, in a world where medical interventions are becoming more and more commonplace in birth, it is important to know what common medical interventions entail and which you are and are not comfortable with. Adding interventions into your birth plan that you do not consent to is a good way to let your doctor or midwife know your boundaries before going into labor, and then your doula will know how best to advocate for you! If medical interventions are suggested, knowing more information about how and why those interventions are performed puts you in a better position to make an informed decision.
Looking into what interventions can be offered during birth can also help you make a decision about what kind of birth you want. Someone who is low risk and doesn’t want drugs, monitoring, or frequent cervical checks might be more comfortable in a homebirth with a midwife. Someone who might be more nervous about birth, or who would like pain medicine is probably going to want to give birth in the hospital. A birthing center is also a great middle option, for someone who might want the more intimate setting but would like the option of some medical interventions.
There are so many options when it comes to giving birth. Doctor or midwife? Home, hospital, or birthing center? Natural or medicated? Breast or bottle feeding? Pushing on the bed or standing? That is why it is important to make a birth plan and do research beforehand. Now a birth plan is just that, it's a plan. Birth can be unpredictable and sometimes it will not go according to plan. But having a base with all of your wants and wishes for birth will help set the tone for your birth experience. As a birth doula I am here to provide you with evidence based information and will gladly help you plan out what you want for your birth!
