Thinking about your preferences for your birthing experience allows you to honor your body and your rights as a birthing mother. Your best and safest birth is unique to you, and you need to learn all the options, mama. Your desires are sacred.

What is a birth plan and why is it important?

A birth plan is an outline of exactly what your desires and health care expectations are for your sacred birth ceremony. This will be given to your provider and your birth team so there are no misunderstandings on what your needs are. 

As a Sacred Birth Doula, I feel strongly about cultivating your inner birthing goddess, by making sure you possess the strength & power you have within. Writing a birth plan helps you advocate for autonomy during childbirth and ensures you have the best people in your circle – those who practice informed consent.

Without a birth plan, it can be harder to make sure your voice matters throughout the entire birthing journey. Silencing unwanted opinions can help you hear your own intuitive preferences.  

My tips:

1. Assemble your birth team – who are your ride or dies? Interview doctors who respect your decisions

2. Start planning early – hire a doula and set up prenatal visits. Becoming a mother is deep shadow work and Sacred Prenatal Sessions with me will hold space for your fears & desires, making sure you feel confident. All the work you do on the inside will show up in labor & a doula will be on call to fiercely protect and serve you throughout your birthing journey.

3. List what you want your birthing team to know about you – conditions & background

4. Explore different birthing positions for early labor and active labor – follow your body’s urge to move, allowing it to guide you. Also, learn about the benefits of physical touch during labor and add that request into your plan if it calls to you.

5. List your preference for delivery – medicated birth (epidural) or natural birth? Home birth or hospital birth?

6. Plan for emergency C-section and interventions if needed 

7. Add wishes for after delivery – most mamas will want to hold their baby right away

8. Keep the Birth Plan short and clear, babes (1 page). Add the most important details

9. Make copies so everyone at the birthing center can be aware of your needs

10. Flexibility is key. Your birth may not go exactly as you have envisioned it, even with all the planning in the world! But your birthing team will be with you for whatever pathway is ahead. Surrender to the unexpected

11. Don’t forget that you are divine – know the gravity you hold

To explore more ways to set yourself up for wellness during pregnancy check out my blog post How to Set Yourself Up For Mental Wellness During Pregnancy.

If the thought of deeper support before, during, and after your sacred pregnancy feels nourishing, I would be honored to hold you through that ceremony. Learn more about how we can work together here: https://taraneynicole.com/sacred-birth-work/

Big Love, @taraneynicole