Welcoming your child into the world is super exciting, and such a beautiful gift. Along with the excitement thereās also a lot to prepare forā¦ including preparing for the birth!Ā
However, itās important to understand that in our perfectly imperfect lives, we canāt always plan for everything and sometimes we need to be a little flexible! I can tell you this from personal experience.
During my first pregnancy, I created a very detailed birth plan for a natural birthā very little actually went according to plan! In the end, I needed to have a C-section after 50 hours of labor. I had to adjust my birth plan significantly during my first pregnancy, but as long as my baby arrived safely, I was absolutely willing to be flexible.
During my second pregnancy, I chose to create a birth plan that was much simpler. My plan was just to deliver a healthy baby. And I did! I didnāt care nearly as much about the birth plan for my second pregnancy, as long as my baby was born safely.
So please know itās okay if your birth plan doesnāt go completely as you hope it does. The best birth plan is one that results in a healthy mom and a healthy baby, so donāt fret if a few thingsā or even a lot of thingsā end up being different from your plan.
Pregnancy and childbirth are a beautiful and intimate part of many womenās lives, but they can also be unpredictable! Itās okay if our realities are not as perfect as our expectationsā as long as mother and baby are both happy and healthy, there is no right or wrong way to create a birth plan.
All that being said though, planning for your babyās arrival by creating a birth plan offers you some peace of mind.
Your birth plan doesnāt have to be complicated. Yet, with the right preparations youāre removing unnecessary stress from your pregnancy. It allows you to focus on your health and on delivering a healthy happy baby. Most importantly, youāll have peace of mind on delivery day.
Iām sharing a few important things to consider while learning how to create a birth plan, but first letās better understand what a birth plan is.
A birth plan is your written plan that outlines your wishes as an expectant mother before, during and after the birth process. Share your plan with anyone involved during the birth. This includes your obstetrician and care providers, birth partner, and any family or friends you want to share in this special experience with you.
When you prepare a written birth plan in advance, you, your partner and your care team will have a list of guidelines to follow as you prepare to bring Baby into the world. This can help to ensure your babyās birth goes as smoothly and easefully as possible.
A birth plan can include whatever information you want, but thereās a lot of information that you probably want to consider, like your care specifications during labor, postpartum care, and even comfort requests while giving birth.
There is no right or wrong way to create a birth plan, itās entirely up to you! The intention is to help create the most stress-free birthing process, so stressing out over creating a complicated plan if youāre not a planner isnāt the goal.
If youāre looking for something easy and not complicated, you can create a bulleted list as an effective way to outline your plan. When thinking through what to include, you may not know where to begin. In that case, you can choose to use a birth plan template. Your care provider may have one available or you can find them online. 1 Iāll also share some important information to include in your plan below.
Like your pregnancy, your birth plan is unique to you and doesnāt need to be any more specific than you want it to be. You can even create a very minimal birth plan, and that will still be just fine. Sometimes, the most important part is that writing a plan beforehand encourages you to ask questions that you may not have otherwise asked. It also helps you become more informed of your options.
Everything that happens during childbirth isnāt controllable, but being prepared regardless of what happens can provide peace of mind and see to it that your wishes are honored where they can be.
Some mamas may want a very thorough and detailed birth planā I did for my first pregnancy! Others may not, and thatās totally fine too. Information you absolutely want to include on any birth plan includes: 2
Some details you may want to consider before you go into labor include:
This is where you can outline your preferences, big or small, during your childbirth experience.
Itās important for you to take postpartum into consideration in your birth plan as well. A few decisions to make following your babyās birth can include:
There is definitely a lot to consider here! But donāt let that worry you, Beauties. These are just a few suggestions for creating your very own birth plan. As a helpful rule, any detail youāve spent time thinking about is worth including on your birth plan.
You donāt need to create a plan, but for all of the reasons shared above, it can be very helpful! Remember, your birth plan can be as specific and comprehensive as you wish, so you donāt need to stress about creating the āperfectā plan. But itās definitely helpful during delivery and after if you have a plan for your babyās birth, especially if there are complications.
After birth, youāre moving into the next beautiful phase of your life ā the postpartum period. Itās a wonderful opportunity to bond with your baby and nourish yourself in new ways.
Many women share their experiences and talk about some of the challenges during this time (like sleep!), but when you incorporate our Four Cornerstones of True Beauty during this period, and truly nurture yourself and your body, youāre doing the very best things to help create a happy, healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
There is so much to know during the postpartum period, like how to support a healthy mood and prevent the baby blues, how to best lose the baby weight, get a good nightās sleep, and how to produce lots of nutrient rich breast milk!
Thatās why Iāve created a comprehensive postpartum course for our plant-based Beauties (and anyone who wants to incorporate more healthy plant-based foods during this period). I discuss everything from what to eat, how to nourish your body through exercise and movement, how to support your emotional well-being and even how to support your spiritual growth (which isnāt about religion but rather how to get in touch with your true self!).
Our postpartum plant-based pregnancy course is available by early 2022. Let us know your interest and weāll notify you as soon as itās released!
Healthy Steps Towards a Healthy Pregnancy
Solluna Pregnancy Course
Plant-based Pregnancy Nutrition
Incorporating a Plant-Based Lifestyle During Pregnancy and Beyond
