How to Write a Birth Plan

Somebody on one of the many pregnancy related Facebook groups I belong to at the moment was worrying as she was late on in her pregnancy and hadn't even thought about writing a birth plan or packing her hospital bag.

Now, without trying to sound smug, I am ridiculously organised in everything and have literally been having to stop myself from writing my own birth plan until I reach 20 weeks! Of course, a birth plan isn't essential. You can go into labour without one and often even the best made plans can go out the window when the time comes as baby is firmly in charge (Cameron's labour was totally different from my original plan).

However, I think it is always a good idea to have at least some idea of what you would like to happen in labour in regards to pain relief, birth partners, cutting the cord etc. When you are finding it near impossible to even breathe through the pain of contractions, you won't be in a fit state to start reeling off your requests and might not even be able to answer basic questions. Having a written plan will ensure that as far as possible, the medical staff will be able to do things the way you want.

Writing a birth plan can be daunting, especially if it is your first baby. I would advise going online and doing a quick google search. This is all I did and I came up straight away with two templates which I have printed out ready for when I let myself start thinking about the birth!

I like how in depth the NHS template goes as it allows you to think about aspects of the birth which you might not have even considered such as delivering the placenta and vitamin K injections. It also includes a section on special requirements such as religious customes, special needs or the need for a language interpreter during labour.

Another good template is the HiPP Organic one which, although shorter, still has a lot of detail and is great as it looks a bit less scary and more down to earth. I aim to fill in both templates as a starting point and then from there write up my own personalised plan which I will make sure I have a copy of with my notes.

Also, don't be afraid to speak to your midwife about your birth plan prior to the birth. They will be able to answer any questions you might have about things such as the vitamin K injection (which can be administered to the baby via drops rather than the injection if you wish) and what pain relief would be best suited to you. It might also be comforting to talk to a friend or family member who has been through labour before (just make sure you let them know you don't want a horror story but advice on what you might want to write in your birth plan!).

Think you Might be Pregnant?

As this pregnancy was planned I assumed I would be able to tell that I was pregnant as soon as it happened. However it was actually my mum, who knew I was trying, who first said she thought I could be pregnant as I had been having some pretty strong mood swings and getting more tired than usual. I didn't quite believe it though so was still shocked when I took the pregnancy test and found out I was indeed carrying baby number two. With Cameron as he wasn't a planned pregnancy, I had no idea I was pregnant to start with and the first thing that made me think I could be was my missed period.

There are all kinds of different early pregnancy symptoms to look out for and Liz Moore, a midwife from HiPP Organic has given some advice and answered some common questions about early pregnancy:

"Your pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period and lasts around 40 weeks. Fertilisation of the egg is generally considered to be around 2 weeks after the first day of your last period, so you are likely to actually fall pregnant around the beginning of the official ‘week 3’.

Missing your period is the first sign of being pregnant. However, there are other reasons for a missed period such as stress, illness, extreme weight loss or gain, coming off of oral contraceptives.

The best way to confirm your pregnancy is by taking a pregnancy test. Human Chorionic Gonadatrophin is a hormone produced by the developing placenta and can be detected in home pregnancy tests from around the time of a missed period.

Other signs of early pregnancy include:

• Morning sickness nausea with or without vomiting
• Tiredness
• Breast swelling, tenderness, tingling
• Frequent urination
• Mood swings
• Constipation/diarrhoea
• Increased sensitivity to smell
• Strange cravings
• Persistent metallic taste in mouth
• Changes in libido

Is bleeding at the start of pregnancy common?

Some women believe they have had an early, light period which is in in fact an implantation bleed. Implantation bleeding is vaginal discharge which contains a small amount of pinky or brownish blood caused by the fertilised egg and sperm embedding in the uterine wall. It can occur 6-12 days after ovulation. Only 1/3 women experience this.

When should I start taking folic acid?

If you are hoping to become pregnant, or suspect you may be pregnant, remember to take a daily 400mcg folic acid supplement (and continue it until you are 12 weeks pregnant). Folic acid helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have taken a positive pregnancy test, book an appointment to see your doctor to confirm the pregnancy and find out about antenatal care. You will have your first antenatal appointment with the midwife between weeks 8 and 12. If you haven't already checked to see if any medications that you are taking are safe to continue with during pregnancy, now is the time to do this".

Thanks to HiPP Organic for providing the information for this Blog post.