Sample Birth Plan

There are a couple of different camps when it comes to birth plans.

1) Have a plan. Stick to it.
2) Birth is unpredictable. Don't bother with a plan.

I'm somewhere in the middle, I suppose. In my experience, birth is unique for every woman and "textbook" births are rare, but I do think having a plan is important. Here's why...

Having a plan is a conversation starter. 

I encourage my clients to start working on their birth plan at our first prenatal visit (usually in the beginning of the 3rd trimester). Next, I encourage them to discuss it with their provider. This typically pushes some deeper conversations about how the provider approaches birth and what they feel comfortable with. Often times, this brings to light some deal breakers for my client and they switch providers. Sometimes it confirms they are on the same page and builds trusts. Either way, it helps you and your care provider learn more about each other.

Having a plan helps determine your philosophy about birth. 

Writing down what's important to you, helps you to get a grasp on how you will approach your birth. This will also help your birthing team (care provider, doula, staff, family members) gain insight into what is on or off limits for your care.

Having a plan builds knowledge. 

Before you can spell out your preferences, you might have to do a little research to know what they are. Learning about the pros/cons of vaginal exams, cord clamping, electronic fetal monitoring, ect. helps you to be knowledgeable about the procedures.

Having a plan engages you in your care. 

Because you've done the research, you now know the usual and customary procedures for your birth. So when something deviates from that plan, you naturally speak up and ask why. Being engaged in your own care goes a long way in making sure you received true informed consent and will also help ensure you receive the best care possible for you as an individual.

HOW TO WRITE A BIRTH PLAN

Preparing a birth plan is pretty simple. You simply need to include your identifying information and a list of your preferences. However, I can tell you that long or jumbled birth plans are less likely to be read.

Here are a few key tips when writing a birth plan.

• Keep your birth plan to one page - MOST IMPORTANT TIP! 
• Use a font that's easy to read and the larger the better.
• Make key information such as name, allergies, and care provider easy to locate. 
• Break your plan into easy to identify sections (mom, baby, labor, delivery, ect)
• Include a Cesarean plan. This may not be plan A,  but it's important just in case.

Below is a sample birth plan format that you can use to get you started. Please note that this is just a sample plan. nYn does not advocate for or against any of these procedures. We do support family choice and informed consent!

Click here to be taken to the Google Doc version. You can click File>Download As>Microsoft Word to save and edit this plan for yourself. 

Have questions? Need more info? Having trouble with the Google Doc? Feel free to contact me at nurturingYOUnaturally@gmail.com

nYn now accepting credit card payments

It's no secret that I love technology. I also think it's important to stay cutting-edge when running an business.

When it comes to nYn, the majority of my doula clients choose to pay by check. However, recently I had a family ask if I would accept payment via PayPal. I already have an account in place and the transaction worked out nicely. While I was perusing PayPal to follow the transfer, I noticed that they now have a schnazzy little card reader device that connects to your iPhone for credit card payments. I researched more and checked out the accompanying iPhone app which processes the transactions. It was very simple and cost-effective to use. So.......

I am pleased to report that nurturing YOU naturally is now accepting credit card payments for doula services. 

There is another announcement coming soon for nYn where this handy, dandy card scanning device will be put to even more good use. Stay tuned....

The Nesting Instinct in Doulas

Source: Children's Hospital Colorado

In humans

In human females, the nesting instinct often occurs around the fifth month of pregnancy^[1][4], but can occur as late as the eighth, or not at all^{[citation needed]}. It may be strongest just before the onset of labor.^[1][5][6]

It is commonly characterized by a strong urge to clean and organize one's home and is one reason why couples who are expecting a baby often reorganize, arrange, and clean the house and surroundings.

Source: Wikipedia: Nesting Instinct

While nesting is common in the last few days of pregnancy, I find that I am also particularly prone to nesting at other times in my life. For example, I often "nest" at the beginning of a new year or right before school gets out and then again right before school starts back. I am likely to go into a cleaning frenzy right before I start a new project at work or anytime something new is on the horizon for our family. I'm a type A personality and I function much better when all of my little ducks are in a row. Over time, I've discovered that my nesting instinct (which is just a nicer way of saying I obsessively clean, organize, purge, and tidy) occurs when I am feeling out of control. If there is some aspect of my life that I don't feel I have a firm grip on, I overcompensate by controlling something else, the tidiness of my home. It's kind of become a running joke around here.

When my doula clients reach 38 weeks, I go "on call" meaning that they can contact me 24/7 and I am ready at a moment's notice (preferably an hour) if mom feels that she is in active labor and needs me. My doula bag stays in the car, the car stays full of gas, I don't go out with the girls for margaritas, I arrange plan B for childcare, and I make an effort to get a decent night's sleep.

I often talk with my clients about the nesting instinct and how that big surge of energy and desire to prepare the home can be a sign of impending labor. I've found that I also tend to nest right along with the expectant mom. Part of it comes just from the lack of control as I firmly believe that babies should choose their own birthdays. Since cleaning is my coping mechanism, I use it to make up for the waiting game. But, when I have a suspicion that a client may be going into labor soon (next day or so), my nesting instinct goes into high gear. I never know how long I'm going to be away from home, so I like for everything to be easily accessible for my husband and daughter. I prep food, lay out clothes, pack school and extracurricular bags, and put my "village" of helpers on alert. I know that they could easily survive on their own but it makes me feel better to know I've left a good environment for them. I am the one who manages logistics for our family on a daily basis so I also leave behind plenty of notes hoping that no steps get missed.

I'm wondering if other doulas have experienced this nesting instinct right before a client goes into labor. Maybe this will get better with time as I become more seasoned. Your thoughts are welcomed in the comments below.