A birth plan summarizes your preferences for how you want to give birth and what you want to happen during labour and delivery. Think of it as a set of guidelines for your health-care team to follow. Like with many aspects of life, unexpected circumstances can arise, so you might need to take an alternative approach to your goal.
In your birth plan, you can include your wishes for pain management and the postpartum (after birth) care you want for yourself and your baby. For example, if you feel more pain than expected, or need to move to a different position during delivery, your birth plan lists other methods you’re comfortable using. This is why creating a birth plan and discussing it with your health-care provider is important.
Birth plans can vary, but ideally you should keep it short, easy to read, and about one page.
Click here to create your birth plan.
Services related to this information:
- Contact your Public Health Nurse for immunizations and other prenatal support.
- 811 HealthLine (Newfoundland & Labrador) – Call 811 or 1-888-709-2929 / TTY 1-888-709-3555
Eastern Zones:
