16 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN COMPILING YOUR BIRTH PREFERENCES

Here are some things you should think about to help formulate your ideal birth:
1. Where do you want your baby to be born – hospital, birth centre, at home?
2. How do you feel about being induced/having your waters broken?
3. Do you have a preference to only being seen to by women?
4. Would you mind any students being present during your labour and birth?
5. Do you want to be active during labour, such as being able to walk around? (ask your midwife to use the wireless monitoring if you need it, formally known as telemetry)
6. What labour techniques do you want to use? Hypnobirthing, water birth, listening to music etc?
7. Do you know what pain relief you would/wouldn’t like?
8. How do you want your birth partner to support you?
9. How do you feel about medical intervention? Detail your list in order of preference.
10. How long do you want it to be until they cut the umbilical cord? Read about Optimal Cord Clamping.
11. Do you want your partner to cut the umbilical cord?
12. How do you want to find out the sex of the baby - be told/see for yourself?
13. Do you want your baby delivered onto your stomach?
14. Do you want to do skin-to-skin contact straight away?
15. Do you want to try to breastfeed straight away?
16. Who do you want to get the baby dressed?

These are just some pointers that will help you decide what is right for you.

If you want some extra help, go the NHS website to download a birth plan template.

Be sure to write it down and attach it to your maternity notes. Make sure that your birthing partner knows where it is so that they can relay your preferences to your midwives.

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