You planned out the nursery.
Have you done the same for your birth plan?
Here’s how most women approach their birth plan: (Is this you?) They sit down, write out everything they think people should know, and then hope other people read it. After all, there are hundreds of blog posts online that tell you to do exactly that. Many of them even offer premade templates or fancy tools to easily create a birth plan.
Not only are these birth planning resources lacking core components, but they also fail to set you up with the resources you need to have a great birth.
Here’s where these birth plans fall short:
❌ Multiple pages, which ultimately end up left somewhere by your care team.
❌ Too many points for busy nurses to remember.
❌ Clip Art that offers no added value and just takes up space.
❌ Preferences come across as naive demands, as opposed to thoroughly prepared statements.
❌ Poor layout and design, making the key points disappear.
❌ Doesn’t take into account your birthing location’s unique policies.
❌ You don’t necessarily know why a certain preference is expressed on the birth plan so you can’t advocate for yourself – and neither can your support team.
❌ Getting labeled as “difficult,” “naive,” or “annoying,” by your care team – which could potentially lead to poor care.
❌ Only really addresses labor and nothing beyond.
Writing a birth plan doesn’t guarantee great care, quick labor, easy breastfeeding, or fast recovery. There is always a chance that something goes wrong and emergency measures need to take place, but a good birth plan sets you up to take anything in stride.
A well-formulated birth plan helps you:
✅ Know the “why” behind your preferences so you can effectively advocate for yourself.
✅ Identify questions that you need to ask before you go into labor.
✅ Understand your options – beyond your preferences – so you can make informed decisions.
✅ Feel confident that you prepared well.
✅ Think through all aspects of delivery – labor and delivery, emergency or planned C-section, newborn care, and the hospital stay.
✅ Organize your plan in a way that your preferences are not ignored.
✅ Use specific terminology and phrasing to convey that you are prepared – not ignorant.
✅ Get everyone on the same page faster.
I want to help you make your ideal labor a reality.
I’m dedicated to supporting you in this powerful preparation step for your delivery. As a mom, I’ve been in your shoes, navigated the nerves of giving birth, wrote my own birth plan, and then delivered a 6 lb. 15 oz. bundle. As a health coach, I specialize in helping moms prepare for their best birth possible and am dedicated to staying up to date on research, standard delivery practices, and your options as a laboring mom.
When you sign up for a one-on-one Birth Planning Session, you can expect…
✅ An empowering, non-judgmental space where you can discuss your ideas, preferences, fears, and concerns supporting delivery.
✅ 90-120 minutes of dedicated planning time.
✅ Clarity on what preferences are an automatic part of the delivery experience and what to inquire about.
✅ Hands-on guidance in the phrasing and design of your birth plan.
✅ Tips and resource suggestions as you prepare for delivery.
✅ Confidence in your ability to give birth.
Whether you’re a first-time mom, scheduling a C-Section, or preparing for a homebirth, working through your birth plan can go a long way to help everyone involved feel ready for the big day!
Let’s build a birth plan that your care providers will actually pay attention to.
I started my fertility
journey in 2014.
My passion for supporting women started with
my own series of unique health challenges.
Get In Touch
Hannah Bowers, INHC, is not a doctor and does not treat, diagnose, or prescribe medication. All information is for educational purposes only.