Organising your pregnancy and your birth plan

Our midwife points you in the right direction as you begin to plan out your 41 weeks and labour

Posted: 27 September 2011
by Practical Parenting’s Anne Richley

Our midwife gives you some key dates to look to

Would you like to discover the sex of your baby for yourself, rather than being told by your midwife?
Would you like to be encouraged to move around as much as you can while you’re in labour?
Would your partner like to cut the cord?
Would you like your baby to be placed straight on to your skin?
In the event of needing a caesarean, would you like the screen lowered as your baby is lifted out, so that you can see his entrance into the world?

20 weeks - MATB1 form: you get this from your employer to fill in so you can receive maternity pay.
25 weeks - Health in Pregnancy Grant: this is a new £190 one-off payment that the Government gives to help you through.
29 weeks - Maternity leave: many mums-to-be stay longer, but legally you can leave work now.
30 weeks - Antenatal classes begin: don’t forget you’re entitled to paid time off from work to attend.
40 weeks - Arrival time: your midwife can offer you a stretch and sweep to help kick start labour, if you’re getting impatient.

Local maternity units and their birth rates. To help you choose where you’d like to give birth if it’s not at home.
Antenatal classes. Ask about when and where your nearest are.
Birthing pools. Find out how many pools are at your hospital and if you’d be suitable for a water birth.
A home visit. Ask if she’ll visit you to chat through your birth plan with you and your partner.
When you go into labour. If you’d prefer to be assessed at home rather than go straight to the labour ward, let her know.

Which unit in your area has a high rate of straightforward, vaginal births, and what’s the rate of home births?
How many birthing pools are there available at any one time?
Is it possible to have a look around the labour unit in advance?
Will your midwife come and assess you at home when you’re in labour?
How likely is it that you’ll see your midwife throughout your whole pregnancy and at the birth?

To feel reassured you’re not the only one worrying about things like the size of your bump – lots of other women there will be feeling the same way.
You meet mums-to-be who you can stay in touch with – a great support network for when your baby arrives.
You learn about what to expect at the birth and what pain relief is available.
Classes involve your partner and help him understand your wishes on b-day.
You get time off work as your boss has to let you go in work time.

Make it easy to read, so if you labour quickly it’ll be faster to understand.
Staple a copy to the front of your notes and have a spare copy for the doctor in case you need intervention.
Focus on things that are specifically important to you and your partner, rather than a standard downloaded one.
If you want a second opinion, ask your community midwife to read it and see what she thinks.
Think about the tone If it’s open and friendly, people caring for you are more likely to respond in the same way.