A birth plan is a plan for how you want to experience labor and delivery of your child. While your plans may change during the process, planning ahead of time and sharing your plans with your provider and support team can help you advocate for your preferences during labor and delivery. Recognize that in many obstetric practices these days, the individual provider performing your prenatal care may or may not be the same provider delivering your baby. Also, the plan you and an individual provider agree on may not always be a comfortable plan for the provider staffing the delivery.
You may choose to manage pain with or without medication. Non-medication options include
Common medication options include epidural, which is pain medication given through your back or opioids like morphine, nalbuphine, butorphanol, meperidine, fentanyl, which are given intravenously (IV). You should decide which option works best for you.
In general, all three of these birthing team members can work together to ensure you have a safe, healthy, pleasant birthing experience customized to your physical and emotional comfort.
Crucial Conversation: Black Birthing Matters - Who Are Your Providers of Care? Sept 2024
Centering Pregnancy participants are seen by a healthcare provider (doctor, nurse practitioner or midwife) for their regular prenatal checkup, including blood pressure and weight checks. At the sessions, women then spend up to two hours in their Centering circle. This results in women spending about 10 times more time with a provider than with traditional prenatal care.
Studies show that Centering mothers are more likely to deliver healthier, full-term babies. Centering has decreased the rate of preterm births, increased pregnancy spacing, and narrowed racial disparities in preterm birth.