When we talk about a birth plan (or birth wishes), we’re talking about a simple piece of writing that you can do on any medium you like. Its purpose is to put down on paper your expectations, the things you’d like the staff to know about your needs and wishes during labor and delivery.

There is no standardized form; simply write it out in your own way and hand it to the nurse who will greet you when you enter the maternity ward. Wherever possible, the staff will do their best to respect your requests. But remember, you’ll need to be flexible, because childbirth really is a box of surprises, and it’s only after it’s all over that we know the story.

To help you, we’ve put together a birth plan that’s easy to fill in and asks you questions to help you think through your needs and desires surrounding the birth of your baby.

Download the list here.

Need some inspiration?

Here are some inspirations to help you write your birth plan :

• You can, for example, think of the different ways you’d like to help yourself through the discomfort of your contractions (dim light, soft music, being warm, back massage, therapy ball, bath to help…);
• specify your wish to have your baby skin-to-skin with you as soon as he or she is discharged;
• how you would like to be accompanied (for the nurse to be with you as much as possible; to be alone with your lover, or to be accompanied by another person, such as your mother, a friend, a doula, etc.);
• as well as the role you expect each of these people to play during labor and/or delivery.

You can also put in place the elements that will encourage you to start breastfeeding, such as not giving a bottle without prior authorization, having the nurse’s support for latching on, and being guided gently and kindly. You can also emphasize your desire to involve dad as much as possible: massage, breathing, helping with the baby, bathing, burping, diaper changes..

The above is just an example. In fact, we invite you to take the initiative and write down what you feel is most important to you in terms of how you will experience this major event in your life.
It’s important to know that the birth plan is a tool for the couple to reflect on and prepare for welcoming their baby, not to prepare for the finality of the birth. No one can know or predict how everything will turn out during labor and delivery.