Using This Course: Creating a Birth Plan

There is a debate on the worth of having a birth plan. Some scoff at the idea believing it is simply setting a woman up for failure and disappointment because birth is unpredictable. I disagree! I have been at hundreds of births and talked to care providers who have attended hundreds of births and after a while you begin to see patterns and can almost predict where a birth is headed—be it to a beautiful, peaceful birth or a rushed, fearful emergency c-section. Also, it is easy to see the simple alterations that create the one or lead to the other. The key is not only having a birth plan but having a plan throughout pregnancy and a team of knowledgeable supportive people around you. So the question is how to get your wishes and desires acknowledged and respected in the birthing process. This course outlines the keys to that.

1 Choosing Who and Where: The Foundation of a Birth Plan

2 The Prenatal Determines the Birth: Creating a Healthy Pregnancy

3 Labor Starts Before Labor: Addressing Complications

4 Birth Team: The Key to a Good Labor

5 After the Birth

Downloadable Template Birth Plan