Birth Plans & Preferences - thoughts from a Private Midwife
Welcome to 2026 and another year of blogs exploring birth, babies and pregnant bellies!
As a Private Midwife who attends birth both as a primary care provider and/or support person, births plans and whether they are needed is always a topic of conversation with the women and families I care for. This blog hopes to run you through the in’s and out’s of birth plans, my personal practice thoughts and recommendations and finish with some resources to support you work towards a birth you are truley proud of.
BUT first - WHAT IS A BIRTH PLAN?
The term “birth plan” joined maternity vocabulary in ~1980’swhen midwives were looking for methods to encourage women to regain control over their birthing experiences in a time where birth was medically-dominated. The original birth plan encouraged women to become educated and to develop and express personal values and beliefs about what kind of birth experience they would like.
Birth plans were never introduced as a set of rules, but instead a way of women to communicate to their care providers & support team their preferences when they were in deep, beautiful labour and physiologically focused on birth and are not as capable to have full conversations about their preferences.
So what are my thoughts, as a Private Midwife, on birth plans?
I love birth plans, but….
I LOVE CONTINUITY OF CARE WITH A MIDWIFE MORE!
I find birth plans really helpful for women for a few reasons;
Birth plans prompt women to learn about birth. In order to develop your labour & birth preferences, women must dive into learning about all the options available to them in labour & birth. Education is powerful and vital in decision making for yourself and your baby.
Build confidence, courage and empowerment in women as they prepare for birth. I’ve witnessed birth plans transform women’s fear to strength and enthusiasm as they approach birth. Supporting your mindset and emotional health as birth nears is crucial.
They offer clear communication of your values, beliefs and preferences to your care team. Whether you have a known care provider for your birth experience or are meeting them for the first time when you are in labour, a birth plan enables them to get to know you on a deeper level INSTANTLY even without a conversation first.
For example, imagine a woman, she’s in labour (YAY!!!) and she is planning to birth in a hospital. After labouring safely and calmly at home throughout the night, she decides to go to hospital. She’s made a birth plan, which includes requesting to use the birth pool for pain relief in labour. The midwife caring for her has never met this labouring woman, however she did read the woman’s birth plan (stored in her hospital notes) and when the midwife hears the woman is on her way to hospital, the midwife goes and turns on the bath and dims the lights. The labouring woman arrives, its gentle directed to a birth space and gets into the bath. Exactly as per her preferences. The woman and midwife are both protecting the hormonal cocktail of physiological labour but ensuring the woman’s transition to hospital is as undisturbed as possible. This is how birth plans support physiological birth.
Whilst birth plans can be helpful, they…
DO NOT replace care with a known midwife. When you recieve antenatal, birth and postnatal care with a Private Midwife (whether you choose to birth at home or in hospital) - your midwife knows YOU, your values, preferences and goals for birth. A Private Midwife are the guardians of birth, and through continuous discussions throughout pregnancy gets to know you and your family on a deep level enough to walk with you through birth with support and care uniquely tailored to you.
Are not a set of rigid rules or an instruction manual as to how birth will occur. A birth plan is a tool, not scripture, and an opprotunity to become educated, set intentions, then surrender to birth and the lessons it will teach. Birth plans are a living document, and when used correctly nurture resilience and adaptability to meet women’s and baby’s needs in labour.
Often, the exercise of just thinking about and creating a birth plan is actually the benefit of a birth plan. Whether it then is a document women give to their care providers or a document that is stored in your phone notes, the effort and time put towards thinking about your birth is valuable.
How can woman plan for a great birth?
Choose Continuity of Care where women recieve care from a known health practitioners throughout antenatal, birth and postnatal experiences. This can be achieved by receiving care by a Private Midwife - like Meg at Mum, Babe & Meg, or Midwifery Group Practice model of care.
Bookings are now open for 2026 babies and beyond! Check out the services Mum, Babe & Meg offer or book a meet & greet (free, non-obligation meeting) to discuss if Private Midwifery care is right for you.Consider building a birth plan (I’ve linked some helpful resources below!)
Book - Beyond the Birth Plan
Podcast episode - How to curate a great birth, Great Birth Rebellion Episode 154
The Birth Map - online board game
BRAIN tool to support decision making and develop personal values, beliefs and preferences
Whether you the reader are currently pregnant, reflecting on a previous birth experience or preparing for birth, birth is deeply personal and women should be supported to journey through birth in a unique and individualised manner tailored to their values, beliefs and preferences, and making a birth plan be be a great exercise or tool to prepare you for this.
If you are planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant and looking for your own Private Midwife, reach out. I’d love to chat and explore how I can support you.
All my midwifery love,
Meg