How to Create a Birth Plan That Supports Informed, Calm Decision- Making
- petrinolyndsey
- Jan 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 17
If you’re planning a hospital birth, you’ve likely encountered a wide range of birth plan templates — some extremely detailed, others reduced to checkboxes that don’t leave much room for nuance.
Over time, I’ve found that the most helpful approach is not starting with a fill-in-the-blank form, but with a thoughtful framework that helps you understand why certain preferences exist in the first place.
That’s why I share the same birth plan template I use with my own clients at LlaMamma Mothercare, supporting families as a birth doula in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
Start With Understanding, Not Just Checkboxes
The birth plan template I use with clients is designed to walk you through:
How you communicate best
What helps you feel emotionally safe
Common hospital procedures and decision points
Preferences around labor, birth, and newborn care
Where flexibility may be needed
Rather than asking you to “pick answers,” it encourages reflection, conversation, and informed choice.
Adapting the Template for Your Own Birth
You’re welcome to use this template in a way that works for you.
Some people:
Highlight or edit sections that resonate
Remove parts that don’t apply
Condense it into a one-page summary
Use it as a conversation guide with their provider or partner
There is no one “right” way to use a birth plan. The goal is for it to reflect your values, communication style, and priorities — not perfection.
Why Informed Decision-Making Reduces Tension in Labor
One of the biggest benefits of creating a birth plan thoughtfully is that it supports informed decision-making.
When you understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of common interventions ahead of time, conversations during labor often feel calmer and more collaborative — even when plans change.
Many people find that when they are informed and prepared, tension in the room is reduced. Instead of feeling rushed or surprised, they are able to ask clear questions and stay involved in decisions about their care.
How a Doula Can Support the Birth Planning Process
Working through a birth plan with a doula can add depth and clarity to this process. I like to think of doula's as the bridge between a left and right brain or doctor and patient.
A doula can help you:
Talk through options without fear-based framing
Understand which preferences are most important to you
Translate your wishes into hospital-friendly language
Prepare for flexibility if circumstances change
The goal isn’t to avoid all interventions — it’s to understand them well enough that you can participate in decisions with confidence.
For many people, birth planning is not only about preferences — it’s also about creating emotional and physical safety.
Trauma, Informed Care, and Creating Safety in Birth
Many people enter pregnancy and birth carrying previous experiences that shape how safe or unsafe they feel in medical settings. These experiences may come from past births, medical procedures, loss, abuse, or moments where their voice wasn’t heard.
Trauma-informed care recognizes that safety is not assumed — it is created.
A thoughtful birth plan can also function as a safety plan, helping your care team understand not only what you prefer, but what helps you feel grounded, respected, and supported.
This can include naming:
What helps you feel safe (quiet, clear explanations, asking permission, having support people present)
What makes you feel unsafe (being rushed, loud voices, procedures without explanation, frequent interruptions)
How you prefer information to be shared during stressful moments
Even simple statements like these can make a meaningful difference in how care is experienced:
“Please explain what you’re doing before touching me,”
“I need time to process decisions,”
“Being spoken to calmly helps me stay regulated,”
Creating a safety plan doesn’t mean something bad will happen — it means you are honoring your nervous system and communicating proactively.
When care teams understand what supports your sense of safety, interactions tend to feel more collaborative, and decision-making often becomes calmer and more connected
After That: Turning Your Priorities Into a Fillable Summary
Once you’ve worked through the full birth plan template, some people find it helpful to transfer their priorities into a fillable summary.
This shorter version can be useful for:
Uploading to a patient portal
Printing for your hospital bag
Sharing quickly with nurses or providers
It’s meant to complement — not replace — the original template by turning reflection into a concise, readable snapshot.
Below are the same tools I use with my Llamamma Mothercare clients in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR. You’re welcome to adapt them for your own planning.
You deserve to feel informed, supported, and respected — whatever direction your birth takes.
Want Support Creating Your Birth Plan?
If you’re pregnant and planning a hospital birth in Vancouver, Washington or Portland, Oregon, and want support navigating birth planning, decision-making, or hospital systems, I’d love to connect.
You deserve to feel informed, supported, and respected — whatever direction your birth takes.
At Llamamma Mothercare, I support families with:
Birth plan education and preparation
Informed decision-making support
Hospital birth advocacy
Calm, grounded labor support
Nervous system regulation for a smoother birthing experience
Trauma informed care
Postpartum recovery
Llamamma Mothercare provides birth doula and birth planning support for families in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR, and surrounding communities.