Sample Natural Birth Plans (Free Printable Fill in Template)

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As you approach the big day when you’ll welcome your new baby into the world, creating a birth plan can help communicate your preferences and expectations. If you’re leaning towards a natural, unmedicated birth, this guide and the accompanying free template will empower you to outline your ideal birth experience.

Having a written plan of your birthing preferences is a good idea, as during labor and delivery you want to focus your energy elsewhere rather than explaining your delivery preferences or advocating for the natural birth that you’ve been planning. It can also be helpful for your birth partner to have everything written down clearly in one place.

Considering Your Birth Environment

One of the most important things to decide is where you feel most comfortable giving birth.

Whether it’s the familiar surroundings of a home birth, the specialized facilities of a birthing center, or the medical atmosphere of a hospital room, the location can significantly influence your delivery experience. Each setting offers different options and comes with its own set of considerations for natural childbirth.

If you want to give birth in a midwife led birth center or at home, then consider the type of resources you’d like to have available. Is it super important to you to have a birth pool available for a water birth for example, or would you like access to a birthing stool or squat bar? You can also get these ready at home if you’re planning a home birth.

home birth in the birthing pool with birth partner

The hospital delivery room or operating room is not the only available location for your baby’s birth and knowing ahead of time what’s available in your area can be really helpful. Don’t forget to consider the distance from your home, if you are going for a birthing center – and factor in traffic, because you never know!

For my babies, we used a few different facilities, up to half an hour’s drive away from where we were living at those times but I wouldn’t want to risk picking anywhere further than this. If you have given birth before, and had short labors then this point is even more important. None of my babies came super quick.

When considering the environment, this is where you can also plan atmospheric birthing options you would like, like putting together your birth playlist with relaxing music, planning to diffuse scents or essential oils that help you calm, and all that good stuff.

We’ve also put together some natural birth affirmations which can be really helpful to keep your mind in the right space during labor.

Defining Your Support Team

Your birth team is pivotal. This group might include a healthcare provider like a midwife or doula, trusted hospital staff, and loved ones including your partner or best friend. Identifying who you want by your side, such as a birth partner or support person, is crucial.

They can assist with breathing techniques, provide emotional encouragement, and help maintain a calm environment. Discuss with them your vision and make sure they are prepared to advocate for your wishes.

If it’s not your first time, then plan ahead the childcare support for your older children. Even if you’re having a home birth, you may want someone on hand to tend to your child’s needs while you’re in labor for example. This could be a friend, and auntie, whoever is in your village that would be best for this role.

Medical Interventions and Monitoring

Clear communication with your health care provider about your preferences for medical interventions is essential. This includes decisions on:

Pain Management: While natural childbirth often avoids heavy pain medication like epidurals, consider what natural pain relief methods you are open to, such as hydrotherapy, massage, or the use of a birthing ball.
Vaginal Exams: Specify how frequently you are comfortable with exams, as keeping them to a minimum can reduce stress and intervention. You do not need to have regular dilation checks via vaginal exam if you are not comfortable with that.
Fetal Monitoring: Discuss the available options for monitoring your baby’s health during labor, and whether it’s necessary to have continuous or intermittent monitoring. This can make a big difference to your birth experience, because if you go for a medical birth and your health care team requests continual monitoring of the baby then you won’t have free movement and being stuck on the bed on your back is one of the worst positions for giving birth. So, where there is no actual reason for your baby to be continually monitored, you don’t have to go for that.

During and After Delivery

The moments during and immediately after delivery are transformative. Here are key aspects to consider:

Delivery of the Placenta: Decide if you prefer a natural delivery of the placenta or the use of medication to expedite the process. You have the right to decline that injection and let the placenta pass naturally, while you enjoy skin to skin with your baby – it is your choice.
Vitamin K Injection: Research and decide if you will consent to your baby receiving a Vitamin K injection, which helps in preventing certain bleeding disorders.
Skin Contact: Immediate skin contact is so beneficial for both mother and baby, promoting bonding and breastfeeding.
Baby’s First Bath: Many parents prefer to delay the first bath to preserve the natural vernix caseosa, which can protect and nourish the baby’s skin. Your baby does not need to be bathed straight away after birth, the fluids on the baby are actually pretty beneficial, so if that’s important to you then include it in your written birth plan to avoid any confusion.

Placenta Care: If you have specific plans for your placenta, such as encapsulation or other cultural practices, include these in your plan.
Delayed Cord Clipping: Many parents choose to delay the clamping of the baby’s umbilical cord to allow extra of the baby’s cord blood to transfer from the placenta to the newborn. This practice can provide the baby with additional iron and nutrients, potentially reducing the risk of anemia.

Preparing for the Unexpected

Despite the best-laid plans, childbirth can take an unexpected turn. Keeping an open mind and preparing for different scenarios, such as the possibility of a cesarean section or other medical needs, is wise. A section in your birth plan for unforeseen circumstances can help your medical team provide the best care in alignment with your wishes as much as possible.

If it looks like you’re going to tear, would you prefer to tear naturally or have the midwife perform a cut (episiotomy)? How do you feel about the use of forceps or vacuum extraction – if it comes to a medical emergency, are these types of assisted birth preferable to you over a c-section? No-one wants to think about these, as it’s not ideal, but give it some thought anyway just so you have your birth options covered for all eventualities and hopefully you get the low-intervention births you’re hoping for, and these plans aren’t needed but personally I would include it on the birth plan anyway – perhaps on a separate page.

Postpartum Care for The Fourth Trimester

The postpartum period, often referred to as the fourth trimester, is a crucial time for both mother and baby. Including a section of your birth plan to address postpartum care can ensure you feel supported and prepared for the challenges and joys of new motherhood.

Physical Recovery: Discuss options for pain relief and healing, such as the use of ice packs, sitz baths, and herbal remedies. Your health care provider can offer guidance based on your medical history and birth experience.
Mental Health: Be proactive about your mental wellbeing by establishing a support system and planning check-ins with your healthcare provider to discuss any feelings of anxiety or postpartum depression.
Breastfeeding Support: If you plan to breastfeed, consider including preferences for lactation consultation and support while in the hospital or birthing center. This can be vital in addressing any early challenges you may face.
Visitors: Specify your wishes regarding visitors in the hospital or at home, ensuring you have time to bond with your baby and recover without feeling overwhelmed.
Baby Care Preferences: Outline your preferences for newborn care, such as feeding, who can handle the baby, and whether you prefer your baby to co-sleep with you.

Including these considerations in your birth plan can help you navigate the postpartum period with more ease and confidence, knowing that your preferences are known and respected.

Creating Your Birth Plan

To help you get started, we’ve created a free digital download: a customizable natural birth plan template. This tool is designed to be a starting point for discussions with your healthcare team and to ensure your preferences are understood and considered.

By thoughtfully considering each part of your birth plan, you can approach labor and delivery with confidence. This plan is not a binding contract but a communication tool—a way to make your preferences clear and to ensure everyone involved is on the same page. As you fill out your template, remember that flexibility is key to handling the natural process of childbirth with grace and strength.

These are the two pages we prepared as a guide, you can use this template, or use this for inspiration and create yours from scratch on a plain piece of paper, or digitally.

Page 1 starts with the essentials, capturing your name, due date, and the birth partners who will join you on this incredible journey. It then delves into your chosen birth environment—be it a serene home setting, a supportive birthing center, or a hospital.

Here, you’ll explain your reasons and motivations, allowing you to reflect on why these choices resonate with your vision of a natural birth.

The page also offers space to detail your preferences for natural pain relief methods, ensuring you have strategies in place to manage labor pain effectively.

Additionally, there are dedicated sections for listing affirmations to keep you inspired and a notes area for any extra details or personalized instructions you want to include.

Page 2 focuses on the practical aspects of your birth experience. It includes sections for discussing your preferences regarding monitoring and medical interventions during labor, helping you specify how hands-on or minimal you wish these procedures to be.

The after-delivery care section follows, where you can outline what happens immediately post-birth, such as skin-to-skin contact, and how you’d like the newborn procedures to be handled.

Lastly, there’s ample space for additional notes and a special segment dedicated to emergency protocols, ensuring everyone is prepared for any unexpected turns during the birthing process.

Together, these pages form a comprehensive and customizable blueprint for your birthing experience, designed to communicate your preferences clearly while empowering you to have the natural birth you envision.

free printable natural birth plan template pages

Download Sample Natural Birth Plan Template PDF

Click below for our free template which you can download and use to navigate the beautiful journey of bringing your baby into the world naturally.

This natural birth plan template serves as a helpful tool for communicating your birth preferences and expectations with your healthcare team, and as a journalling tool to help you get your preferences straight in your own mind too.

By outlining your choices in a clear and organized format, you can ensure that your needs and wishes are respected and followed as closely as possible.

This plan not only empowers you during one of the most significant moments of your life but also helps to foster a calm, positive, and controlled birthing environment, tailored to your personal vision of childbirth.

Remember, the most effective birth plan is one that reflects your values and preferences while allowing flexibility for the safety and health of both mother and baby.