This is my favourite phrase when it comes to antenatal prep! It’s true that you can’t choose what happens when your baby arrives, but when you make a birth plan and educate yourself you are taking ownership of your birth and stacking the odds in favour of having an experience that works for you. If you have considered your options then whatever happens on the day you can make informed choices about your and your baby’s care. This not only increases the probability of having the experience you hope for, but also reduces the trauma that can be caused when things don’t go to plan. This applies to postnatal planning too. So don’t let unpredictability deter you from planning for your birth and stacking the odds in your favour.

How can you do this?

• Educate yourself about what happens during birth and what your options are. Lean in to the kind of learner you are: you might prefer to read books, watch videos, go to a class, attend a group like Informed Pregnancy Birth and Beyond, listen to podcasts, but it’s all out there. Learn what you want to do and what you want to avoid. You might surprise yourself!
• Be prepared. Have an idea of what you might need to get the birth you want. This might mean doing hypnobirthing prep, making a choice about where you give birth, or getting hold of some equipment you particularly want to use.
• Get the support you want. This might mean doing some prep with your birth partner, hiring a doula, or making sure you have the right medical support for you.
• Know where to get emergency support if you need it. This might be the consultant midwife or equivalent at your hospital. This is especially important for breastfeeding, because lots of people will give you breastfeeding advice without being qualified to do so, so know where you can access trained supporters, an IBCLC or someone qualified to assess a tongue tie.

Taking responsibility for your own experience and making informed decisions stacks the odds in favour of having a birth experience you are happy with. You’ve got this!

Elizabeth