Sample Birth Plan: Birth Plan Example for a Natural Birth

If you are planning for a natural birth in a hospital, then I know that you will appreciate this sample birth plan!

When we were pregnant with our daughter, I knew that I wanted to have a clearly laid out birth plan of our preferences and requests for our birth experience.

My husband and I had taken classes, read books, watched videos, and did hours of research. We knew exactly what we wanted to avoid in our birth, and what our preferences were.

It was really important to me that even though we were giving birth in a hospital, we really try to stick to our birth plan as much as possible so that our requests could be honored and our baby could be born in the environment that we wanted.

We prepared SO MUCH.

And I’m happy to report that we had a beautiful birth – totally unmedicated and surrounded by supportive hospital staff, which I am aware is not the experience of many women. I’m very thankful that our requests were honored without a fight (and we were prepared to fight but I’m so thankful it didn’t come to that!)

You can click here to read our birth story.

So for my sample birth plan….we wanted an unmedicated, low intervention, natural birth. We wanted to be left alone as much as possible. We wanted no interventions done to the baby besides weighing and measuring her.

I wanted to keep my birth plan to one page so that it would be easy to reference and not overwhelming.

I broke down the birth plan into sections based on stages of labor. Our requests and preferences for first stage, second stage, and after birth care. I also had a section for emergencies.

Here’s what our birth plan looked like:

Birth Plan Example/ Sample Birth Plan

Birth Plan for Victoria and Nathan
We have planned for a completely natural and unmedicated birth through Bradley Classes, exercise,
chiropractic adjustments, and a healthy diet. We are really excited about the birth of our baby and have been
looking forward to this for months – thank you for helping us have the natural birth we desire!
We realize this birth plan is based on a normal labor and birth. Should a complication arise, we appreciate any information regarding our options to help us make an informed decision that may vary from this plan.
Provider: My hospital provider name went here
Coach: Nathan (husband)
Pediatrician: Our pediatrician’s name went here
Support team may include: Jessica (doula), Birth photographer

First Stage
-We prefer a natural and unmedicated birth – if Victoria asks for medication, please encourage her to manage
the pain in other ways! 🙂
-We would love to avoid induced labor, including Pitocin. Natural induction procedures are preferred if
necessary.
-We prefer my water to break on its own.
-Quiet room, calm atmosphere, and positive verbal support are appreciated.
-Access to squat bars, birth ball/peanut ball, are appreciated.
-Please no IV – hep lock preferred if needed.
-Minimal Vaginal Exams
-Minimal Intermittent Fetal Monitoring. No internal fetal monitoring.
-Victoria would like to be able to eat and drink during labor.

Second Stage
-Mother guided pushing.
-Absolutely no episiotomy (Victoria prefers natural tearing).
-We do not consent to the use of forceps or vacuum extraction.
-We would like freedom for Victoria to explore pushing in a variety of positions including hands and knees,
squatting, side, or 45-degree angle.
-Nathan would love to catch the baby.

After Birth
-Natural Delivery of placenta preferred. Please allow time for breastfeeding to aid in delivery.
-Please wait until the cord stops pulsating before clamping.
-Skin to skin immediately with Victoria.
-Uninterrupted first hour after birth
-Please leave Vernix on baby/no bath
-No Heb B shot for baby at the hospital
-No eye ointment
-Oral Vitamin K only (we will provide this)
-No artificial nipples, sugar water, or formula for baby

Emergency C-Section: We would love to avoid a C-Section by any alternative method possible unless
absolutely medically necessary. Nathan must be present in OR. Baby must immediately have skin to skin with
Nathan and as soon as possible with Victoria. If baby needs to leave the room, Nathan must accompany. We
would love to have vaginal seeding done so our baby can receive healthy bacteria from Victoria.

So that was our birth plan! Pretty crunchy right? I love birth plans because they’re so customizable to your individual preferences and requests.

I also loved having our birth plan broken down by stages so that the nurses could easily read what we wanted or didn’t want at every point in our birth. And they did! They actually read our requests to the doctor when she came in during pushing. She was so supportive of my husband catching the baby too. I loved that our requests were made clear from the get-go.

I hope this has been helpful for you! What elements are you going to incorporate into your own birth plan?