Birth plan

Regardless whether the maternity where you are going to give birth is public or private, to make sure that everything fits your options make a birth plan in advance, with the following questions about labor, delivery, baby, and the postnatal period:
1. Maternity regulations
*If it is possible to visit the maternity in advance, to see the delivery room and the room where you will be staying before and/or after giving birth
*If hospital/maternity regulations allow that your partner, mother or a close person to be present during labor and at delivery
*If the maternity has facilities for active or water labor: birth ball, trellis, birth chair, labor pool, music
*If the partner is allowed to cut the umbilical cord at birth, should the parents wish so
*If single and/or multiple bed accommodation is available
*If the partner, friends or family can visit without restrictions after birth
*If the maternity has an exclusive contract for the harvesting of stem cells or an advance agreement can be made with any third company, and what the contract terms are
* If the maternity has a partnership/contract and the mother can donate umbilical cord blood to a stem cell bank
2. Labor and birth
*If you will be allowed to walk freely and take different positions during labor
* If you will be allowed to choose in which position you will give birth: on the delivery table, on the delivery chair, reclined on the bed, standing up
3. Labor pain management
*If labor pain is managed by natural methods: massage, warm water tub, shower, TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), music therapy, hypnosis
*What medicines are used to alleviate pain?
*What kind of anesthesia is used during labor or at delivery?
4. Monitoring of the fetus and uterine contractions
*If the fetus and the uterine contractions are permanently or intermittently monitored/recorded during labor and at what time intervals
5. Rupture of membranes
*If the membranes are artificially ruptured during labor and at what dilation
*If the membranes are left intact until full dilation in case they do not rupture spontaneously
6. Episiotomy
*If the midwives perform perineal massage during labor
*If Epi-No may be used during labor
*If episiotomy is routinely performed at the facility and under what kind of anesthesia
*If the consent of the expecting mother is requested before or during childbirth in order to perform an episiotomy if needed
7. Postterm birth
*If labor is artificially induced and at how many weeks after the normal term
*What drugs are used for this purpose
8. Birth by Caesarean section
*What kind of anesthesia is used for a C-section
*At how many hours after the operation is the mother allowed to move
9. Birth practices related to the baby
*If the baby is given to the mother immediately after birth
*If the baby is breastfed immediately after birth or after how much time it is brought for breastfeeding
*If it is possible for the baby to be taken away for a few hours in case the mother is tired after birth and wants to rest
*If the baby is fed formula milk and the baby bottle is used in case the mother has trouble starting lactation
*At how many hours after birth the baby is brought to stay with the mother following an active / epidural / C-section birth
*If the baby may wear clothes provided by the parents while on maternity stay
*If the facility allows bringing an inflatable baby bath
10. Special options
*Spiritual affiliation
*Other options