Free Birth Plan Template

Start your birth plan in the third trimester, around weeks 28 to 32. By that point, you’ll have a clearer idea of your preferences and care options. Creating it early gives you time to review everything with your doctor or midwife and make adjustments if your health or pregnancy needs change later on.

Starting early can ease your stress as the due date approaches and help you feel more confident and prepared for labor.

How to Prepare While Writing It

As you write your birth plan, focus on what feels right for you. Here are a few ways to prepare:

• Talk through your preferences and any exceptions with your doctor or midwife.
• Learn your hospital or birth center’s policies on IVs, mobility, monitoring, and pain relief.
• Tour the facility, if possible, to see what’s available.
• Ask other moms about their experiences to get honest insight.
• Take a prenatal or childbirth class to learn comfort and relaxation techniques.
• Join local or online parenting groups for practical tips and emotional support.

These steps help you create a birth plan that feels realistic and true to your needs. A little preparation now can help you feel more in control when delivery day finally arrives.

Writing your birth plan helps you think through every stage, labor, delivery, and newborn care before you welcome your new child. Use this checklist, based on Legal Templates’ guided form, to put your preferences in one clear place.

1. Write Down Basic Details

• Have you added your name, due date, and doctor or midwife?
• Where do you plan to give birth: at home, in a hospital, or at a birth center?
• Who will support you during labor, and what roles will they have?
• Have you listed any allergies, medications, past surgeries, or family health conditions your care team should know about?

2. Create a Calm Birthing Environment

• What kind of atmosphere makes you feel most relaxed: quiet or music playing?
• Do you prefer dim or natural lighting?
• Would you like to have limited staff in the room?
• What comfort items will you bring, such as a birthing ball, tub, or chair?
• Will you include personal touches like aromatherapy, photos, or blankets?

3. Plan How You’ll Manage Labor

• How would you like to move during labor: walking, sitting, bathing, or lying down?
• Do you want to move freely during contractions?
• Would you like to delay an IV so you can stay mobile?
• What type of monitoring do you prefer: continuous, intermittent, limited, or wireless?
• Would you prefer to have your water break naturally or under medical supervision?
• What kind of pain relief feels right for you: epidural, nitrous gas, IV medications, or natural methods?
• Should pain medication be offered automatically, only if you ask, or only if you appear uncomfortable?
• What are your preferences for induction: natural methods, Pitocin, prostaglandin gel, or membrane stripping?
• Who should make decisions if plans need to change?

4. Decide How You Want to Give Birth

• What type of delivery do you want: vaginal, C-section, VBAC, or water birth?
• Do you prefer coached or self-directed pushing?
• Would you like to feel your baby’s head when crowning?
• Should tools like forceps or a vacuum be used only if needed?
• Would you prefer an episiotomy only when required?
• If a C-section becomes necessary, do you want a second opinion, to stay conscious, or to have it explained as it happens?
• Should your partner be present or hands-free during surgery?
• Who will attend your birth? A midwife, doula, or family doctor?

5. Plan What Happens Right After Birth

• Would you like Pitocin or oxytocin after delivery?
• Do you want your partner to cut the umbilical cord, or do you prefer delayed clamping, banking, or donation?
• What will you do with the placenta: see it, keep it, encapsulate it, discard it, or deliver it yourself?
• Do you want immediate skin-to-skin contact or to wait until after cleaning?
• How would you like to feed your baby: breastfeeding, formula, or both?

6. Decide How You Want Baby Cared For

• Will your baby room with you all the time, during the day only, or on request?
• Should exams be done with you or your partner present?
• Can exams wait until after bonding time?
• Which newborn procedures do you agree to: heel stick, hearing test, or vaccines?
• Are there any items/treatment you’d like to decline: vitamin K, eye ointment, sugar water, pacifiers, or formula?
• Will your baby be circumcised: yes, no, or later?

7. Choose Who Can Visit and When

• When would you like visits: right after birth or after the first feed?
• Who is allowed to visit?
• Would you like private time before guests come in?

8. Have a Backup Plan Ready

• Who should make decisions if labor takes a new direction?
• What would you prefer if your plan needs to change or an emergency C-section is required?
• How much information do you want during emergencies: full updates or minimal detail?

9. Add Final Notes and Reminders

• Do you want photos or videos taken, and who should take them?
• Are there any religious or cultural requests you’d like to include?
• Do you have any special instructions for your care team?

10. Finish and Print Your Birth Plan

• Have you reviewed your plan with your doctor or midwife before your due date?
• Did you finalize and print a copy for your hospital bag?
• Have you saved a digital version or emailed it to your support team?
• Will you review and update it if your preferences change?

A birth plan template helps you think through every detail before labor starts. With your preferences written out, you can focus on the moment instead of making decisions under pressure. A birth plan also helps your care team understand your wishes, creating a calm and supportive environment when your baby arrives.

Every birth plan looks a little different. The examples below show how you can structure your preferences for both a natural home birth and a planned C-section. Use them as a guide to customize your own plan based on your comfort level and care setting.

Natural Birth Plan Template (At Home)

This natural birth plan template helps you organize your preferences for a calm home birth. It uses an example birth plan template format that keeps your choices clear and easy to follow. Each section helps you focus on comfort, flexibility, and support, making your natural childbirth birth plan template both simple and personal.

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Jane Smith
Due date of delivery: July 20, 2025
Doctor’s/main caregiver’s name: Dr. Emma Lewis
Location to give birth: Home
Who I want with me during labor: Partner, midwife, and doula

LABOR

ATMOSPHERE
Soft lighting, calm music, and minimal interruptions

MONITORING THE BABY
Intermittent monitoring with a handheld Doppler

POSITION
Freedom to move and change positions during the first stage of labor

PAIN MANAGEMENT
Breathing, massage, warm bath, and natural comfort techniques

LABOR AUGMENTATION
No medical augmentation; prefer natural progression unless medically necessary

DURING DELIVERY

POSITION
Upright or side-lying, depending on comfort

METHODS
The delivery method I prefer is vaginal, with natural pushing and no medical intervention if possible

EPISIOTOMY
No routine episiotomy; only if absolutely necessary

AFTER DELIVERY

I would like to hold my baby: Immediately after birth

PITOCIN OR OXYTOCIN
I do not want to be given Pitocin or Oxytocin unless medically required

UMBILICAL CORD
Partner to cut cord after delayed clamping

PLACENTA
I would like to see the placenta and keep it for encapsulation

BREASTFEEDING
I would like to breastfeed as soon as possible

BABY’S TREATMENT
I would like my baby to stay in my room at all times
I would like my baby’s medical exam to be done beside me
I would like the following included in my baby’s medical exam: newborn screening, weight, and general checkup
Please do NOT give my baby vitamin K injection or sugar water

CIRCUMCISION
No circumcision

VISITORS
Immediate family only

Other information I would like to include about my birth plan:
Please keep the environment quiet, warm, and supportive. Limit staff changes during labor.

C-Section Birth Plan Template (At Hospital)

This C-section birth plan template guides you through planning your hospital birth step by step. It’s a detailed cesarean section birth plan template that outlines every part of your experience clearly. The format helps you stay organized, informed, and supported throughout your delivery.

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Sarah Johnson
Due date of delivery: September 10, 2025
Doctor’s/main caregiver’s name: Dr. Michael Patel
Location to give birth: City General Hospital
Who I want with me during labor: Partner and nurse support team

LABOR

ATMOSPHERE
Quiet setting with soft background music

MONITORING THE BABY
Continuous monitoring per hospital policy

POSITION
Upright or semi-reclined during pre-op preparation

PAIN MANAGEMENT
Epidural anesthesia as recommended by the anesthesiologist

LABOR AUGMENTATION
N/A (planned C-section)

DURING DELIVERY

POSITION
Supine position with left tilt for comfort and safety

METHODS
The delivery method I prefer is a scheduled C-section

EPISIOTOMY
N/A

C-SECTION
Partner present during procedure
I want the drape lowered slightly when the baby is delivered
Request for immediate skin-to-skin contact in the operating room if possible
Prefer a clear explanation during each stage of the procedure

AFTER DELIVERY

I would like to hold my baby: As soon as safely possible

PITOCIN OR OXYTOCIN
I agree to be given Pitocin or Oxytocin after birth to reduce bleeding

UMBILICAL CORD
Delayed cord clamping for one minute if safe

PLACENTA
Hospital to dispose of placenta

BREASTFEEDING
I would like to breastfeed in the recovery room

BABY’S TREATMENT
I would like my baby to stay in my room after the initial recovery
I would like my baby’s medical exam done with my partner present
I would like the following included in my baby’s medical exam: APGAR, weight, and vital checks
Please do NOT give my baby sugar water or pacifiers

CIRCUMCISION
Yes, if the baby is male

VISITORS
Immediate family after recovery

Other information I would like to include about my birth plan:
Please allow quiet time in recovery for bonding. Keep communication clear and reassuring during the procedure.

Birth plan samples can show you exactly what a complete plan looks like. Take a look at the one below to see how it’s structured and what details to include. When you’re ready, download an editable birth plan template for free as a PDF or Word file to fill out and share with your doctor or midwife.