Meghan Markle went into labor this morning and she just delivered a healthy 7 pounds 3 ounces baby boy with the help of a team that planned the birth experience she wanted.But you don’t have to be royalty to have a personalized, special birth experience.
The teams at AdventHealth maternity care are ready to help you customize your birth. That could include pain relief options like an epidural, concierge services like massage and tweaks to set the mood, like music.
The goal is to create a plan that matches your desires and gives you peace of mind to enjoy your special day in body, mind and spirit. It not only empowers moms, but leads to the healthiest birth outcomes for them and their babies.
Birth Plan Options
Because you have to know your options before you can choose among them, the first step is to get educated. You’ll learn what your choices will mean for you, your baby and the experience.
Taking comprehensive childbirth classes is the best way to cover everything from the third trimester to newborn care. That includes details about the different options for pain relief through labor and childbirth.
Ask your doctor or nurse about the classes available in your area.
Making a Birth Plan
Once you’ve done research and thought about what you want, it’s time to put it in writing. That’s the best way to ensure that you and your care team are on the same page.
The plan will walk you through the major elements of labor and delivery, including pain relief.
Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, planned to deliver her child at her new home in Windsor. However, she was a week past due and some British news outlets have reported that she was whisked away on Sunday for a hospital delivery to ensure the safety of both mom and baby.
Princess Diana took a different route, delivering Prince Harry, Markle’s husband, at St Mary's Hospital in 1984.
Whether you want an epidural anesthetic, IV medicine or other pain relief options, writing it down ahead of time will help ensure that your wishes are carried out.
Moms often select comfort measures like aromatherapy, music, a shower and massage as a way to help them relax, which is critical to labor.
You may also have preferences for pushing and delivery, including the position you’ll take and the guidance you’ll receive.
The plan may also include the opportunity to address the following aspects of delivery:
- Circumcision
- Feeding Your Baby
- Monitoring of Contractions And Your Baby’s Heartbeat
- Skin-To-Skin Contact as Soon as Possible
- Your Placenta (Whether You’d Like to Keep It Afterward)
The plan isn’t set in stone; if you change your mind just say so and your team can adjust. Sometimes, your wishes for birth can’t be fulfilled due to the countless other variables at play during your labor.
Your provider is the best person to review your wishes with you and prepare for these possibilities.
Get Birth Plan Help
To learn more about what options are available during your birth experience, click here or find a location near you.
