Obstetrics - Prenatal care

 

Birth plan

Some childbirth education classes may help you draft a birth plan—a written outline of what you would like to happen during labor and delivery. This plan may include the setting you want to give birth in, the people you want to have with you, and the pain medications you want, if any. It is a good idea to go over this plan with your obstetrician or midwife. She will help you keep the plan realistic in case there is any conflict with hospital or birth center policies. Your obstetrician or midwife also may suggest ways to keep the plan flexible so changes can be made to it based on events that arise during labor and delivery.