Birth "Plans"
Birth plans used to be all the rage. Writing down detailed notes about what you want and mostly, don't want from your birth experience. When I was a Childbirth Educator (CBE) in a hospital, we felt we were really cutting edge by offering a specific-to-our-hospital birth plan. When most other hospital's classes focused on navigating the system, we were on the forefront of birth education and advocacy. Well, at least that was our intention... What I have learned through almost 25 years of being in the birth world is plan is the wrong word. What would be better is a Birth Guide. Doesn't that feel better just saying the word guide? If you hire an architect to design your new home, the plan they show you better darn well be the house you see at the end of construction or there is going to be a problem! Writing down ideas about how you would like things to be is a great way to communicate with Midwives/OBs/L&D Nurses and a great way to communicate...