Free Birth Plan Template: Complete Guide & Customizable Downloads

A birth plan is your roadmap for labor and delivery, communicating your preferences to your healthcare team. This comprehensive guide provides free, customizable templates for every birth scenario—hospital, home, or cesarean—plus expert tips on creating a birth plan that truly serves you.

What Is a Birth Plan Template?

A birth plan template is a structured document that helps you organize and communicate your preferences for labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. Think of it as a conversation starter with your healthcare team rather than a rigid set of demands. A good template prompts you to consider aspects of birth you might not have thought about and provides a framework for documenting your wishes.

Birth plan templates come in various formats—from simple checklists to detailed narratives—and can be customized for different birth settings and scenarios. The best template is one that's comprehensive enough to cover important decisions but concise enough that busy healthcare providers will actually read it.

Using a template offers several advantages:

• Ensures you consider all aspects of birth: Templates prompt you to think through decisions you might not have considered
• Organizes your thoughts: Structures your preferences in a logical, easy-to-follow format
• Saves time: Provides a foundation so you don't start from scratch
• Facilitates communication: Gives you a clear document to discuss with providers and share with your birth team
• Reduces stress: Knowing your preferences are documented helps you feel prepared

Types of Birth Plan Templates

Different birth settings and scenarios call for different types of birth plans. Here are the main categories:

Hospital Birth Plan Template

Hospital birth plans are the most common type and typically the most detailed, as hospitals have specific policies and offer various intervention options.

Key sections to include:

• Atmosphere and environment: Lighting preferences, music, who you want present, photography/video wishes
• Labor preferences: Freedom to move and change positions, access to showers/tubs, eating and drinking, intermittent vs. continuous fetal monitoring
• Pain management: Natural methods you want to try first, openness to medications, epidural preferences and timing
• Labor interventions: Preferences regarding IV fluids, cervical checks, artificial rupture of membranes, labor augmentation (Pitocin)
• Delivery preferences: Pushing positions, perineal support vs. episiotomy, who announces baby's sex, umbilical cord cutting preferences
• Immediate newborn care: Delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin contact, when baby is weighed and measured, vitamin K and eye ointment preferences
• Feeding: Breastfeeding intentions, formula preferences, lactation support requests
• Postpartum: Rooming-in vs. nursery, circumcision decisions, length of stay preferences
• C-section preferences: What you'd like if cesarean becomes necessary (covered in backup plan section)

Hospital birth plans should acknowledge flexibility. Phrase preferences as "I would prefer..." or "I'd like to avoid... unless medically necessary" rather than absolute demands. This collaborative tone helps build a positive relationship with your care team.

Home Birth Plan Template

Home birth plans focus less on avoiding interventions (since you're already choosing minimal intervention) and more on your specific vision for the birth and circumstances under which you'd transfer to a hospital.

Key sections to include:

• Birth team: Your midwife, doula, birth assistants, and support people present
• Birth environment: Location in your home, setup preferences, atmosphere (lighting, music, aromatherapy)
• Labor support: Comfort measures you want available (birth pool, birth stool, specific positions)
• Water birth preferences: If planning water birth, specific wishes for laboring and/or birthing in water
• Monitoring: How often you want fetal heart tones checked, any monitoring preferences
• Third stage management: Physiological vs. active management of placenta delivery
• Newborn care: Immediate skin-to-skin, when and how to perform newborn procedures, lotus birth or immediate cord cutting
• Transfer protocols: Circumstances under which you'd transfer to hospital, which hospital, transportation plans
• Postpartum: When you want visitors, help with household tasks, initial breastfeeding support

Home birth plans often include practical details like where supplies are stored, emergency contact numbers, and specific comfort items you want readily available.

Birth Center Birth Plan Template

Birth center plans typically fall between hospital and home birth plans. Birth centers offer a more home-like environment with medical backup, but you'll want to specify your preferences within their model of care.

Key sections to include:

• Pain management: Natural techniques available at your center (tub, shower, birthing ball, positions)
• Monitoring: Intermittent auscultation preferences
• Birth positions: Where and how you envision giving birth
• Atmosphere: Who's present, environment preferences
• Newborn procedures: Timing and location of measurements, exams, vitamin K
• Transfer plans: Your preferences if hospital transfer becomes necessary
• Length of stay: Whether you want to go home a few hours after birth or stay longer

C-Section Birth Plan Template

If you're having a planned cesarean or want to include preferences in case unplanned cesarean becomes necessary, a c-section-specific birth plan is valuable.

Key sections to include:

• Anesthesia preferences: Spinal vs. epidural, being awake during surgery
• Support person: Who you want present in the operating room
• Atmosphere: Music, explanation of what's happening, screen down to watch birth
• Birth moment: Slow delivery allowing you to watch baby emerge, immediate skin-to-skin if possible
• Newborn care: Where initial care happens, when baby is brought to you
• Skin-to-skin: In operating room vs. recovery, with you vs. partner if you can't
• Breastfeeding: Support with first feeding in recovery
• Recovery preferences: Rooming-in, pain management, mobility encouragement

For comprehensive information on cesarean birth preferences, see our detailed c-section birth plan guide.

VBAC Birth Plan Template

If you're planning a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), your birth plan needs to address both VBAC-specific concerns and preferences if repeat cesarean becomes necessary.

Key sections to include:

• Monitoring requirements: Continuous vs. intermittent fetal monitoring (discuss hospital policy)
• Mobility: Ability to move and change positions despite monitoring
• IV access: Saline lock vs. continuous IV
• Labor augmentation: Your preferences around Pitocin for VBAC
• Pain management: Epidural vs. natural pain relief (epidural doesn't increase c-section risk for VBAC)
• Trial of labor duration: How long you want to attempt VBAC before discussing cesarean
• Repeat c-section preferences: Your wishes if cesarean becomes necessary

Learn more in our complete VBAC birth plan guide.

Essential Sections Every Birth Plan Should Include

Regardless of your birth setting, certain core sections should appear in every birth plan:

1. Introduction and Overview

Start with a brief introduction that sets a collaborative tone:

• Your name and your partner's name
• Your due date and healthcare provider
• A statement acknowledging that these are preferences, not demands
• Expression of trust in your care team
• Request to be informed and included in decision-making

Example: "Thank you for supporting us during this special time. We've created this birth plan to share our preferences, while understanding that flexibility is important. We trust your expertise and appreciate your guidance as we work together toward a safe, positive birth experience."

2. Labor Environment and Support

Describe the atmosphere you want and who you'd like present:

• Support people (partner, doula, family members)
• Lighting preferences (dimmed vs. bright)
• Music or quiet environment
• Photography/videography wishes
• Privacy preferences
• Student participation (teaching hospitals)

3. Pain Management Preferences

Clearly communicate your approach to pain relief:

• Natural methods you want to try (movement, hydrotherapy, breathing, massage)
• Whether you want medication offered or prefer to request it
• Specific medications you're interested in or want to avoid
• Epidural preferences and timing
• Pain management for unexpected situations

For detailed information on all pain relief options, see our complete pain management guide.

4. Labor Interventions

State your preferences for common medical interventions:

• IV: Continuous IV, saline lock, or no IV unless necessary
• Fetal monitoring: Continuous, intermittent, or telemetry
• Vaginal exams: Frequency preferences
• Breaking waters: Preference to let rupture naturally vs. artificial rupture
• Augmentation: Pitocin preferences if labor slows
• Eating and drinking: Freedom to eat/drink vs. ice chips only

5. Delivery Preferences

Detail how you'd like the actual birth to unfold:

• Pushing positions: Freedom to choose vs. specific preferences
• Directed vs. spontaneous pushing: Following body's urges vs. coached pushing
• Perineal support: Warm compresses, massage, hands-off approach
• Episiotomy: Avoid unless emergency
• Assisted delivery: Preferences if forceps or vacuum needed
• Birth moment: Who announces sex, who cuts cord, immediate reactions

6. Immediate Newborn Care

Specify your wishes for your baby's first moments:

• Delayed cord clamping: How long (1-3 minutes typical)
• Skin-to-skin: Immediate and uninterrupted if possible
• Newborn procedures: Timing of weighing, measuring, bathing (delay until after first feeding)
• Eye ointment: Timing preferences (doesn't need to be immediate)
• Vitamin K: Injection vs. oral vs. decline
• Initial exam: On your chest vs. warmer

7. Feeding Plans

Communicate your infant feeding intentions:

• Exclusive breastfeeding, formula feeding, or combination
• Request for lactation consultant support
• No pacifiers or artificial nipples (if breastfeeding)
• No formula supplementation unless medically necessary
• Donor milk preferences if supplementation needed

8. Postpartum Preferences

Include your wishes for recovery period:

• Rooming-in: Baby stays with you vs. nursery visits
• Visitors: Who and when
• Circumcision: Preferences and timing if having a boy
• Hearing screening and other tests: Timing preferences
• Length of stay: Standard vs. early discharge

9. Contingency Plans

Every birth plan should address what happens if things don't go as planned:

• Cesarean preferences: What you'd like if c-section becomes necessary
• NICU admission: Partner staying with baby, pumping support, when you can visit
• Unexpected complications: Request for clear explanation and involvement in decisions
• Stillbirth considerations: Some parents include wishes for this unlikely but devastating scenario

How to Customize Your Birth Plan Template

A template is just a starting point. Here's how to make it truly yours:

Step 1: Start with Research

Before customizing any template:

• Take childbirth education classes to understand your options
• Read about different aspects of labor and delivery
• Tour your birth facility and ask about their policies
• Discuss options with your healthcare provider
• Talk to friends about their birth experiences
• Consider what matters most to you and why

Step 2: Choose the Right Base Template

Select a template that matches your birth setting and scenario. If you're giving birth in a hospital but want minimal intervention, start with a hospital template but emphasize natural preferences. If planning a VBAC, use a VBAC-specific template that addresses unique considerations.

Step 3: Add Your Specific Preferences

Go through each section and customize:

• Be specific: Instead of "I want pain relief options," write "I'd like to try hydrotherapy and massage first, then consider nitrous oxide, with epidural as a backup if labor is prolonged"
• Explain your why: Brief context helps providers understand your priorities. "I'd like delayed cord clamping for optimal iron transfer to baby"
• Use collaborative language: "I prefer..." "I'd appreciate..." "Please help me..." rather than "I demand" or "Do not..."
• Prioritize: Mark your highest priorities so providers know what matters most if compromises are needed

Step 4: Remove What Doesn't Apply

Delete sections and options that aren't relevant to your situation. If you're certain you want an epidural, remove extensive natural pain relief options. If you're having a scheduled c-section, remove vaginal delivery preferences. A shorter, focused birth plan is more likely to be read and followed.

Step 5: Make It Visual and Scannable

Format your birth plan for easy reading:

• Use clear headings and subheadings
• Bullet points instead of long paragraphs
• Bold or highlight your highest priorities
• Keep it to 1-2 pages maximum
• Use readable font size (11-12 point minimum)
• Include white space—don't cram every inch

Step 6: Review with Your Healthcare Provider

Share your draft birth plan at a prenatal appointment around 32-36 weeks:

• Discuss any preferences that might not be possible at your facility
• Ask questions about policies you don't understand
• Get feedback on whether anything is unclear
• Make adjustments based on medical advice
• Ask what happens if your provider isn't the one who delivers your baby

Step 7: Prepare Your Birth Team

Your birth plan only works if your support team knows it well:

• Give your partner/support person a copy to review thoroughly
• Discuss each preference and the reasoning behind it
• Talk through scenarios where you might change your mind
• Clarify your support person's role in advocating for you
• Ensure they can speak to your preferences if you're unable to communicate

If you're working with a doula, they can be invaluable in supporting your birth plan preferences. Learn more in our guide to choosing a birth doula.

Birth Plan Template Examples

Seeing completed examples helps you understand how to customize templates for different scenarios:

Example 1: Natural Hospital Birth Plan

Sample preferences:

• "I plan to have an unmedicated birth and would like to use natural pain relief methods (movement, hydrotherapy, breathing) throughout labor"
• "Please don't offer pain medication—I'll request it if I want it"
• "I'd like freedom to move, change positions, and use the shower/tub during labor"
• "Intermittent fetal monitoring preferred over continuous if baby and I are healthy"
• "I prefer to avoid IV unless medically necessary; saline lock is acceptable"
• "Please allow my labor to start spontaneously; I prefer no induction unless medically indicated"
• "I'd like to follow my body's urges for pushing rather than directed pushing"
• "Please avoid episiotomy unless absolutely necessary for baby's safety"

Example 2: Medicated Hospital Birth Plan

Sample preferences:

• "I plan to request an epidural during active labor, around 4-5 cm dilation"
• "I'd like to try natural comfort measures during early labor at home"
• "Please let me know when it's a good time to receive the epidural based on my labor progress"
• "I prefer a 'walking epidural' with enough medication for pain relief but allowing some movement and sensation"
• "I'd like to continue using position changes even with epidural (peanut ball, side-lying, etc.)"
• "Please help me feel when to push even if I can't feel contractions strongly"
• "I'm open to labor augmentation if my labor stalls after epidural"

Example 3: Planned C-Section Birth Plan

Sample preferences:

• "I'd like my partner present in the operating room"
• "Please explain what's happening during the procedure"
• "I'd like the screen lowered briefly so I can watch my baby being born"
• "Please allow gentle/slow cesarean techniques if possible (gradual delivery, immediate skin-to-skin)"
• "I'd like my baby placed on my chest for skin-to-skin immediately if both baby and I are stable"
• "If I'm unable to hold baby, please allow my partner skin-to-skin in the OR"
• "Please support breastfeeding in recovery room"
• "I'd like to try rooming-in rather than sending baby to nursery"

Example 4: Home Birth Plan

Sample preferences:

• "I plan to labor and deliver in our bedroom with birth pool set up"
• "I'd like to labor in the tub and will decide during labor whether to deliver in water"
• "Support team includes my partner, my mother, and my doula [name]"
• "Please encourage position changes and movement throughout labor"
• "I prefer physiological management of third stage (no Pitocin) unless bleeding is excessive"
• "Delayed cord clamping until cord stops pulsing, then my partner will cut it"
• "Please perform all newborn procedures on my chest—no separation unless medically necessary"
• "Transfer to [Hospital Name] if: significant bleeding, failure to progress after [X] hours, fetal distress, or maternal exhaustion requiring medical pain relief"

Common Birth Plan Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from common pitfalls:

Making It Too Long

A 10-page birth plan won't be read by busy labor and delivery staff. Keep it to 1-2 pages of key preferences. Save detailed information for discussions with your provider, not the birth plan itself.

Using Demanding or Negative Language

Phrases like "Under no circumstances..." or "I absolutely refuse..." create an adversarial tone. Remember, your healthcare team wants you to have a good experience. Collaborative language like "I prefer to avoid... unless medically necessary" works much better.

Being Too Rigid

Labor is unpredictable. Plans that allow no flexibility set you up for disappointment. Include phrases like "I'd like to..." or "My preference is..." and always have a backup plan.

Including Obvious Preferences

Don't waste space stating "I want a healthy baby" or "Please be kind to me." These are universal expectations. Focus on preferences where you actually have choices.

Forgetting to Address Unexpected Scenarios

Many birth plans only cover the ideal scenario. Include a section about your preferences if cesarean becomes necessary, if your baby needs NICU care, or if complications arise.

Not Discussing It with Your Provider

Surprising your care team with a birth plan when you arrive in labor is a mistake. Discuss it in advance so you can address any conflicts between your preferences and hospital policies.

Making It About What You Don't Want

Focus on what you DO want rather than creating a long list of refusals. Positive framing is more effective and creates better energy around your birth.

Not Preparing Your Partner

Your birth plan is useless if your support person hasn't read it and doesn't understand your priorities. Make sure they're thoroughly prepared to advocate for you.

Downloading and Printing Your Birth Plan

Once you've customized your template, here's how to prepare it for use:

File Format Considerations

• PDF: Best for printing and ensuring formatting stays consistent
• Word document: Good for easy editing and last-minute changes
• Google Docs: Allows sharing with your birth team and collaborative editing

How Many Copies to Print

Print multiple copies:

• One for your hospital bag (in a plastic sleeve to protect from water/spills)
• One for your partner to carry
• 3-4 copies to give to hospital staff (for your chart, attending physician, labor nurse, pediatrician)
• One for your doula if you have one
• One backup at home

Printing Tips

• Use high-quality paper that won't smudge
• Print in color if you've used highlighting or color-coding
• Consider laminating one copy for your partner to reference during labor
• Make the font large enough to read easily in dim lighting
• Test print one copy first to check formatting

Digital Backup

In addition to printed copies:

• Save a PDF to your phone for easy access
• Email a copy to yourself and your partner
• Upload to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox)
• Some hospitals allow uploading to your patient portal

When and How to Share Your Birth Plan

Timeline for Sharing

• 32-36 weeks: Discuss draft with your healthcare provider
• 36-38 weeks: Finalize based on provider feedback
• By 38 weeks: Add to hospital bag and ensure birth team has copies
• When admitted to hospital: Give copy to admitting nurse for your chart
• During labor: Verbally review key preferences with each shift change

How to Present Your Birth Plan

When you arrive at your birth location:

• Give a copy to your admitting nurse right away
• Briefly highlight your top 3-4 priorities verbally
• Ask that it be placed in your chart
• Thank your care team for reviewing it
• Emphasize that you're flexible and trust their expertise
• Ask if there are any preferences that might not be possible

Handling Shift Changes

Labor nurses typically work 12-hour shifts, so you may have multiple nurses:

• Give each new nurse a fresh copy of your birth plan
• Have your partner briefly review top priorities with new staff
• Don't assume information was passed along—restate key preferences
• Build rapport with each new team member

Using Our Interactive Birth Plan Generator

While templates are helpful, our interactive birth plan generator takes customization to the next level:

• Guided questions: Walk through every decision with helpful explanations
• Automatic formatting: Creates a clean, professional document
• Save and edit: Return to make changes as your preferences evolve
• Multiple scenarios: Easily create separate plans for vaginal birth and cesarean backup
• Provider-friendly format: Organized for quick scanning by busy medical staff
• Printable PDF: Download and print whenever you're ready
• Mobile-friendly: Access on any device

Birth Plan Template FAQ Section

Quick answers to common questions:

Do hospitals require birth plans?

No, birth plans are optional. However, they're welcomed by most facilities as they help your care team understand your preferences and personalize your care.

What if my doctor doesn't support birth plans?

If your provider is dismissive of birth plans, this may be a sign of philosophical differences. Consider whether this is the right provider for you. Most modern practitioners appreciate informed patients who want to participate in decision-making.

Can I change my birth plan during labor?

Absolutely! Labor often unfolds differently than expected. You can change your mind about any preference at any time. Your birth plan is a guide, not a contract.

What if my birth plan conflicts with hospital policy?

Discuss this with your provider in advance. Some policies have flexibility, others don't. You may be able to sign waivers for certain things, or you might need to adjust your plan or consider a different birth location.

Should my partner have input on the birth plan?

Your partner should definitely be involved in creating the birth plan since they'll likely be your primary support person. However, ultimately the laboring person's preferences take priority for their own body and medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

A birth plan template is an invaluable tool for organizing your thoughts, communicating your preferences, and feeling prepared for labor and delivery. The best template is one that's comprehensive enough to cover important decisions but concise enough to actually be read and followed by your care team.

Remember that a birth plan is a conversation starter, not a guarantee. Labor is unpredictable, and flexibility is essential. Your plan should reflect your preferences while acknowledging that the ultimate goal is a healthy baby and mother, however that's achieved.

Take time to research your options, customize a template that fits your birth setting and values, discuss it with your provider well before your due date, and prepare your birth team to advocate for your preferences. Most importantly, approach your birth plan with an open mind and trust in your ability to make good decisions in the moment.

Whether you choose a simple checklist or a detailed narrative, the process of creating a birth plan helps you feel informed, empowered, and ready for one of life's most transformative experiences.