Every day we make decisions about all sorts of things, and our decisions are influenced by our preferences. We all have a way in which we’d like something done no matter how big or small. So when it’s one of the BIGGEST events you'll ever experience like birth, having preferences written in advance is a smart idea.
So, what exactly are Birth Preferences?
It’s a document that communicates what you would preferably like to happen during and after your baby’s birth, whether that's in a hospital, a birth centre or at home.
The phrase ‘Birth Plan’ is still widely used, but I prefer the phrase ‘Birth Preferences’ because birth by its very nature is unpredictable, so by using the word ‘plan’ we may be putting ourselves at a disadvantage should the birth not go ‘to plan’.
Your Birth Preferences are a list of things you would ideally like to happen, not a set plan.
All maternity hospitals have their own policies, and they can differ, so do a little research to figure out what you would or wouldn’t like to happen around the time of the birth.
Learn about Kathy's Birth Preference Tips over on HerFamily.ie:Â [Click here to continue reading]
About Kathy:
Kathy has a passion for all things pregnancy, birth and babies! She loves running Bump Baby and Me and working as a Pregnancy & Postnatal Yoga teacher, Infant Massage and GentleBirth Instructor. She is the resident baby blogger for TV3’s Xposé.ie and is currently training as a postnatal Doula.
Kathy lives in Malahide, Co. Dublin with her husband Steve & 2 Bengal cats, Kobi & Nahla and is the proud mummy to a little baby girl called Ayla.