Seven months into my pregnancy, after much reading and consulting with my doctor, I had a clear idea of how I wanted my delivery to go. It’s the same for most pregnant women. By this time, some have already decided they want a natural, drug-free birth; others sign up for an epidural vaginal birth; or there are women who just want a c-section.

The choice is yours, but it’s important you make it clear to your hospital and medical team or your midwife how you really hope your delivery will go. This is where a birth plan will come in. Trust me, in the throes of labor and delivery you don’t want to be answering too many questions. Your birth plan should be there for everyone’s reference.

A birth plan is a written document that outlines how you want your delivery carried out. From pain-relief methods to delivery positions to the number of support people, your options and preferences should be stated in your birth plan. Your doctor or midwife should be able to help you think of all possible options that you may want included.

You may, for instance, put down that you want your husband with you throughout the delivery. I had this in my own birth plans, along with having my babies on my chest right after delivery so I could make them latch onto my breast as soon as possible. I had also specified no water or any formula feeding for them during our entire hospital stay.

Dr. Patricia Rodriguez, obstetrician gynecologist at Northwest Hospital in Seattle says that about 80 percent of her patients write birth plans. “The process gives them a chance to clarify which aspects of childbirth are important to them, and it helps me better understand my patients,” says Dr. Rodriguez.

A good format for the document would be no longer than one or two pages. You can type it up or hand-write it legibly. Organize your thoughts into a concise bullet-point format.  Start with what’s most important to you.

Now, a birth plan is not going to guarantee a perfect delivery. You should be open to the possibility that on the big day itself, some parts of your plan may be impossible to execute. Labor can be unpredictable. It’s a plan, not a contract. For instance, you can’t get hostile if you are not allowed to hold your baby right away in case there was a complication. You may even have planned for an all-natural, no medication birth, but if your baby was struggling with a chord coil or the heartbeat isn’t normal, doctors may just have to give you a c-section.

A good birth plan shouldn’t just be a list of demands. It should be written with warmth and should have some details to convey who you are. The medical staff who reads such a birth plan will tend to be more sympathetic and undertanding. For instance, you can add such details as “it took us 5 years to get pregnant so use every bit of technology you need to to make sure our baby is born healthy.”

Finally, go over your birth plan with your husband. You are a team. It’s possible your husband way want a very medicated birth but you opt for going all-natural, no meds at all. Negotiate your terms, come up with a compromise and write up a plan that you have mutually agreed on.

Yes, labor can offer surprises and it may not always go exactly as planned. Still, you can always hope for the best. Besides, we make to-do lists to plan a regular day, why not make one for one of the biggest day you have ahead?

Doctors are easing up and letting women in labor have a sip or two.

The standard protocol for years in maternity wards has been no food or water for women in labor. The best thing you can get after hours of panting and sweating trying to get your baby out would be a few ice chips or sucking on wet wash cloths. Well, doctors say the practice may be outdated. Read on and make sure you know what this is all about before you write down your birth plan.

Drinks and food have long been banned during labor to prevent Mendelson’s syndrome. The conditions occur when stomach contents are drawn into the lungs while someone is under general anesthesia. This is a rare occurrence, but when it does happen it can be fatal.

These days, however, general anesthesia is rarely used during birth. Even c-sections are typically done using regional anesthesia. So the practice of fasting during labor has been called into question. A new medical review published last week by the Cochrane Collaboration says the practice is outdated and unnecessary.

Using 11 studies and covering 3,130 women — medical researchers found no benefit to restricting foods and fluids during labor. Their report says, “given these findings, women should be free to eat and drink in labor, or not, as they wish.

The New York Times reports that some hospitals have already eased up on the no eating or drinking rule during labor. They have lifted the ban on drinking fluids while giving birth late last year, since The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued new guidelines.

Still, some doctors are concerned despite the study’s assertion. The Times quotes obstetrician Dr. William Henry Barth, Jr. who says, “the problem is going to be for emergency c-sections, which are rare but not unheard of… there’s just not time in that setting to stop and do regional anesthesia and it can be unpredictable.”

How a certified labor companion help you through child birth.

If you are expecting, there are a few things you want to plan for during your birth. A major consideration for many pregnant women these days is wether or not they will hire a doula to help them through delivery.

I didn’t use one myself, but from what I have read and heard, doulas are a wonderful help especially for first time mothers or those who plan on having a home birth or natural delivery at the hospital. Curious about wether a doula is for you? Read more to find out.

Doula is the Greek term for women’s servant. It may seem like the doula is a recent phenomenon, but for centuries women have been “serving” fellow mothers during childbirth. Certified labor support companions have been proven to make labor and delivery easier, safer and a much more positive, memorable experience.

Many women report needing fewer medical interventions or less complications with the support of a doula. Studies have shown that when a doula assists a mother in labor, cesarean rates decrease by 50 percent, length of labor by 25 percent, the use of oxytocin by 40 percent, epidurals requests by 60 percent, forceps delivery by 40 percent. That’s a lot!

Labor companions achieve this by giving emotional support to women and helping them understand more about the natural birth process. They also use massage or touch therapy to reduce stress and anxiety during labor. When properly executed, massage can stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete natural oxytocin. When oxytocin flows into the bloodstream it promotes uterine contractions and secretes into the brain – inducing drowsiness, higher pain threshold and a sense of well-being. The magic of hormones!

Synthetic oxytocin IV (also known as pitocin) only helps with the contractions, as it does not give women that “natural high” from natural oxytocin. Many women report that oxytocin IV makes contraction more painful and harder to bear .

If you decide to get a doula, you should choose one a few months before the birth. It’s likely you will have to meet a few candidates before the big day, so look around early. Most doulas do not charge for initial consultations. You’re not just looking for qualifications, you have to find someone you trust and who you are comfortable with, so this may take some time.

Questions to ask include:

• What are her qualifications? What training has she had?
• How many years of experience? How many births assisted?
• How much does she charge?
• What is her child birth philosophy?
• Can she give references?
• What happens when she cannot make it to your time of birth?

You should also ask other mothers you know for referrals. And here are some books you might want to pick up:

• Mothering the Mother: How a Doula can help you have a shorter, easier and healthier Birth by Marshall H. Klaus, Phyllis H. Klaus, and John Kennell.
• The Doula Book by Marshall H. Klaus, John Kennell, and Phyllis H. Klaus.
• The Doula Advantage by Rachel Gurevich.

You can contact the Doulas of North America (DONA) or the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) for good leads.