A birth plan isn’t about predicting every moment of labour or creating a rigid checklist. It’s a way to express what feels important, what helps you feel safe, and how you’d love to be supported on the day you meet your baby.
At Elle TENS, we often see how a thoughtful plan brings clarity and confidence. When you understand your options and communicate what matters, your birth experience can feel much more grounded, even if things change along the way.
Start With What Helps You Feel Safe and Supported
Before you think about positions or pain relief, pause and reflect on what makes you feel calm. The emotional tone of your birth matters just as much as the practical pieces.
You might reflect on things like:
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Do I prefer a quiet or low-stimulation space?
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How involved do I want my partner or birth team to be?
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Do I feel most supported when things are explained clearly?
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Do I tend to relax more with privacy, familiarity or reassurance?
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What helps me feel grounded when I’m under pressure?
These reflections create the foundation for everything else in your plan.
Think About the Space You’ll Be Labouring In
Your birth environment has a direct influence on your ability to stay calm and focused. Small details can make a big difference in how safe your body feels.
You may want to include things like:
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Soft or dimmed lighting
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Keeping noise low or choosing calming music
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Avoiding unnecessary interruptions
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Staying free to move around the room
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Access to the shower or bath
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Having your Elle TENS ready early in labour
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Being surrounded by people who support your choices
This part of your plan helps your care team understand what kind of space helps you labour best.
Consider the Tools That Bring You Comfort
Comfort in labour looks different for everyone. Some women love movement, others rely on breathwork, and many find an Elle TENS helps them stay centred from the very beginning.
You might include comfort measures such as:
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Slow, steady breathing
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Upright or forward-leaning positions
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Birth ball or leaning over furniture
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Warm packs
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Water therapy
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Your Elle TENS machine
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Massage or counter-pressure
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Calming affirmations or soft music
Writing this down helps your team support you with the tools you value most.
Explore Your Preferences Around Pain Relief
Your approach to pain relief doesn’t need to be fixed. Many women prefer to start naturally and adjust as labour evolves.
You may like to express that you:
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Plan to begin with natural support techniques
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Would like to use your Elle TENS from early labour
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Prefer medical pain relief to be offered only if you ask
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Are open to gas and air
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Would consider an epidural if needed later on
A birth plan simply communicates your current intentions, knowing flexibility is important.
Think About How You Like Information and Decisions to Be Shared
Every woman deserves to feel involved in decisions about her body. Communicating how you like information delivered can make a huge difference to your sense of confidence.
You might include preferences such as:
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Clear explanations before any procedure
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Being asked for verbal consent before touching or examinations
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Intermittent monitoring if it’s safe
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Freedom to move while monitored
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Keeping examinations to a minimum
This helps your birth team understand how to support your autonomy and comfort.
Imagine the Moments When Your Baby Is About to Arrive
Thinking about the final stage of labour can help you feel more prepared and connected to your choices.
You may want to note:
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Positions you’d like to try during pushing
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Preferring to follow your body’s natural urge to push
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Keeping the room calm during the birth
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Using warm compresses
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Who will announce the baby’s sex
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Whether you’d like to catch your baby or have your partner do so
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Delayed cord clamping
These moments are personal - your plan helps honour that.
Consider the First Hour After Birth
The time immediately after birth is tender, intimate and important. Including your wishes helps create a peaceful transition.
You may like to include:
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Immediate skin-to-skin contact
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Delaying checks or weighing
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Partner involvement
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Your preferences around placenta delivery
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Feeding intentions
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Keeping the room low-stimulation and calm
Your care team will support these preferences wherever possible.
Keep Your Plan Simple, Clear and Easy to Read
Your birth plan is there to help guide your support team, not overwhelm them. A gentle, concise document is often the most effective.
Think about using:
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One page
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Bullet points
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Short, clear statements
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Warm, respectful language
Your plan should feel calming and supportive, just like the birth you’re preparing for.
Birth is Fluid — Your Plan Helps You Stay Centred
Birth unfolds in its own way, and that’s part of its beauty. A birth plan isn’t about controlling the experience; it’s about creating a foundation that reflects what helps you feel safe, respected and confident.
With thoughtful preparation, trusted tools like your Elle TENS, and a team who understands your values, you can create a birth experience that truly feels like your own — grounded, supported and guided by your intuition.
