Start with what you want

Before looking at hospital policies or packing your bag, take a quiet moment and ask yourself: How do I want to feel during my birth? Calm? Respected? Safe?

Before looking at hospital policies or packing your bag, take a quiet moment and ask yourself: How do I want to feel during my birth? Calm? Respected? Safe?

From there, you can start to think about what matters to you. Do you want the lights dimmed? Are you planning to use water, movement, or breathing techniques? How do you feel about pain relief? Who do you want in the room? These little questions shape a bigger picture.

This isn’t about ticking boxes but it’s about creating a space that feels right for you.

A birth plan isn’t a script – it’s a voice

Think of your birth plan as a conversation starter, not a strict to-do list. It helps your midwives or birth team understand what’s important to you so they can support you better.

Hypnobirthing encourages calm, empowered decision-making. That means you’re not just hoping for a peaceful birth, you’re creating the conditions that support one.

Include things like:

• Environment preferences (lighting, music, quiet voices)
• Comfort measures (breathing, massage, TENS, water)
• Preferences for interventions (delayed cord clamping, natural third stage, etc.)
• How you’d like to be supported emotionally

And remember: plans can adapt and that’s ok. Having one still helps you stay connected to what matters most, you can even have more than one for a couple of different scenarios if you wanted to.

Know your rights and your voice

You always have the right to ask questions and take time with decisions. A great tool we use in Hypnobirthing is the B.R.A.I.N. technique. It helps you make decisions without feeling rushed.

Just ask:

B – What are the benefits?
R – What are the risks?
A – What are the alternatives?
I – What does your intuition say?
N – What if we do nothing or wait?

Even just pausing to go through those steps can give you a deep breath moment when you need one.

Let your partner help advocate too

You don’t have to do all the talking! A well-prepared birth partner can gently step in and ask questions, share your preferences, or even just help you stay centred in the moment.

Practise together beforehand so they feel confident and comfortable in that role because it can really make a difference.

Birth can be calm and empowering

You deserve to feel informed and supported. Your voice matters. Your wishes matter.

And with the right tools like Hypnobirthing techniques, a thoughtful birth plan and supportive communication, you can go into birth feeling calm, connected and in charge.