Birth planning. A reality-based script for building confidence

Birth plans are based on the individual needs of the couple as they prepare for labor, birth, and the integration of a new member into the family. In this paper, it is recommended that birth plans be developed with the family in their home around 28 weeks' gestation. The plan is then used to guide the participants in a structured birth rehearsal as a yardstick with which to review the childbearing experience and as a framework to evaluate the care provided.