From dimmed lights and battery-operated candles to carefully selected music playlists, more parents are personalizing the birth experience, and health care providers say that's a trend they are happy to support.
"The change that we're really seeing is that patients really want choice," said Dr. Matthew Wells, an OB-GYN and medical director for women's health at Intermountain Health.
Birth plans have become increasingly common as expecting parents think through what they want their labor and delivery experience to look like. Wells said most plans serve as a guide and a conversation starter between patients and their care team.
"Coming in with an ideal plan, but then being able to adjust accordingly," Wells said.
While birth plans can be highly detailed, Wells said they rarely create conflicts in the delivery room.
"Ninety-nine percent of the time it's a discussion," he said. "That 1% of the time where it's a true emergency, that's what's nice about being in the hospital and being able to say we need to go for an emergency C-section."
For Wells, some of the most memorable deliveries have included creative requests from parents.
"One of my favorite births that I was able to attend that they had that birth plan was they brought in non-flame candles from Amazon," he said. "They turned down all the lights. They had music going. It really set the ambiance and mood so that when employees walked in, they knew, 'Hey, this is the vibe of the room.'"
Music preferences can vary widely.
"I've listened to Bad Bunny during deliveries and I've listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Quran prayer," Wells said.
But Wells emphasized that a birth plan does not have to be elaborate.
"Even just saying you want a healthy baby, that is a birth plan," he said. "Saying, 'I'm OK with every intervention,' that's a birth plan."
Intermountain Health encourages expecting parents to discuss their preferences with their doctor or certified nurse midwife before delivery. Birth plans can cover everything from pain management options and labor positions to who is present during delivery and the atmosphere in the room.
Parents interested in creating a birth plan can find guides here.
