A birth plan is a written document that helps you express your wishes for labor and delivery, and it’s a form of two-way communication with your care team. Your birth plan may contain information about who you want present during labor and delivery, pain management preferences, monitoring of the baby and how you plan to feed your baby (breastfeeding or formula). While your birth plan outlines your preferences, it’s important to understand that your care team may need to deviate from the plan to keep the delivery as safe as possible.