Natural births can happen at home, at a birthing center, or in a hospital. At the top of your birth plan, state the name of the place where you are planning to deliver. This is especially important if you have a few different options available. Having the contact information for your whole birthing team in one place is helpful on the day. Include your partner, any family or friends that are providing support, your doula if you have one, and your medical team such as your midwife or obstetrician. If there is anyone that you definitely don't want as part of your delivery, it's important to include this too so that your birth team is aware. The best birth plans are those that communicate clearly. Avoid writing long paragraphs and explanations, and don't include any unnecessary details. List your preferences in bullet point format and if you need to add more details for a bullet point, try to keep it to 1 sentence. Birth plans tend to be only 1 page or 2 at the most. This also prevents your birth plan from becoming overly long or wordy. Although it's easy to get caught up in your vision of a perfect birth, try your best to have an open mind towards other options. It's great to know your preferences and to empower yourself, however, some births simply don't go to plan and circumstances can change. Try to write your birth plan with a flexible mindset to avoid any unexpected disappointment. Remember that a healthy mom and baby is the most important part of birth. While it's great that your birth plan is written down and ready for the big day, it's also important to talk your preferences through with your midwife, obstetrician, or other medical professionals before delivery. Go through each point of your birth plan so that you are both on the same page and so you can make sure that your birth plan is suitable for your circumstances. Your healthcare provider will offer feedback and advice about your birth plan. Take their advice and feedback seriously so that your birth plan is the best it can be for your circumstances.
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One-sentence summary -- State where your preferred place of birth is. List the names and contact details of everyone involved in your birth. Write in bullet points to keep your birth plan simple and straightforward. Keep a flexible and open mind with regards to your preferences. Discuss your birth plan with your healthcare provider.

Different people react to miscarriage in different ways, but everyone regardless of the circumstances of the miscarriage needs time to heal. It is important to grieve the loss of your baby as much as you need, as this helps you to accept the loss and begin the healing process. If you are feeling constantly down and can't seem to recover from your miscarriage, it might be a good idea to seek the help of a counselor. They can help you to work through your feelings and allow you to make sense of what you're going through. It is important to find a counselor that you feel comfortable around, so you feel comfortable opening up about your sadness, fear and anxiety. The hormonal changes that take place in the mother's body following a miscarriage can heighten feelings of sadness or anger, which your partner may not be able to fully understand. Therefore, finding a friend, a close relative or even a support group to whom you can express your feelings is very important. This helps to promote healing and prevent depression. However, it's important to be be conscious of the fact that a miscarriage is a distressing experience for both the mother and the partner. Both experience the emotional strain of losing the baby, so don't shut your partner out it is essential that you support each other throughout the grieving process. Also try to keep in mind that both partners may grieve differently. For example, you may cry out loud, while your partner keeps their grief to themselves. This does not mean that their pain is any less real, so try to be understanding. Once you get over the initial physical symptoms of a miscarriage, it's recommended that you work out as much as possible. Any form of exercise is good, as it reduces the levels of androgens (stress hormones) in our body and releases endorphins (happy, relaxing hormones) instead. Start out by going for a daily 20 minute walk to get the blood flowing the fresh air will do you good. After that, you can move on to more strenuous activities, like running, biking or rowing. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy doing anything from dancing to rock climbing to horseback riding. The months following a miscarriage are a difficult time, so it's important to indulge in activities that bring you happiness Doing yoga everyday is highly recommended for women recovering from a miscarriage, as it provides a form of light exercise and helps to calm the mind and relieve tension. Yoga involves a series of breathing exercises, which promote feelings of calmness and relaxation while also delivering more oxygen into the blood stream, relaxing the muscles and helping you to feel better physically. Yoga can be practiced in the comfort of your own home, with the help of a yoga mat and DVD, or you can find out about classes in your local area. For more detailed instruction on how to do specific yoga breathing exercises, see this article. Anti-anxiety and antidepressant drugs are available to help with depression and anxiety if these feelings become overwhelming. These medications work by inhibiting the serotonin receptors that cause more depression and grief. These medicines can take up to 3 weeks before you feel a noticeable difference, but over time they tend to produce good results. Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription. The time it take to returning to work and resume normal, everyday activities following a miscarriage varies from one person to another. Some people will return to work early as a way of dealing with the emotional trauma associated with the loss of their baby. Other people take more time because they don't feel ready to face the real world just yet. How much time you take off after a miscarriage is a completely personal choice, which should be informed by how you feel both mentally and physically. Take as much time as you need there's no need to rush the decision. Following a miscarriage, it is recommended that you plan any future pregnancies with the help of an obstetrician. The obstetrician will advise you on any precautions you can take to avoid future miscarriages this may include instructions to rest enough during pregnancy and follow a balanced diet. He or she may also prescribe you drugs to minimize the chances of miscarrying. This can help you to feel more relaxed and secure during your next pregnancy. For more detailed information on how to prevent a miscarriage, see this article.
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One-sentence summary --
Grieve the loss of your baby. Discuss your feelings with a close friend or family member. Do some light exercise and meditation. Do yoga. Ask your doctor about antidepressant drugs, if necessary. Go back to work when you feel ready. Plan future pregnancies with the help of an obstetrician.