Childbirth Classes and Birth Plans: Preparing Together

A childbirth class and a birth plan are two of the most useful things a couple can do together before labor. The class gives both of you a shared vocabulary and a few skills. The plan gets your partner's preferences on paper, so the care team knows them and you can speak up for them when your partner is busy giving birth.

Both are optional. March of Dimes puts it simply: "You don't have to have a birth plan. But having one is a great idea!" An ob-gyn writing for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that when a partner, friend or family member is the main support person, they can take childbirth classes too. This guide covers how to approach both. It is general information, not medical advice; your partner's obstetric provider is the authority on what is safe and available for your pregnancy.

What a childbirth class can do for both of you

In ACOG's article on preparing for birth without pain medication, the author recommends attending a birthing class to go into labor fully informed. Classes can teach different techniques for coping with pain. The same article says it is also worth learning about pain medication, in case an unexpected situation calls for it, so you can make informed choices if the need arises.

ACOG mentions the Lamaze and Bradley methods as examples of popular programs. It also notes that some classes, such as hypnobirthing, focus on a calm and relaxed birth process, and that your partner can ask their ob-gyn for recommendations.

For partners, a class is a chance to practice your role before you need it. ACOG's patient guide to labor pain relief lists relaxation and breathing techniques taught in childbirth class among the nonmedical ways to ease discomfort. Several items on that list are partner jobs, such as massaging or firmly pressing on the lower back.

Choosing a class

Classes vary, so it helps to ask a few questions before signing up:

• Does it cover the full range of options, including pain medication and cesarean birth, and not just one approach?
• Is the support person expected to attend every session, and does it include practice for partners?
• Does it include what happens after the birth, such as feeding and newborn care, or is that a separate class?
• Is it run by, or connected to, the hospital or birth center where your partner plans to give birth?

ACOG suggests learning about the hospital or birth center itself. Ask what tools it has to support labor, such as birthing balls, stools, or warm baths and showers. Also ask how many people can be with your partner during the birth.

What goes in a birth plan

March of Dimes describes a birth plan as a set of instructions about the baby's birth. It covers things like who your partner wants with them during labor, what they want to do during labor, whether they want medicine for labor pain, and any religious or cultural practices they want after the baby is born.

The March of Dimes birth plan template walks through questions including:

• Who is the primary support person? The template's options include a partner, the baby's father, a family member, a friend, clergy or a doula.
• What kind of support is wanted during labor, such as help with breathing, massage or help moving around?
• Does your partner want to move around, and in what positions?
• What kind of medicine, if any, is wanted for labor pain?
• Should the baby be held skin-to-skin during the first hour after birth?
• Is delayed cord clamping wanted, and who will cut the cord?
• Should the baby stay in the room at all times?
• What are the feeding plans, and is a visit from a lactation consultant wanted?
• Are there traditions to observe, words the care team should avoid, or a preference to limit how many staff come into the room?

On pain relief, ACOG notes there is no need to decide until labor actually starts. It does suggest finding out what types are available at the hospital or birth center and thinking about the options ahead of time. ACOG also says using pain medication does not make labor "less natural" and does not increase the likelihood of a cesarean birth.

Writing it together, and your part in it

March of Dimes suggests filling out the birth plan together with a partner. Then share it with the provider, with the nurses at the hospital or birth center, and with family and other support people, so everyone knows ahead of time.

A few ways to make that conversation work:

1. Let your partner lead. The plan describes their body and their birth, so your job is to ask questions and listen, not to vote.
2. Bring the draft to a prenatal visit. ACOG describes "shared decision making" as the norm in obstetrics: the clinician explains options and tradeoffs, and the patient says what they want and why.
3. Know the plan well. ACOG's article says support people can advocate for the person giving birth and remind staff of their wishes.
4. Settle your own items. If your partner would like you to cut the cord or hold the baby skin-to-skin at some point, talk it through now.

When plans change

ACOG is candid that labor doesn't always follow the plan. The author of its preparation article writes that "childbirth is full of surprises," and that sometimes things can't go as planned, whether that means pain relief your partner hadn't intended to use or a cesarean birth. The same article stresses that even with pain medication or a cesarean, "you still gave birth to your baby."

That puts a quiet responsibility on you. If the plan shifts, help your partner get clear information by asking what is happening, what the options are and whether there is time to decide. Don't let disappointment about the plan turn into pressure on your partner. A good birth plan is a statement of preferences, not a contract.

Questions to settle before the due date

ACOG recommends talking through these with the care team well before the due date:

• When to call the ob-gyn or other obstetric care provider
• How to reach the care team after hours
• Whether to call first or go straight to the hospital
• Any special steps to take if labor seems to have started

The March of Dimes template also suggests calling the facility ahead of time to ask about support-person and visitor policies and the usual time frame for discharge after the birth. ACOG suggests rehearsing the trip to the hospital, allowing for traffic, and packing a bag in advance.

Key takeaways

• Childbirth classes help both partners learn coping techniques, and ACOG encourages support people to attend.
• Choose a class that covers the full range of options, including pain medication and cesarean birth.
• A birth plan records preferences on support, movement, pain relief, newborn care, traditions and communication.
• Fill it out together, let your partner lead, and share it with the provider, the nurses and your support people.
• Expect changes; your role is to help your partner get information and feel supported, not to defend the paper.
• Settle when to call, how to reach the team after hours and the route to the hospital before labor starts.

Sources

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Thinking About Childbirth Without Pain Medication? Here's How to Prepare (last reviewed February 2026)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Medications for Pain Relief During Labor and Delivery (last reviewed October 2024)
• March of Dimes, Your birth plan
• March of Dimes, Make a birth plan (template, PDF)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, An Ob-Gyn's Guide to Standing Up for Yourself During Pregnancy (last reviewed September 2024)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, How to Tell When Labor Begins (last reviewed November 2025)