A birth plan is much more than a piece of paper you hand to your care provider. A birth plan is a process you go through to prepare for the birth experience you want. This process will lay the foundation for you to be prepared for the scenario in which everything goes as intended and for what should happen if things do not go as planned. While parents write a birth plan and go into labor with the best intentions, birth plans are not always successful. Having your requests not fulfilled or having a birth not go as planned can leave you disappointed in your experience and feeling like you failed. This episode examines the top reasons birth plans fail and how to avoid those mistakes to create the birth experience you want. Thank you to our sponsors 10% off 8 Sheep Organics https://pregnancypodcast.com/8sheep/ with the promo code PREGNANCYPODCAST. The True Belly Serum from 8 Sheep is specially formulated with clinically proven ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin to effectively prevent stretch marks. You can try it risk-free for 3 months. If you feel the serum has not worked for you, or if you’re not 100% happy with your purchase, simply send them an email and they will get you a refund within a day, no questions asked! Ibotta is a free app that gives you the most cash back every time you shop on hundreds of items from groceries to beauty supplies to toys. Join the over 50 million users and earn cash back every time you shop from over 2,700 brands and retailers, including all your favorite grocery stores, Lowes, Macy’s, Sephora, Best Buy and more! Right now, Ibotta is offering Pregnancy Podcast listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code PREGNANCYPODCAST when you register. Just go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app to start earning cash back and use code PREGNANCYPODCAST. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE AG1 travel packs with your first purchase. https://drinkAG1.com/pregnancypodcast Each serving of AG1 delivers your daily dose of vitamins, minerals, pre- and probiotics, and more. It’s a powerful, healthy habit that’s also powerfully simple. (As a friendly reminder, pregnant or nursing women should seek professional medical advice before taking this or any other dietary supplement.) Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode. https://pregnancypodcast.com/whybirthplansfail/ Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more. https://pregnancypodcast.com/premium Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners. https://pregnancypodcast.com/week For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website. https://pregnancypodcast.com