Preparing a birth plan in Italy can feel confusing, especially if you’re coming from a different system. You might be wondering what’s possible, what’s realistic, and how to communicate your wishes clearly.
A birth plan isn’t about controlling every outcome.
It’s about helping your care team understand what matters to you.
Start with What Matters Most to You
Before writing anything down, take a moment to reflect:
Keep it simple. The clearer you are, the easier it is for others to support you.
Italian hospitals vary widely. Some are more flexible, others more protocol-driven.
In general:
Midwives play a central role during labor
Doctors are more involved if complications arise
Policies may differ from hospital to hospital
This is why it’s important to:
Ask questions during your visits
Understand what is standard in your hospital
Stay open, but informed
Most women have no idea that they have options during birth. Most think that they should just do what the midwife or doctor tells them to do. Often to discover after birth that things could have gone differently if they had known about all their options. I’d be rich for every time I heard a woman say “I wish I had known differently. And these can be small things but also bigger things that went different that mom and dad would have choosen if they would have researched all their options, rights, desires and possibilities.
Keep it short, clear, and easy to read. Begin to write one in your own language and translate this to Italian.
You might include:
Environment
Lighting preferences
Music or quiet
Freedom to move
Labor Preferences
Positions you’d like to use
Use of water, if available
Pain relief preferences
Support
Role of your partner
Presence of a doula (if allowed)
Medical Preferences
Induction
Monitoring
Interventions (with openness if needed)
After Birth
Skin-to-skin contact
Delayed cord clamping
Breastfeeding support
Download the birthplan I’ve used for year with clients just like you. It gives you a good overview and start to make it your own in English and in Italian.
Your birth plan is not a contract. It’s a conversation starter. A simple sentence like this can go a long way:
“These are my preferences, and I’m open to adapting if needed.”
This shows clarity and flexibility at the same time.
A birth plan won’t guarantee a specific outcome.
But it will help you feel more prepared, more confident, and more involved in your experience.
And that changes everything.
Our team is here to help you make an appointment with the specialists that you need: call us or fill the online booking form
