This letter has opened up pandora's box of feelings for Ob/Gyns and patients. It was originally used in 2014, but recently has found itself back in the hands of patients. 🤔 It brings up so many negative emotions for OBs and patients. It highlights the lack of communication, trust, and understanding between doctors, birthing families, community educators, and doulas. It highlights the burnout and frustration we (OBs) feel as we try to combat misinformation, mistrust, and deliver care to our families in a system that also frustrates us! It highlights patient's anxiety and mistrust of medicine and the need for communication between doctors and our birthing families. A birth plan is a form of communication. A birth plan lays out how a person would like their delivery to proceed. I have see birth plans cause harm and I have seen them unfold beautifully. I have learned over the years to use your birth plan as an opportunity for education and communication about BIRTH PREFERENCES. We all know that pregnancy and delivery are unpredictable. We want to hear about your fears, concerns, and desires. We want you to have the delivery you envision with the recognition that sometimes nature takes a left turn ⬅️ and we may need to recalculate. We want open doors of communication. We understand that your birth preferences represent self advocacy and reflect personal/family/cultural values. We hear you. Let's work together. Denying you a "voice" doesn't empower or inspire change in medicine. It doesn't allow us to communicate or create the bond of trust we need for this process. Like you, we want a healthy birther and healthy baby! We do so with the birth preferences that allow us to be partners in this amazing journey. We (OBs) should be your first and loudest advocate! Let's talk about your birth preferences and grow our communication-not shut it down. TY to those who continue to dismantle the bias and patriarchy of <ahem> women's health 😒@ashebirthingservices @drheatherirobundamd #birthplan #birthpreferences #expecting #pregnant #pregnancy #maternity #labor #obgyn #obstetrics #health #healthliteracy #patient #advocacy #birth #dobetter