Muslim Birth Plan UK: Free Template and What to Include

What is a Muslim birth plan?

A Muslim birth plan is an ordinary NHS birth plan with your faith preferences written in: modesty and female staff where possible, time to pray, the adhan after birth, tahneek, what happens to the placenta, and halal food on the ward. A standard template asks about pain relief, positions and feeding, but rarely about any of these, so families often end up explaining them on the day. Writing them down means the midwife on the night shift sees them too.

A birth plan is not a contract. It is a way of telling the people caring for you what you would like if labour goes as expected, so keep it to one page and phrase things as preferences. The template below does that for you.

Why write your faith preferences down

Muslim families give birth in UK maternity units every day, so most of what you want to include will be familiar to staff. The problem is not that requests are unusual, it is that they are easy to forget in the middle of labour, and you may not be the one able to speak. A written plan that sits in your notes does the remembering for you, and gives your labour companion something clear to point to.

For the general side of planning, including the choices every parent is asked about, see our guide to writing a birth plan in the UK.

Your free Muslim birth plan template

Tick the preferences you want, change any wording so it sounds like you, add your details, then download it as a one-page PDF to print or save. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.

What each section covers

Modesty and care. This is where most Muslim parents want something explicit. Asking for female midwives and doctors wherever possible is a common request, and it helps to add that you accept male staff when there is a clinical need, because it cannot always be guaranteed, especially in an emergency. You can also ask for the door to be kept closed during examinations, to wear your own modest clothing, and to be asked before students come into the room.

Faith during labour. Early labour often has long gaps between contractions, and many parents want time to pray or to recite. Noting it in your plan lets staff give you space and keep the room quiet when they can.

Medicines and pain relief. All the usual options are available, from gas and air to an epidural, and the NHS guide to pain relief in labour explains each one. Some medicines contain alcohol or animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin. If that matters to you, ask your midwife or pharmacist whether an alternative is available. Whether a particular medicine is acceptable in your circumstances is a question for your own scholar, and it is easier to ask before labour than during it. Our guide to pain relief in labour covers the options in more detail.

After the birth. Many families arrange for a family member to say the adhan in the baby's ear shortly after birth. Tell your midwife in advance so it fits around the checks your baby needs. If you plan tahneek, talk to your midwife first: the NHS advises that babies need only breast milk or formula for their first six months, so staff will want to know about anything given by mouth. If you would like the placenta, ask your hospital beforehand, because policies on releasing it vary.

Feeding. Say whether you plan to breastfeed or formula feed, and whether you would like to be asked before any formula top-ups. UNICEF UK Baby Friendly standards shape how most maternity units support feeding.

If plans change. A good plan includes what you want if things do not go to plan, such as your companion staying with you for a caesarean and your modesty being protected in theatre.

On the ward. NHS hospitals in England are expected to meet patients' religious and cultural dietary needs under the National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink, but what is available varies. Ask your maternity unit about halal meals, and whether family can bring food in.

What to check with your hospital in advance

A few preferences depend on your hospital, so ask at an antenatal appointment rather than finding out in labour:

• How often female staff are available on the labour ward, and what happens overnight
• Whether halal meals are offered, or whether family can bring food
• Their policy on releasing the placenta
• Whether there is a quiet space for your companion to pray
• How many birth partners you can have with you

How to share your birth plan

Finish your plan in the last weeks of pregnancy and take it to an antenatal appointment, where your midwife can talk it through and add it to your notes. Print two copies: one for your hospital bag and one for your notes. When you arrive in labour, hand a copy to the first midwife you see. The NHS guidance on birth plans covers what midwives usually expect to see, and our hospital bag checklist is a good place to keep a copy in mind.

If you want a fuller plan covering every stage of labour, the Nuhah birth plan builder walks you through it step by step.

Preparing your labour companion

Your companion does not have to be your husband. It can be your mother, sister or a friend, and Tommy's explains who can be a birth partner. Whoever it is, go through the plan together before your due date. Agree the two or three things that matter most to you, such as female staff where possible, the adhan and halal food, and the things you are happy to be flexible about. If you cannot speak for yourself, they can.