birth preparationThe process of labor and delivery can be very intimidating for many women and in the rush to get things prepared for the baby’s arrival; mothers often forget to prepare themselves. Many parents think the only thing they need to do prepare for birth is to put together a birth plan. However, there are plenty of other things that you can do to help ease your mind about the process or improve your labor and delivery experience. Read on for our tips to help you with your birth preparation.

Education

It ‘s hard to prepare for something if you don’t know anything about it; therefore, one of the most important parts of birth preparation is educating yourself on what is going to take place during your labor and delivery.  Attending a childbirth class with your partner is a wonderful way to get up to speed on the birthing process and get answers to common questions such as, “when is it time to go to the hospital?” If you are in the DC metro area, check out the courses offered by STORK Childbirth Education. It is also worth your time to learn several tricks for managing the pain of labor. While there are no tricks to eliminate the pains of labor entirely, there are plenty that may help you manage it. Finally, we recommend you discuss with your doctor the different tools and techniques that will be used in labor and delivery to monitor the baby and help them arrive into the world. Seeing the tools and knowing the techniques takes a lot of the mystery out of them and will allow you to be at ease if they need to be used during delivery.

Activities

Being active ahead of labor and delivery can be very helpful to you in your birth preparation. Be sure to talk to your doctor before embarking on any new exercise routines or activities, so they can provide you guidance and limitations that will ensure you and baby remain healthy.  Going on walks and sitting in certain positions puts gravity to work for you to help your child settle into proper position for delivery. Another great activity to help with your birth preparation is prenatal yoga. Yoga is great for toning your body, developing higher levels of focus, and promoting a peaceful state of mind, all of which are useful during labor and delivery.

Support system

Every pregnant mother needs a support system in place for their labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery. You need to take the time to figure out who you want with you in the room during labor and childbirth as well as figuring out when you will be informing the family about the birth. You may want to consider hiring a doula to help you through your birthing process. Contact HHLB for more information on our doula services. If you have pets or older children, it will be crucial for you to find someone to care for them while you are in the hospital. You will also need to make sure that you have transportation waiting for you once you are discharged.