Preparing for Your Delivery: 5 Must-Do Things
Pregnancy and childbirth are one of the most special times for any woman. As such, being adequately prepared for when you are going to deliver is going to save you a lot of hustle, especially if you are a first-time mother.
This article is meant to be something close to a handbook for mothers, to help them understand how they need to be prepared for childbirth. This is by no means a complete list of what you need to do, but it contains some of the most important things. In our books, these are the must-do things when preparing for your delivery.
- Educate Yourself
The fear of the unknown—especially about what happens during pregnancy and childbirth—is something every woman goes through during pregnancy. However, the more you allow fear to be rooted in you, the more your body produces stress hormones that make the laboring process more painful. Getting the right information by joining an antenatal class for example, will help you understand what to expect throughout the pregnancy period, easing the intensity of pain.
- Exercise Regularly
Throughout your pregnancy and also into your post-pregnancy care, allow your body to be conditioned through consistent activity and exercises. Working out when pregnant helps you become stronger, and gives your body the ability to carry the extra weight as the baby grows in you. Your joints and muscles are therefore pre-conditioned to be ready for the extra load, and your body gets used to the discomfort of pregnancy.
- Avoid Negativity
Being exposed to stories with disastrous endings, graphical images, and discouraging words or statements from people is going to have a negative impact on your subconscious state of mind and health too. Negative thoughts usually make the labor process stressful, and in other cases, can even make the pain more intense. During pregnancy, it is best to detach yourself from things that disturb your spirit. Stand up for yourself and ask a negative person to leave, or learn to walk away from a conversation when the topic of discussion becomes uncomfortable for you. Also, log out of social media whenever you come across scary pregnancy threads.
- Get Sufficient Support
Every woman needs lots of physical and emotional support during pregnancy, and ensuring you have access to this is going to help you have an uneventful delivery. Friends and family are usually the first sources of this support, but you can also opt to employ a Doula. Doulas, or birth companions as they are also called, are trained, non-medical professionals who help women through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding periods. They also make the labor process bearable by being with you and assuring you through the process, providing all the support you need.
- Relax!
Finally, the more calmed down you are, the better you are going to deal with labor and childbirth. You can use techniques like Hypnobirthing to help yourself get relaxed and more in control of your emotions.
