Preparing For Labour: Childbirth Preparation a detailed guide, comprehensively done on what to and not to do before childbirth
Preparing For Labour: Childbirth Preparation Classes
It is encouraged that you attend prenatal classes e.g. Lamaze class, where you will learn about what happens during labour, how you will feel and what you and your partner can do about it. You will also have a chance to think about the choices you would like to make about your birth and share concerns and experiences with other parents-to-be. Prepare a birth plan with the help of your instructor or your doula.
Labour Support
Support is an important part of a satisfying labour experience. Your partner or chosen labour support person can play an important role in this support. More couples are choosing to have an extra person with them to support them both during labour and birth. This can be a Doula, friend or relative.
Continuous labour support has been associated with
- Reduced need for pain medication
- Fewer cesarean births
- Shorter labours
Preparing your other children
- Visit a home where there is a new baby.
- Show the child his baby pictures and talk about what he was like and how much he’s grown.
- Make changes in sleeping arrangements/child’s schedule well before baby arrives.
- Read books written especially for siblings. This will help with preparing for the baby at home too.
- Help the child to plan or make a gift for the baby.
- Prepare the child for mom’s hospital stay.
Hospital
Decide beforehand what your budget would be, visit different hospitals within your budget range and see what services and the package they offer. Decide if you will use a private doctor, a hospital in-house doctor or a midwife. Your caregiver will ask you to get a pre-admission form for the admitting hospital. The pre-admission information lets the hospital register you as a patient before you arrive in labour. You will be asked whether you prefer a ward bed, semi-private or private room for your postpartum stay.
As you labour draws near, here are a few things that you may notice about Preparing For Labour
- You may lose your mucus plug all at once or slowly before labour begins.
- Sometimes you will not see the mucus plug until labour is well underway.
- Some women notice increased vaginal discharge as labour nears.
- While your labour may start with the breaking of the bag of waters, this is not as common as you might think.
- You may notice that your baby feels like s/he is down lower. This is called dropping or lightening. This may not happen until labour has started.
- Nesting Instinct – The overwhelming urge to get everything clean and ready for the baby.
- Increased Braxton Hicks contractions – Intermittent uterine contractions as the uterus
“tones” itself in preparation for labour, or false labour. - You may have loose stools or diarrhoea.
