Giving Birth: 6 Positive Ways to Prepare for Labour & Delivery
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The anticipation of childbirth indeed brings a mix of many emotions, from joy to apprehension. You are excited to welcome a little one into your life, but at the same time, you need to be careful and plan all necessary steps towards labour and delivery. Although a woman’s body naturally prepares itself for labour and childbirth, hormonal changes can sometimes cause prenatal issues, such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, etc.
Don’t stress! You can embrace this transformative experience confidently by preparing for labour and delivery beforehand. With the right strategies, you can prepare your body and mind to seamlessly tackle labour and delivery, ensuring you give birth to a healthy child without many complications.
Read further to learn some key tips to strengthen your body and calm your mind, ensuring you're ready for labour and childbirth.
6 Tips to Prepare Your Body and Mind for Labour and Delivery
Giving birth to a baby is a challenging job. No matter how strong a woman is, at this stage of life, she goes through not only immense physical but also emotional changes. Labour and delivery usually bring a lot of fear and anxiety and require too much strength and stamina. Preparing your mind and body thoroughly for labour and delivery can make childbirth more manageable and recovery quicker.
Here are six labour and delivery tips you should consider following to prepare your mind and body:
Educate Yourself About Labour and Delivery
Having sufficient knowledge about what to expect during labour and delivery can help put your mind at ease. You might have a lot of questions about childbirth, but not all of them might be answered during the short period of prenatal appointments with your doctor.
Therefore, you should consider registering for labour and childbirth classes at hospitals or birthing centres. Just a couple of months of classes can help you learn about the stages of labour, types of child delivery, pain relief options, and possible complications, empowering you to make informed decisions.
Other than that, you can read the books that are meant for labour and delivery or discuss your birthing plan with your healthcare provider.
Understand Different Labour Positions
Do you know there are multiple types of labour positions which can significantly impact your comfort, how pressure is distributed across the body, and the baby's journey through the birth canal? Certain positions might help relieve pain, reduce stress on specific body parts, and even speed up labour.
Being familiar with and practising the following mentioned labour positions beforehand can help you figure out which position works best for your body during labour:
Upright Positions (Standing, Walking, Leaning) | These positions use gravity to your advantage, elevating back pain and encouraging the baby to move down the birth canal. For instance, standing can help relieve pressure on your lower back, and walking can help stimulate contractions and keep labour progressing. |
Side-Lying | Lying on your side during labour will help reduce strain on your back and pelvis while allowing for rest. |
Squatting | One of the natural ways to prepare for childbirth is squatting, as it can open your pelvis, giving the baby more room to descend. You should particularly squat when in the pushing stage. |
Hands-and-Knees Position | This position can help relieve pressure on your lower back and reposition the baby that might be facing your abdomen. Also, it can reduce perineal tearing and improve oxygen flow to your baby. |
Exercise and Train Regularly for Childbirth
Not many know that pregnancy can be hard on their body, just like any sport, maybe even more. Your body will go through many changes when in labour and delivering the baby. So, you need to train your body for these changes. In addition, when preparing your body for natural childbirth and C-section, you should exercise to increase your strength and stamina.
It’s advisable to seek guidance from a physical therapist on how to prevent injury and pain from the start of your pregnancy and during the postpartum stages. Also, your physical therapist can help you practice getting into positions conducive to labour and learn how to push during delivery.
Apart from that, you should practice the below-listed exercises regularly to tone your muscles and improve strength, stamina, flexibility, and blood circulation:
Prenatal Yoga | Doing prenatal yoga will strengthen your core muscles, enhance flexibility, foster relaxation, and reduce stress hormones. During yoga classes, you will also learn breathing techniques that are useful during contractions. |
Walking | You should go for gentle walks to keep your body active without overstraining. Walking will help boost your endurance, which is vital for prolonged labour. |
Swimming | It’s a good full-body workout and will not be too harsh on your joints. Moreover, swimming will help relieve your back pain and reduce swelling. |
Half Squats and Pelvic Tilts | Doing half squats will open up your pelvis and strengthen leg muscles. Besides this, pelvic tilts will alleviate your lower back pain and prepare your pelvic area for delivery. |
Learn to Manage Stress and Relax
Your body and your mind take a toll during labour and pregnancy. Although expecting a baby is a joyful event, it can also cause uncertainty, fear, and anxiety. Emotional stress can further lead to trouble sleeping, headaches, hormonal changes, and birth complications.
Learning how to manage your stress and relax during labour and delivery can help you be healthier and deliver an emotionally and mentally sound baby. So, how do you deal with stress and relax?
You should get enough sleep, eat healthy, and practice relaxation techniques. Basically, self-care is key to having a stress-free pregnancy and childbirth. Here are some relaxation techniques you can try:
Meditation and visualisation
Yoga
Deep breathing exercises
Progressive muscle relaxation
Optimise Your Nutrition
One of the most crucial and common childbirth preparation tips is to eat healthy meals to ensure the birth of a healthy baby. Your growing baby relies on you for essential nutrients, and your body needs the strength to support labour and delivery. So, to fuel your body internally for labour and childbirth, your meals should have the following:
Carbohydrates | To gain sustained energy for the physical demands of labour and delivery. You can have whole grains, sweet potatoes, and quinoa during pregnancy. |
Protein | Include lean meats, legumes, eggs, and tofu in your meals for muscle development and tissue repair. |
Folate and Iron | Having sufficient folate will prevent neural tube defects, while iron will combat anaemia. Consider consuming green leafy vegetables, beans, and fortified cereals. |
Omega-3 Fatty Acids | Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, will help support your baby’s brain development. |
Seek Emotional Support
Being surrounded by healthy relationships is important, no matter at what stage of life you are, but during pregnancy, it becomes much more important. When expecting, a woman goes through a rollercoaster of emotions. Having the support of your loved ones can significantly help reduce your stress and anxiety related to labour and delivery.
For instance, having your partner by your side when selecting items for your baby’s nursery, participating in labour and childbirth classes, or constructing a crib can make you feel reassured that you aren’t alone in this transformative journey.
Concluding Thoughts
Your journey through pregnancy and the stages of labour and delivery is important, and planning ahead of time by following these labour and delivery tips can make you mentally sound and physically strong for childbirth.
Would you like to join childbirth classes or seek a professional gynaecologist’s guidance for additional tips? If so, visit Medanta today!
FAQs
1. How can I physically prepare my body for labour?
Engage in regular, pregnancy-safe exercises like walking, prenatal yoga, or swimming to strengthen your body and improve stamina.
2. How can I mentally prepare for labour?
Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or visualization to stay calm and manage stress during labour.
3. Is attending childbirth classes necessary?
Childbirth classes provide valuable knowledge about the labour process, pain management, and what to expect, boosting your confidence.
4. How can I manage labour pain effectively?
Learn about pain relief options, including breathing exercises, massage, warm baths, and medical interventions like epidurals.
5. What should I pack in my hospital bag for labour?
Pack essentials like comfortable clothing, toiletries, snacks, important documents, and items for your baby, like clothes and diapers.
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