How to prepare for Labor & Delivery
- Mama Meg
- Jul 30, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 27
Top recs from your new mom friend 🫶
Oh baby! You're getting close! It's exciting and no doubt a little scary. Just breathe. Remember to keep focusing on the good things and trust your medical team and most importantly, yourself. You were literally born to do this and your body knows what to do, even if you don't. You're gonna be amazing. And your baby will be in your arms so very soon!
During pregnancy, highly recommend pelvic floor PT!
I did NOT do this the first time around but went after baby #2 and #3 during recovery (which I also highly recommend) One of my best friends did this through her first pregnancy and her delivery was QUICK, PAIN FREE and SMOOTH. You never know exactly why something happens but I have to guess this helped her in some way. I think she did 5-6 sessions before baby arrived and most importantly did the at home exercises they gave her.
Some things to try in those final weeks:
Raspberry leaf tea - there’s no hard evidence that this works but it’s supposed to strengthen your uterus and is said to lead to shorter labors. What's not to like. I figured it couldn’t hurt and drank a big cup every day in my third trimester (I checked with my doctor’s office first!). I added some goji berries and drank it hot. If nothing else, it was helping me hit my obscene daily hydration goal.
Eating dates - I have heard mixed things about this but again felt like it couldn't hurt. I made date bark with peanut butter, dark chocolate and salt and stuck it in the freezer - actively delicious.
Walk/workout as much as you feel comfortable! Labor is physical, this really helps prepare your body. I'm all for rest, too, but staying active while pregnant has also been shown to have great outcomes for baby.
As always, talk to your doctor is this is something that's new to you! And I'm not saying try to run a marathon for the first time while pregnant. Just find a way to move your body, even a little, every day.
Do your kegels! Especially in your third trimester. My midwife told me to start peeing and then hold it for 5 seconds every time I went to the bathroom to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
The more fun advice she had was to have regular sex leading up to delivery! Dead serious, she said this will help stretch the perineum which helps avoid tearing.
Stay well hydrated, especially towards the end when you are getting close to delivery
Yes, you're going to be using the bathroom all the time. Yes, it's annoying. Yes, you still need to drink all the water.
You do not need to buy a fancy water bottle to do this. Any old glass will do. But if you're looking for one that holds a lot, I love my Stanley dupe cup. It has a straw, holds 40 oz and fits in a cupholder. I had a Stanley originally which was fine at first, but once my baby became a toddler I couldn't deal with it getting knocked over and spilled all the time. This one is spillproof.
Start thinking about your birth plan. My OB office reviewed this with me at my 36 week appointment but it’s a good idea to start thinking about how you want things to go!
Think about this as your “wishlist” for labor, knowing things might not go exactly according to plan! But it's important to lay everything out and consider all the options in advance, so you're not having to make decisions in the middle of active labor.
Make any arrangements for while you’re in the hospital - figure out who is looking after your pets and/or other children while you're in the hospital. For a vaginal delivery without complications you can expect a two night stay, but it could end up being longer.
“Run the traps” or think through exactly what you need to do when your labor starts, in what order. I made a note on my phone and shared it with my husband since I didn’t know how much pain I’d be in when we were leaving for the hospital and I didn't want to forget to do anything.
Set the scene for visitors ahead of time. This is also a good time to let grandparents and close relatives know if they need to get any shots prior to meeting baby, and what you and your partner may be thinking in terms of visitors at the hospital/first days home.
Communicating things out clearly and in advance really helps so there are no surprises or hurt feelings
After my labor talk appointment (36 weeks) I sent a long text to both of our immediate families to let them know what my OBGYN was recommending re: flu shot, COVID booster and TDAP. This may be a new muscle for you - just remember that this is YOUR BABY and what you say goes. Anyone who loves you and your growing family should be happy to do anything they can to help keep baby safe and healthy. And if they don't, that's obviously their choice, but IMHO, that means they don't get to breathe on my precious newborn.
If you get any pushback, which I hope you don't, I found this article from John Hopkins Children's Hospital to be really helpful. It clearly lays out the risks and WHY it's so important to take precautions around a newborn. Sometimes people just truly do not know - even if they are parents themselves. Things tend to change in 30 years and guidance for pregnant moms looks different today than it used to. Get your partner involved in this as well - you are a team.
And keep in mind my first pregnancy was during the height of COVID (literally found out I was pregnant March 2020), so that has absolutely shaped how I approach medical/health type stuff. You do you, friend.
Spend some quality time with your partner. We always try to squeeze in one last date night as we approach the due date knowing it'll be a bit until we can do another one! No matter how enormous or uncomfortable I felt on these nights, we always took a picture just to document and for all three babies, those were the last pictures I had of the bump before baby arrived!
___
Your friendly reminder that this blog is not medical advice! This blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if they seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment for you or your family.
Affiliate Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will be compensated if you click through and take action. These are all items that I purchased with my own money, or was gifted from my registry, so please know I am only recommending things I truly use.