Last Updated on November 10, 2023 by Lori Pace
Especially for new parents, the delivery process can be overwhelming and intimidating. Even if you’ve delivered before, you’ll know that it’s difficult to feel fully prepared for the magical, but daunting undertaking. So, How to Prepare for Labour?
So, there are many amazing steps and prep tasks you can implement to make the birth as smooth and painless as possible. Understanding what is waiting in the months ahead, and getting ready to take on each obstacle head-on, will keep your mind at ease.
To get you on the right path to the perfect delivery, here are ten steps that will help prepare you for your labor delivery.
10 Steps of How to Prepare for Labour
1. Take a Childbirth Class
Knowledge is key to feeling comfortable and prepared for your big delivery day. Without some of the basics understood, you can easily feel completely overwhelmed once you’re being wheeled into the delivery room. Childbirth classes will not only prepare you for the big moment, but they will give you useful advice for keeping yourself comfortable and healthy in the months leading up to the birth.
2. Get as Much Rest as Possible
Letting your body make the calls when you’re in the latter stages of pregnancy is essential. If you’re not getting enough rest, negative, unintended health consequences can occur. The more you rest up, the faster and more effectively your baby will develop, and the more easily you’ll be able to digest food for you and your child as well.
3. Keep Your Diet Clean | How to Prepare for Labor
Understanding what types of food are healthy for you during pregnancy is key to developing a healthy baby. Allow yourself cravings from time to time, but otherwise stick with a strict. For example, a clean diet ensures your body is fit to take care of you and your child during these crucial months. As you prepare to perform the actual delivery, your body will appreciate the months of diet preparation you’ve undergone. A solid, healthy pregnancy diet can help you avoid harmful complications during delivery as well.
4. Exercise Lightly When Possible
It’s essential that, while you relax, you do not become too immobile during your pregnancy. Light, pregnancy-friendly exercises will help you stay strong, happy, and healthy during your pregnancy months. Additionally, by staying fit during these crucial months, you’ll have a much easier time getting back to normal after the birth (and this step will help you shed those extra baby pounds as well).
5. Pre-Pack All Your Hospital Bags | How to Prepare for Labour
Nothing can cause panic in the same way as being woefully unprepared can. When you finally start going into labor, you do not want to be bogged down by worries. From not bringing the right clothes to other materials you’ll need for your hospital stay. To avoid this frustrating scenario, be sure to pre-pack the bags you’ll need for your hospital stay a few weeks before you expect to go into labor. By doing so, your big day will become that much more relaxing and will go as smoothly as possible.
6. Know Your Support Systems
Understanding who has your back during the months leading up to your delivery (and during those critical moments of the actual delivery) will help you stay calm and collected. Reach out to friends, family, and medical personnel that will assist you in reaching the finish line. Simply knowing that the support exists will keep you motivated to handle these other important steps on the list as effectively as possible.
7. Read a Book | How to Prepare for Labor
Finding an engaging, insightful book written by someone who’s gone through the birthing process. Or one written by a medical professional specializing in deliveries, can provide a great way to feel prepared for your big day. The abundance of knowledge you stand to gain from reading books will help you in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine. So, be sure to take extra care to complete this crucial step.
8. Stay Positive
Knowing that your birth experience will go smoothly, and trusting in your support systems, will help you keep a positive attitude during these trying months. Remember, the medical world is hyper-advanced when it comes to taking care of you before, during, and after the birthing process, so sit back and keep an easy mind as you prepare for the magical day that you’ll finally meet your child. If you’re a single mother, the valuable stress-management skills you can gain from positive thinking will help you immensely during and after your birth as well.
9. Tour the Facility Before Your Birth if Possible
Once again, feeling pre-prepared for all the overwhelming aspects of the birth before you go into labor is key to a successful, easygoing birth. If you can tour the location where you’ll be having the baby, the process will feel less disorienting and frightful. The extra knowledge and assurance you’ll gain during the tour will prove invaluable as well.
10. Have a Written Birth Plan | How to Prepare for Labour
Finally, writing down all the important details of your birth plan. Not only will this make the process feel less alien and intimidating, but it will give you a go-to tool to help you overcome any confusion surrounding your upcoming birth. Have your doctor help you put this document together, and you’ll be fully set to meet your child in just a few short months.
Your Newest Family Member is Almost Here
Meeting your child is an experience like no other. So, preparation will allow you all the room you need to fully enjoy and embrace this one-of-a-kind experience. Thankfully, these ten steps will be easy to undertake, as you’re almost certain to have plenty of people in your life (or in your doctors’ offices) who’ve gone through the birth process before. Taking advantage of this knowledge, experience, and joy from others around you will ensure you have the perfect day when your delivery day finally arrives.
