You guys have been all about wanting content regarding all things pregnancy/delivery/baby, so I’m trying to deliver! Today I thought I would share some things I’m doing to prep for labor. Note that absolutely none of this is necessary–its just what I’m doing! And of course, to each their own. Doing all this helps me feel better, feel more prepared and just gives me good feelings overall as we await for his arrival. And isn’t there a saying…happy mama, happy life? Or something like that. 😉
1. Hire a Doula | In case you missed it, I went live with my doula and saved it to my IGTV on my Instagram. There are so many benefits of hiring and having a doula by your side during labor + birth, that I strongly believe everyone should have one. Jen and I have been talking weekly and as the time gets closer, I’m pretty sure we’ll be talking daily. I love having someone that I can just text with all my questions. Even though she isn’t a trained medical professional, she still gives me a ton of peace of mind when it comes to certain things. It also helps that she’s had four of her own babies, ha! Something to think about too is that doctors only come in when its time to push, and nurses have several patients at a time. If you hire and bring a doula with you to wherever you are birthing, they don’t leave your side. They are there to support you, and your husband the entire time. I’m looking forward to making special memories with Jen here in just a few short weeks!
2. Taking Classes | I also recently did a blog post on the classes that we took to help prepare for baby, which you can read here. We are officially all done with them and now that it’s over, regardless of our outcome, I’m super happy we prioritized doing these. I feel really prepared going into the big day and not as nervous as I think I would be if I did nothing. I’m the type of person that likes to be prepared for pretty much as much as possible, so doing these classes make me feel fully equipped for his arrival. We both have at least an idea of things to expect, we know the language, and know techniques that we can practice throughout the process.
3. Perineal Massage | If you don’t know what this is, I’m sorry, but you are on your own with this one. Ha! Seriously–if you are curious and are also clueless, just google it. I started around 34 weeks and am now practicing daily in hopes to prevent tearing. I am personally using Lavender oil and Claraderm spray to do this technique after a shower or bath, and both products are from Young Living. I’ll keep you posted on if I feel like this actually works or not! If you are interested in doing this, speak with your care provider for the best recommended products.
4. Practice, Practice & More Practice | With the type of child birth classes we did (read my post if you missed it!), in order to be successful you really need to put in the effort. I thought this would be easier for me then it actually if I’m being honest. I’m having to set reminders because I’m letting it slip quite often. I’m practicing breathing techniques though, listening to my affirmations daily, and trying to fall asleep to a relaxation recording every night. This is in hopes to make labor go smooth, quick and painless.
If you’ve already given birth or are about to, is there anything in particular you did that help prepare you for the big day? I’d love to hear!
