Preparing for Birth

Child Birth is an amazing experience for parents, it is the time where you finally get to meet your new baby. It is also a time when you are not sure what to expect and can be quite scary. When thinking about your labour consider the subjects below, the more chance you and your partner have to make decisions on how you would like the labour to go the less stressful and calm experience you should have.

Pelvic Floor Muscles

Your pelvic floor muscles help to hold your womb, bladder and bowel in place and to control the muscles that close the vagina, urethra and anus. When these muscles are weakened, due to pregnancy and child birth, they cannot do their job effectively. This can lead to leaking small amounts of urine while coughing, laughing or sneezing.

Pelvic floor exercises will strengthen these muscles so that they don’t get weakened during pregnancy or child birth, preventing stress incontinence.

Imagine that you are trying to stop your urine mid stream, pulling up and in, you must do this without holding your breath or tightening your buttocks or stomach.

You can do these exercises anywhere, hold each squeeze as long as possible and then push out and try again. Try and do this as many times a day as you can, remember not to hold your breath.

Once you have given birth make sure you start to do your pelvic floor muscles straight away to get them back to normal.

Ante Natal Classes

It is a good idea to book child birth classes well in advance as they can get full. These classes are always great as you will learn all about labour, breast feeding, etc. They are also a great way to make friends with people that are expecting babies at the same time as yourself.

Birth Partner

Who will be there to support you through the pregnancy and birth? Not everyone has a father present and it is a good idea to get someone who will be there to support you through pregnancy, labour and the early weeks of your new baby’s arrival.

Birth Plan

A birth plan is a note of how you would like your birth to go. It is a good idea to note down what pain relief you are happy to receive, how you would like to deliver your baby, what you would like to happen when your baby is born, if you are planning to breast or bottle feed, if you have any dietary requirements, etc

Labour can be a time when you may not be able to communicate exactly what you want, if it is written down people will know and be able to help. Make sure that you run through your birth plan with your birth partner so that they can help to make sure that you get what you need.

An Example Birth Plan would be:

Birth Plan of: Jane Flemming

Due Date: 1/1/07

Midwife: Violet Wright

Overview - I have created the following birth plan to help the medical staff understand how I would like my labour to proceed and my feelings and preferences for my labour and birth. I understand that in certain circumstances my plan below may not be followed but I would ask you to consult me or my birth partner before any changes are made.

Labour

I wish that my birth partner is present at all times during labour and childbirth

I wish to be able to move around during my labour

I am happy to have fetal monitoring at certain intervals during the labor

I do not want any other pain relief offered to me apart from Gas and Air unless requested

If it is determined that I should have a ceasarean delivery then I wish to have an epidural for anesthesia

Delivery

I would like a mirror to be able to see my baby’s head when it crowns

I would like to be able to stand up and squat when I get the urge to push, supported by my birth partner

Unless completely necessary I do not want any intervention with getting my baby out

I would like my baby laid on my chest immediately after delivery

After Delivery

I would like myself or my birth partner to cut the cord

I would like my baby to be examined in my or my birth partner’s presence

If my baby has to be taken away I would like my birth partner to stay with my baby at all times

Breastfeeding

I wish to feed my baby as soon as possible after birth

I wish to exclusively breastfeed my baby

Extras

I would like my birth partner to video record the delivery

If possible I would like a private room after the birth

I am a vegan

Your Hospital Bag

See Seperate Article

Hospital Route & Phone Numbers

It is a good idea to have a route of how to get to the hospital mapped out well in advance. Always make sure you know an alternative route in case there is a traffic jam or roadworks. In the last few weeks ask your birth partner to be contactable at all times and ask them to write down all contact numbers so that you can keep them to hand in case you go into labour. It is also a good idea to keep the local taxi firm’s number with you in case your birth partner is delayed.

 

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