Simple Things You Can Do to Prepare Your Body for Labor & Birth

Carrying a baby and bringing a small bundle of joy to life is already an exciting and apprehensive thing for parents-to-be. However, it is the future mother who has to get physically and mentally ready to bring a new life without tension and as smoothly as possible. Every single labour and birth is different, no matter how many stories you’ve heard. Also, as you cannot utterly compare your pregnancy with other people, you can individually prepare your body fully in order to have an easy, stress-free, and safe delivery.

What’s great about that preparation is that you only need to do these following things.

Stay in constant motion during pregnancy

No matter how difficult it may get in the last trimester, if you strive to effective and care-free natural labour you must get moving. This doesn’t necessarily mean doing some excessive exercises, simple brisk or fast-paced walk around the neighbourhood will do the trick. Aim to go for a walk on a daily basis, and on the days you don’t feel like going out try doing some chores like vacuuming or dusting (without climbing on a chair of course). Staying in regular physical activity has numerous benefits to pregnancy, but above all, it has great benefits to delivery itself.

…and after the labour

Even if it doesn’t have a direct correlation to the preparation, if you keep up with constant physical activity after the labour you will recuperate much faster. Each and every mother desires to restore her old “self” and body. Therefore, as it is vital to be active for the preparation of the labour, it is equally crucial to tighten up your body after you have given birth. Besides finding supplements to help you tighten up, keeping up with regular physical activity will undoubtedly help.

Boost your pelvic floor strength

You want to be more agile, flexible, and above all strong enough to succumb through long (you’ve heard it) and demanding labour. One of the simplest pieces of advice is to start squatting and doing Kegels. Squats represent a prefect, multi-purpose exercise that can stretch and strengthen your pelvic floor like any other exercise. Pelvic floor muscles should be flexible and align so you would have a smooth delivery. Implement daily squat exercise by doing slow squatting movements in 3 series per 10 reps.

Avoid sitting too long

It can be a real burden to stand or walk for too long, but similarly, it can be counter-productive to sit long in the last trimester. Sitting too much, especially in bad form and posture, can have very negative consequences on labour and birth. Minimize sitting in a flat and hard chair, and opt for a cushioned sofa instead. Lean back and if you can place a pillow under your back. This simple thing may enhance your alignment and flexibility for upcoming childbirth.

Get some “heads-up”

Staying open-minded, resourceful, and even alert is the best way to know what awaits you. This means getting educated about labour and birth beforehand and getting mentally ready for what awaits you. Avoid asking your friends, acquaintances, or colleagues for their experience and advice as you may freak out. Get some direct and factual information about the basic labour process from a nurse or a certified childbirth educator.

Go for a prenatal massage

Nothing can soothe your body and calmly and easily prepare you for the labour as a prenatal massage. Most mothers-to-be get tensed and stressed out of the whole delivery process that they subconsciously make their pelvic muscles to tense up in defence. This later results in long and difficult labour. To avoid that, go to a licensed prenatal massage therapist who can relieve you from stress, relax your whole body and muscles, and prepare you mentally for the labour.

Stay fit, go for long walks, incorporate a healthy and nutritious diet, drink plenty of water, and stay mindful. Labour and birth is a natural activity that results in giving the best and most cherished presents that exist – the gift of life.