10 Steps to Prepare for Childbirth

Does childbirth require preparation?

Giving birth, whether for the first time or not, is a challenging experience and requires a lot of preparation. Even if the birth was easy, and the baby came out after ten minutes, or on the way to the hospital, it is an experience that has a significant impact both physically and emotionally on the expecting mother. Therefore, it is essential to have sufficient awareness and education about this experience and to prepare for it in the best possible way.

10 Steps to Prepare for Childbirth

1| Choosing health insurance

The type of health insurance and coverage limit significantly impact childbirth, the health of the mother and the fetus, coverage of pain relief methods, and other details. There is a large discrepancy in the prices of births, so it is essential to know about maternity hospitals, doctors, and the practices that will take place during childbirth and see the costs of all the steps. Thus, comparing these prices with the health insurance coverage limits, asking about the details of these potential costs, and discussing them with the insurance company will save you any unexpected financial surprises.

2| Choosing a maternity hospital

Choosing a maternity hospital from the second trimester of pregnancy is essential. Ensure that the maternity hospital provides facilities that make it mother-friendly, child-friendly, or both, whether it has official accreditations or it doesn't. Researching and asking about hospital protocols while preparing for childbirth is important. Check with your gynecologist to ensure that she practices in this hospital. Knowing if the hospital allows a husband or doula to be present during the birth is also important.

3| Make a birth plan

It is one of the most essential steps that reduces the stress of the expecting mother and the possibility of unwanted surprises. The mother usually draws up the birth plan in advance with the doctor, husband, and doula. It summarizes the mother's wishes for the day of birth, and she sets them up after educating and familiarizing herself with the details of labor and delivery. The expecting mother usually writes her wishes to protect her and her baby's health in this plan. And to make sure that she will be comfortable during labor and delivery. It lists whether the mother wants to use an epidural, for example, whether she wants to breastfeed the baby immediately after birth, the number of companions in the delivery room, and other details that ensure the mother's comfort on this big day.

4| Choose the type of birth

There are several options for giving birth. Familiarizing yourself with each of them in detail and choosing the most suitable type is essential. For example, you may want to give birth to your child at home in the presence of a midwife, with the least possible medical interventions if your situation allows. You may want to have a water birth, which has become available in many maternity hospitals because of its many benefits, especially for the mother. You may be confused between vaginal delivery or c-section, so you should discuss the matter carefully with your doctor and know the pros and cons of each option. Suppose you choose to give birth in a hospital. In that case, you have the option to have a natural, physiological birth without medical interventions, and you must know your rights in the delivery room well to be well mentally prepared for this experience.

5| Learn about pain relief options

Childbirth may be of mild pain, may end quickly within minutes or short hours, may last long hours, and the pain may be severe, making the birth experience an emotional and psychological trauma that affects the mother for a long time. Therefore, the mom-to-be should know that she has many options for natural and medicinal labor pain relief, from which she can choose what suits her.

6| Shopping for essentials

There are many essentials for the mother and the child that must be placed in the hospital bag, and there are also some items for the mother during  postpartum that make this stage considerably easier for her, in addition to many newborn essentials. All these supplies are best purchased online at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy. Because there are many of them, searching for them in the markets will be tiring during pregnancy, so online Shopping is considered the ideal.

7| Preparing the hospital bag

Preparing the hospital bag is one of the most critical steps in preparing for childbirth, and it is a step that gives the mother joy and enthusiasm. It is a ritual of preparation and celebration of this beautiful event. The hospital bag checklist includes items for the mother, the newborn, and sometimes for the father. The contents of the hospital bag in the winter also differ from the maternity items in the summer due to the difference in weather, which adds to the list some warm clothes and blankets. There are also different things about preparing a C-section bag as well.

8| Mental preparedness

The experience of childbirth may be a source of anxiety and stress for many mothers. After all, it is an experience associated with pain, suffering, crying, and screaming, as seen in television dramas. Therefore, negative feelings about childbirth may cause a condition known as Tokophobia or fear of childbirth. This fear can be overcome by obtaining emotional and psychological support from those around you. And through education and obtaining correct medical information about the different stages of labor, what happens at each stage, and how to prepare for it. This is done through prenatal classes that provide sufficient information about childbirth. It has been shown that knowing the signs of labor significantly reduces the pregnant woman's stress and fear of labor and childbirth. Many pregnant women also resort to pregnancy and childbirth forums to obtain support and awareness through groups that include mothers who share the same experience and the same feelings.

9| Choosing a birth companion

The birth companion can be any person close to the mother she chooses; she knows this person will provide the support she will need during childbirth. The companion may be the husband, the midwife she just met when she came to the hospital, the doula who accompanied her throughout the pregnancy, or the mother, Or a close friend. It is worth noting that during the journey of educating the mother to prepare for childbirth, the potential birth companion must be a part of this education to provide the necessary support during the birth. During prenatal classes, the husband will learn about methods to help his wife during childbirth, including breathing, massage, and relaxation exercises.

10| Exercising for an easier birth

Your body will be working hard during childbirth, especially the muscles of your lower back, lower abdomen, vagina, and pelvic floor, so exercising helps you build endurance and helps those muscles, preparing your body for an easier and perhaps faster birth. Many exercises, such as walking, swimming, and weight training, are helpful during pregnancy, but some exercises specifically help during labor and childbirth pain, such as walking, squats, and stretching exercises. And exercises in which a birth ball is used, which helps relieve pain and facilitate childbirth. Also, Yoga prepares the body for childbirth by training the pregnant woman in different yoga positions during pregnancy so that she becomes physically prepared for labor and birth.

Yoga also trains the mind to become more receptive to everything that may happen during labor and birth. Also, gently massaging the perineum, or the tissues surrounding the back of the vagina, helps it expand more easily during childbirth and can avoid having an episiotomy.

Summary,

Dear mommy-to-be, enjoy the beautiful pregnancy journey, and do not worry or fear childbirth. All you must do is take advantage of the months leading up to this important day to prepare physically and emotionally and buy everything you and your child need. Don't forget to take maternity courses to obtain sound information from doctors and experts.