Tips to Prepare for Birth

Pregnancy and birth can be so hard on your body.  The extra weight of growing a baby can make you feel tired, achy, or in pain, especially in those last few weeks. But, I have found that preparing for a few months leading up to birth can help make the process smoother, easier, and more enjoyable.  Yes, believe it or not, birth can be enjoyable! Anecdotally, and some evidence has suggested that these things may help to prepare your body for optimal fetal positioning of baby and may provide relief for or eliminate the aches and pains that many people get at the end of pregnancy.  Optimal fetal positioning may help you to to have a smoother and easier pregnancy, labor and birth!  Don’t wait until your due date to prepare though, these ideas may help you throughout your whole pregnancy! If nothing else, doing these things over the last few months will keep you occupied while you anxiously wait for your baby to make their grand entrance!

Stay active

You don’t need to keep up a rigorous workout routine, but a daily walk to get your heart pumping will do wonders for your mind, body, and baby!

Stay Well Hydrated!

Even slight dehydration can cause an increase in Braxton Hicks contractions and can make you feel worn down. Make sure you are drinking water, especially if you are feeling crampy and especially if you are out in the heat during summer!

Yoga

Doing a little yoga each day prevented me from having any pregnancy aches and back pain. Stretching and keeping your joints loose can be so helpful! 

• I really like cat cow to stretch and align your body.
• Lizard pose which opens the hips.
• Malasana, a deep squat position which stretches the pelvic region and thighs, and improves balance.
• Butterfly pose, to strengthen pelvic and thigh muscles. 

Squats

Squats are my favorite to prepare for labor.  They can improve posture and assist with the birth process. At the end of pregnancy, these are best to do only when the baby is in the optimal birthing position!

“Make every bite count”

My midwife told me this once, and I often consider this when making food choices.  Choose foods that will give you the biggest bang for your buck nutritionally speaking. What are your foods offering you?  Fruits, green leafy veggies, lean protein, whole grain, and healthy fats for the win!

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care may help to relieve aches and pains, help with nausea, and reduce time of labor and delivery.

Belly Dancing

Belly dancing or making large circles while sitting on a yoga ball can help loosen the pelvis! 

Clean the floor on hands and knees

If baby is not in an optimal position, spending time on your hands and knees may help coax them to flip into a better position. Even if this one doesn’t work, you will still have sparkling clean floors!

Eat Dates

Studies on eating date fruit during pregnancy indicate that it reduces the first stage of labor and also increases cervical dilation on admission at the hospital while in labor!  If you don’t mind the taste, this would be an easy add to your daily routine, but beware that dates contain a lot of sugar.  You can cut them up and add them to yogurt, put them in a smoothie, or just eat them straight for a sweet snack.

Get Rest!

Listen to your body!  Your body will let you know when you can go go go and when you need to slow down.  Rest when your body tells you to rest!  Take an epsom salt bath if you would like.  Lie and sleep on your left side, knees bent, with a pillow between your legs.  Try to refrain from reclining as this sometimes can cause baby to also recline, putting them in a posterior position!  Posterior/sunny side up can be a difficult position during labor. 

What kinds of things did you try to prepare your body during pregnancy?  What kinds of things did you find helpful?