Childbirth Preparation: Everything You Need To Know – Parenthood
Preparing for childbirth
Pregnancy involves a profound change in a woman’s life. Having a child means taking on constant challenges and looking at life from another point of view. Already during pregnancy, a woman will experience these transformations which place her baby at the center of her existence.
Indeed, when childbirth approaches, all fears and hopes rise to the surface. This generates a feeling shared between fear, insecurity and joy, which is difficult to define.
The childbirth preparation is fundamental, because it helps women to live this supreme moment without tension, in happiness and harmony.
How does child birth occur ?
Knowing when to give birth is very important for any pregnant woman. If everything goes normally, the woman will feel confident and will be able to maintain a certain calm. She will also know that if something goes wrong, there will be a doctor who will make the right decisions so that her child is born without difficulty.
What is usually called “childbirth” takes place in two stages that doctors and midwives recognize:
- The pre-birth, during which the woman begins to feel contractions, although still small and irregular. The baby, already ready to come out, is placed in the birth canal.
- The actual childbirth, which corresponds to the time of birth. Obstetricians consider childbirth to begin when the cervix is half its normal size. At the same time, it expands to about 3 centimeters. The contractions become rhythmic and occur every 4 or 5 minutes.
Preparing for childbirth, a decisive moment
The woman must arrive at the time of birth with all the energy and serenity possible. A fundamental aspect is to be able to control your own emotions. This way you can really enjoy this special moment.
The preparation for childbirth will be both physical and emotional because the body and the emotions will be subjected to particular and unique pressures.
“A woman who does not control herself emotionally because of anxieties or fears can hinder childbirth and generate stress for her baby”
What to do to have a good preparation for childbirth?
1- Get away from the world
When there is only one month left before the probable date of the baby’s birth, the woman needs to relax. To do this, you have to move away from spaces with crowds, noises that saturate the atmosphere and even – if it is necessary – work. These moments of calm and tranquility are important. Wearing loose, comfortable clothing, taking the time to rest, eat well and sleep as much as the body needs will reduce possible tensions.
It is a good idea to practice meditation techniques that distance all problems and harmonize body and mind.
The woman may experience what is now called “empty nest syndrome”. She will feel the need to clean and tidy up, in other words, to prepare the house, “the nest”, for the baby to come. It is fundamental to control these impulses and to focus on relaxing.
2- Special gymnastics
Some specific physical exercises should be part of the preparation for childbirth. The entire pelvic area will play a very important role, so training it will promote childbirth.
Research prenatal yoga and its many benefits both physically and mentally. Doing this type of exercise will help you control your emotions and build a more intense bond with your baby.
3- What to take to the hospital?
Preparing for childbirth also involves making all arrangements for the care of the baby. Usually, medical centers provide a list of what to take to the hospital for the birth.
Therefore, you should organize in advance a bag with everything the baby will need during his first hours. Thus, when the time comes, tensions will be avoided.
4- Get rid of all doubts
For this, it is advisable to speak with the obstetrician. It is important that during the previous days the pregnant woman has answers to her doubts and seeks advice. Issues such as loss of mucus plug, rupture of the pouch, pre-birth day regimen, techniques to induce labor or the pros and cons of an epidural are important aspects to be aware of in order to be notified and know what to do about it.
Childbirth is the ultimate moment in which life manifests. That’s why you need to be prepared with all the investment and anticipation it deserves.
