10 Amazing Things To Prepare for labor: Hear it From a midwife

Hello Mama ! I want you to know that you’re in the correct place. ! As a midwife who specializes in labor and delivery, I am aware that there is a LOT of information available on birth preparations. And it can be difficult to process everything and sort out what is genuinely required from what is not.

Are you thinking about giving birth at this stage of your pregnancy? Looking for doable labor preparation strategies to help you feel more assured on the big day? I want to help you prepare for this amazing day by giving you 10 things to prepare for labor and succeed in having a more positive experience.

Let’ s do this mama!

1. Always have a positive outlook

Maintaining a positive outlook I must say is a key factor in preparing for your wonderful Labor Day. Don’t you think your Labor Day should be one of the most exciting days of your life? I think so Mama! Why? Its the earth day of your little star. Here it is ; you have waved the nine months of waiting and now its time to give birth. Without a doubt this day should be something we as women look forward to without thinking the worst.
This advice for preparing for labor looks easy, but it has a powerful impact! It will be preferable if you can maintain a good outlook and a clear vision for your impending birth. A positive attitude always brings better results.

But I have no doubt that the perspective you bring to your birth will affect how you view the experience.
What am I referring to here? , but it can help you deal with it gracefully and with serenity. I want to encourage you not to hold yourself back by thinking the worst. I have met so many mamas who thought the worst and when it was over replied , ” It was not as bad as I thought.”

A good outlook can also influence how you perceive the discomfort of labor. That is indeed one of the main tenets of giving birth.How do think about the discomfort during labor?
We will be more equipped to endure the pain if we alter our perspective on delivery (and the pain in particular), as well as the language we use to describe birth (for example, calling them surges or waves rather than contractions).

On the other hand, there are situations where negative outcome, but the moms who have the positive outlook definitely have a better response. Here are some other things you can do to prevent a negative outlook:

• Believe that you can control how you think about your labor. Remember you are what you think and God has given you the capacity to control everything you think about.
• Listen to inspiring and authentic birth narratives! Maternal Treasures and Mom PodcastThe Mommy Labor Nurse Podcast has already highlighted SO many of them, and The Birth Hour is yet another fantastic resource.
• Use birth affirmations! You should actually pronounce them out to yourself after writing them down and printing them out. You CAN educate your mind to feel optimistic about your impending delivery rather than anxious or concerned. Let’s do it mama!
• Get informed! Before labor begins, it will be simpler to maintain optimism and feel GOOD if there is less of an air of uncertainty. Ask all your burning questions before the day and put your mind at ease
• Talk to God about all you fears and anxieties and rest in Him 1 Peter 5:7.
• The future of your Your mindset can definitely have an impact on how you see your birth. I always go into labor with a positive outlook. Focus on good things that Phillipians 4:8 says  whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

Mama did you know that overthinking can very well make your experience worst. Remember I mentioned above that lots of moms think the worst and when they come out of labor they are surprised at how it turned out. I want you to begin thinking about the worst that could happen and instead think about the best for you and your baby on that day.

One of the things that helped me to stay focus was actually avoiding people, places ,and things that negatively affected my pregnancy for e.g I avoided the people who I knew spoke awful things about everything. I refused to watch a movie depicting a pregnant woman giving birth, because all the movies I have watched gave such a false meaning of birth. You get what I mean right?

Here are some really ” must do” things you can do to prepare and prevent confusion on your Labor Day:

• Perform a dry run of your hospital ride just to become more familiar with where to park, and how to find the labor or maternity unit of your hospital. Find out the ins and outs of the hospital . You have your partner take you. which is even better.
• Install your baby’s car seat at about 36 weeks. You can have it inspected. A car seat safety technician is frequently on call at your town hall or local fire departments on particular days of the month. To find out, visit the website for your town or give them a call.
• Have your hospital bag ready at the door.
• Or keep it in another accessible location! Get this done ahead of time so that it will be incredibly simple to grab when labor starts and won’t add to your mental frustration.
• Arrange for someone to be on stand by for your pending birth to care for other siblings if needed. Early arrangements can save you lots of mental stress and worry. Labor should be calm and relaxing.
• Prepare for someone to look after your pets. While in hospital you will definitely need someone to care for them.
• Create a household checklist for both the kids and the pets. create a little cheat sheet/info guide for them about your house. Include important safety information, details about sleep/nap/eating schedules, foods they like, places to go, etc.

I want to encourage you mama to have your hospital bag ready during the third trimester. This is your last lap so have it readily available just in case you have to make an early trip to the hospital. During the third trimester you might experience ailments that might need medical assistance .e.g. abdominal, pelvic pain, insomnia. Every mama knows that she has to have a hospital bag well equipped for the 2- 4 days journey.

Here are some tips to help you along:

• Separate bags should be packed for the baby, partner, recovery, and labor. The best advise I can give you as a labor and delivery nurse is without a doubt this. By doing this, you can avoid searching through a bag of useless items to find what you need when giving birth.
• ONLY bring in labor-related items, possibly along with your partner’s luggage. Once you’ve settled into your postpartum room, bring the recovery and baby bag in.
• 
  When choosing clothing to bring, keep comfort in mind, and if you intend to nurse, focus on alternatives that are nursing-friendly. This meant plenty of lounge/PJ trousers with wide waistbands for me, plush nursing camis and thin cotton robes. 
• If your hospital does not have birth/breastfeeding accessories, include them in your hospital bag. A smart place to start is with your pump, a birth ball, and a nursing cushion
• 
  Don’t overpack for the infant! Seriously, everything you require will be provided by the hospital. The car seat was practically the only thing you could bring for them, heh. However, most people want to bring a particular clothing for the trip home as well as perhaps a cute swaddle for photos in the hospital.
• 
  On top of the luggage, place a small list of last-minute necessities. It’s possible that items like chargers and your favorite pair of pregnancy leggings won’t be packed until the very last moment. A visible reminder should be placed on your bag to ensure that you don’t forget.

Yes mama I truly believe you should have your birth affirmations recorded in your mind as well as packed in your hospital bag. Do not wait untill your Labor Day is too close to learn your affirmations or write them out. Make a concious decision to find a quiet time each day to think about your positive birth and learn your affirmations. During my labor I remember learning my affirmations to help me out and they certainly did.Here is my birth affirmations link to help you along. Ling @for scriptures you can link at

Having your birthplan flexible can be on of the best things you can do just in case things take a different turn.

Personally, I believe every pregnant mama should have a flexible birth plan. A birth plan is so precious when There is so much value in having your birthplace flexible and ready.the PROCESS of making a birth plan, regardless of whether you have a clear birth vision, aren’t really sure, are scheduled for an induction, or even have a planned C-section.
A decent birth plan template will make you aware of possibilities and choices you might not have been aware of. It will pique people’s interest and knowledge, as well as start to clear up certain birth-related mysteries. It’s a great place to start a discussion and a chat with your provider. Additionally, it’s a fantastic method to make sure that you and your partner or other support person are on the same page.

Having a flexible birth plan still would add value to your wishes granted if things change and you still would feel somewhat empowered. Read more tips and info for getting the most out of you birthplan. Make sure you grab your FREE Maternal Treasures birth plan before you leave. 🤤

I have met many mamas who prefer to hear what their mamas say about childbirth as opposed to taking a childbirth class. I am a serious believer that any new mom should attend a high quality childbirth class before the Labor Day. Why? Because knowledge is power! Pregnant moms have the opportunity to learn about birth in many ways. I suggest our awesome childbirth classes which are virtual and onsite. Both are necessary because different families have different needs.

I have had the unfortunate experience of seeing the fear in the eyes of many women who come to the labor ward in so much fear and anxiety about their labor. It does not have to be that way. Online classes give you the pleasure of having your class in the comfort of your own home. It can be live / virtual, or a class you can do at your own pace. Whereas, onsite is the preference for some persons. Isn’t it wonderful that you have options?

Learn more about my online birth class to help you to birth like a pro today!

Mama do not make the mistake that some moms do, which is assuming that their partners automatically know what to do. Do not take this idea because you might be disappointed . During your childbirth class you and your partner will be taught how to work together during labor.

Here are some things you can do:

• Complete a childbirth class together and put what you’ve learned into practice. I love to see couples working together for the good of themselves and their babies. Childbirth classes can be so much fun when dais involved.
• Create your birth plan as a group and go over it when you’re at full term. This will assist your partner in advocating for your wishes. So this is important. Remember you are also deepening your bond.
• Discuss birth with your veteran parent friends. Request that the birthing partner explain things from their perspective.
• Share labor and delivery content with your partner that you find useful. You can share our content, Maternal Treasures community, Instagram, and Facebook pages, and weekly emails

I know many of you will agree that when things are together and are accounted for, our minds can relaxed. And that is most likely where the nesting instinct comes from! We want to have the impression that everything is completely prepared so that our minds aren’t cluttered with to-do lists.

So, as you prepare for labor and birth, lean into the nesting instinct and get your house completely organized, stocked, and ready to welcome your new baby. So, as you prepare for labor and birth, lean into the nesting instinct and get your house completely organized, stocked, and ready to welcome your new baby. I vividly remember my nesting phases.

They helped me to feel so empowered and in control. Are you wondering what is this nesting phase? When the nesting phase reaches you definitely will know mama. How ? you may ask. Well when it reaches you will suddenly have a burst of energy to clean the entire home with the anticipation that your baby will be there soon

Have you ever heard term: ” If you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” Well this is what could happen if you do not planned practice your your breathing and pain strategies.

It’s all well and good to read about pain coping strategies, breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, and so on, but if you don’t practice them, it can be difficult to apply them when you’re in labor.
I encourage my clients to practice their breathing and relaxation techniques while holding an ice cube! It becomes extremely uncomfortable, requiring you to exert considerable mental effort in order to employ your strategies.
Learn more about Birth Breathing and Relaxation Techniques here

Although many women may experience these changes spontaneously, there are a few things you can do to assist these bodily alterations and stimulate spontaneous labor. This involves consuming dates, drinking red raspberry leaf tea, and taking supplements like primrose oil.
Read More Information: 6 Natural Methods to Start Labor

As your due date approaches, changes inside of your body—oftentimes without your knowledge!—are taking place to aid in the delivery of your baby.
This includes ripening, in which your cervix softens, effacement, in which your cervix thins, and dilation, in which it begins to open up.

Here are some other ways you can prepare your body for labor:

• Build up your muscles for labor and the postpartum period.
  Mamas there is no doubt that staying fit is important. f course, I can’t discuss physical labor preparation without briefly addressing fitness.
• Did you know that prenatal exercise has a ton of birth-related advantages backed by research? My favorite points include the following:
  reduced labor and delivery time According to a 2018 study, pregnant women who exercise will experience labor and delivery that are much shorter than those who don’t.
• 
  Greater likelihood of giving delivery without an epidural (if that’s your desire!) The same study revealed a link between consistent exercise during pregnancy and reduced need for an epidural during birth.
  reduces the incidence of PPD and controls mood swings:
• Exercise causes the release of happy hormones called endorphins.
• Postpartum healing is simpler: Getting a regular exercise  will help you to power up your pelvic floor for a easy birth.
• Encourage the infant into the ideal position
• This is a crucial additional step in preparing your body for labor. Because your chances of inducing spontaneous labor are increased if the baby is lying head-down and facing your back (an OA position). This is due to the fact that the baby’s head will actually assist with the three things I mentioned earlier (ripen, efface, and dilate). Yup! It is real!
• Many gestures and techniques can be used to get the baby’s head down and engaged. Curb walking, The Miles Circuit, and forward-leaning are a few that I always mention to moms.
• Postpartum preparation is also essential
• Load up on healthful, quick-to-heat meals for your freezer. Your postpartum self will appreciate them whether you cook them yourself, ask a loved one to help, or just stock up in the freezer section of the grocery store.
• Purchase personal care items for the newborn. You will need pads for postpartum bleeding, witch hazel pads, and frozen padsicles at the very least.
• assemble breastfeeding necessities as well. Breast pads, nipple cream, and a nursing cushion are good places to start.
• In addition to that nicely organized nursery, have a secure sleeping area prepared for baby in your room. The AAP advises room-sharing for the first 6 to 12 months.

Wow ! we have come to the end of our presentation. I want you to focus on the following as your Labor Day approaches. Fear not! So many moms have been through this; you are not he first and definitely not the last!

In summary:

1. Always have a positive outlook – Because your experience is always better
2. Don’t over think about your labor-Over thinking can take you into deep waters
3. Have that hospital bag ready- You can prepare for this during the third trimester before your due date
4. Make sure you have your birth affirmations handy- Learn some by heart
5. Let your birth plan stay flexible in case things change- You can link here to get it
6. Please take a childbirth class – You can check out our packages here
7. Prepare your partner for supporting you during labor early – Practice at least once per day before the day.
8. Prepare your home for the new family member
9. Practice breathing and pain strategies for more comfort
10. Work on your body and put God first always

I hope you enjoyed and learned something new about this topic Preparing for labor gives you the advantage of going into labor with even more confidence to just focus on helping you and your little star to transition smoothly.Remember God is also available to help you as you go through this season of your life.

Let this list be your guide as you prepare for the journey ahead.

With this list as your guide, you’ll be well on your way to a more confident birth! These actionable tips will get you totally prepared and ready to birth like a pro

Have a tip to add to the list? Let’s keep the conversation about labor prep going in the comments! Also let me know which tip is your favorite. I wish you every success on your journey to being a mom.

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