5 Things You Should Have On Your Labor Prep List

As you enter the later stages of your pregnancy you might be thinking about prepping for labor and delivery — feeling prepared and knowing what might happen can make you feel more in control & less anxious about the months ahead.

We’re sharing 5 things that should be on your labor prep list, but it’s important not to put too many expectations on your birth experience, as things don’t always go exactly to plan. Listen to your body and talk to your doctors or caregivers about what the best plan is for you as your pregnancy and labor progress. Let’s get into it….

Here are 5 things that you can do to help prep for labor:

1. Exercise — it might ease labor and delivery

Did you know that there are some studies that show that exercise may have a positive impact on labor for some women… One study found that women who exercised regularly during pregnancy had:

• Reduced the risk of gestational diabetes & preeclampsia 

• Lower rates of a c-section birth

• Shorter labor time 

Another study found that women who did aerobic exercise 3 times a week throughout pregnancy at a moderate level had a shorter labor time & faster recovery time after birth.

Whilst there’s no way to guarantee an “easier” delivery (and what would an “easy” delivery look like anyway?!) but an active pregnancy has so many benefits — one of them being potentially improved labor outcomes so we recommend having this one on your labor prep plan!

2. Make a birth plan & advocate for yourself

A birth plan is a checklist that you fill out indicating your wishes for your labor. A birth plan can include things like:

• Where you want to be during labor

• What position you want to give birth in

• What pain relief you do or do not want to use

• Who you want to be with you at childbirth

• Guidelines for medications or interventions you do or do not want to be offered to you

Here’s some advice from Labor & Delivery Nurse Lauren Marino: “Coming to the hospital prepared is always a good idea! … Birth plans should be constructed with knowledge about the interventions you’re planning out as well as considerations for your unique condition in pregnancy/delivery. So it’s a good idea to do some research into what you would like on your birth plan ahead of time and then discuss it at a prenatal appointment with your provider. If you do not want to bring a written out birth plan with you to the hospital, it is still a good idea to take a basic childbirth class to understand what to expect.” Read more: 8 Questions For A Labor & Delivery Nurse: What Every Woman Needs To Know. 

While birth plans serve a key purpose, it’s important to stay flexible with them as things may not always go according to … “the plan”.

3. Research and practice different birth techniques

When it comes to giving birth, the #1 focus is on having a healthy, happy baby. The #2 focus might be trying to stay calm and feel as little pain as possible. Birthing techniques are another critical tool designed to help lessen the fear surrounding childbirth, which can also help you manage pain in the process.

Birthing techniques are different from your birth plan. A birth plan is a general overview of your preferences during labor, birthing techniques, however, are the tools and coping mechanisms you’ll use to manage the mental and physical experiences of labor. Regardless of what happens during labor and delivery, you can turn to those techniques to help you lower stress, keep focused, and manage pain overall. This can be a powerful form of self-love during birth because it’s you giving your mind and body what it needs at that time. That’s why it’s so important that you find a birthing process or method that works best for you. Techniques can and should be practiced during pregnancy — so get these added to your labor prep list!

Birthing techniques include hypnobirthing, aromatherapy, massage, breathing techniques, and focus and distraction.

4. Work your pelvic floor

Simply put: the stronger your pelvic floor muscles are the less damage they are likely to sustain during pregnancy and birth and the faster they will spring back to shape after.

As your pelvic floor muscles stop you from unexpectedly having a pee every time you laugh or sneeze you’ll want them to bounce back as soon as possible after labor. To do your exercises all you need to do is find a quiet couple of minutes two or three times a day and squeeze the muscle you use when you need to pee 30-40 times, holding for 5-10 seconds each time you squeeze. You can do this on the bus, at work, in front of the telly, no one will know. We have a daily exercise for you over in the Baby2Body app!

5. Stay open-minded and flexible

Even with all of these tools in your pocket, one of the most important things you can do as you prep for labor is to stay open-minded and flexible about what your delivery might look like. And that means using your birth plan as a helpful guide rather than a rule book and your birthing tools as support rather than guarantees.

No one can predict what your labor will be like and the things you put in your birth plan may not go as you expect — it’s important to listen to your body and talk to your doctors or caregivers about what the best plan is for you as your labor progresses.

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