Pregnancy Childbirth

What Should I Do to Prepare For Pregnancy Childbirth?

• You should try to take a birthing class. Your local hospital probably offers economical classes taught by nurses or birthing instructors. You can also hire a private childbirth educator to come to your home. Some people prefer private classes because they focus on what you want to know. You can also hire a Bradley or Hypnobirthing instructor if you’re aiming for a natural childbirth.
  • A birthing class will teach you about interventions. It will teach you about the benefits and risks of interventions and when you can expect them.
  • A birthing class will show you about comfort measures for childbirth. Your teacher will teach you breathing techniques, massage techniques and different positions for childbirth.
  • A birthing class will teach your birthing coach what to expect from labor and childbirth and how to support you. A good class will also teach your birthing coach comfort measures they can help you with.
• You should decide who you want as a part of your birthing team. Does your partner want to be your primary supporter? What about your mother, sister or a friend? Do you want to hire a doula (professional birthing coach)?
• You should decide who you want as your care provider. Do you want an ob-gyn at a hospital? Do you want a family practice doctor? Do you want a midwife who will attend you at a hospital, birthing center or at home? After you decide what kind of care provider you want, you need to find one that fits your qualifications. Do you want an ob-gyn who is very medical and tends to rely on interventions? Or do you want an ob-gyn who is more natural focused?
• You should decide what kind of pregnancy childbirth of you want. Do you want a home birth, or a water birth? Do you want a natural childbirth, an epidural or a cesarean?
• After you decide who you want at your birth and what kind of birth you want, you should do some research on how to get what you want. If you want a natural childbirth, you should learn all that you can about comfort measures. If you know you want an epidural, you should learn all you can about the risks and side-effects involved.

What About the Baby?

Many women don’t really care about the kind of pregnancy childbirth they have--all they care about is meeting and holding their baby. But the decisions you make during childbirth affect your baby. For example:

• Choosing a narcotic (Demerol, Stadol or Nubain) shot to help with labor may make your baby sleepy after birth. Some sleepy babies have problems transitioning from the womb to the outside. These babies may require assistance from nurses and neonatal doctors after birth.
• If you have a cesarean, you may have difficulty breastfeeding your baby.
• If you have a difficult birth or feel like your birth just happened and you had no control over it, you may have problems bonding with your baby and you will be at a much higher risk for postpartum depression.

What Can I Expect From Childbirth?

No one really knows what to expect--even women that have given birth before. If you’re approaching your due date, you may find your friends, relatives and even strangers telling you horror stories about their birthing experiences. Do not believe them and do not let them tell you their awful stories. Every birth is different and no one can tell you what to expect. Learn all that you can about interventions so you can be a part of the decision-making process if interventions become necessary. But mostly, learn to trust your body, your instincts and your own power.

In Conclusion

The day your baby is born should not be the most horrible day of your life. It should be the best, no matter what happens. Being well supported, making as good decisions as you can about pregnancy childbirth, learning all that you can about the birthing process and trusting in your own power can help you avoid a difficult childbirth.