My personal recommendations for pregnancy and birth preparation. What I have tried and found helpful and what made me believe I was doing my best.
Not perfect, far from perfect!!! Just what I could do at the time, with the resources and knowledge I had.
PLEASE REMEMBER that we are all different and you know best what works for you. Your heart will guide you. Your intuition is strong.
Here you will find some recommendations for physical preparations but most importantly, tips for mental and emotional growth and support during pregnancy and birth.
Why do you need to prepare for pregnancy and birth? A lot of people say that nothing can really prepare you. To some extent, I agree. You will probably have a taste of the unexpected, maybe even a scare, emotional and physical turmoil of all sorts. But there is a lot you can do to be a better version of yourself. And when you are calm, determined, aware, you are in control even if things get out of control. Do you want that?
Get this free cheat sheet to help you with planning and preparation during pregnancy and labor.
Staying active
Maternity yoga, Pilates, workout
Here are just some of the benefits of staying active during pregnancy:
- improves your physical fitness
- helps with some common pregnancy discomforts
- improves posture
- builds stamina
- helps you adapt easier as you go through changes during pregnancy and beyond
- relieves stress and reduces the risk of depression
- boosts your energy
- better sleep
- helps you gain healthy weight
- reduces the risk of gestational diabetes
- helps you prepare for delivery
- help your baby develop an early interest in movement (read this article if you want to learn more)
- other benefits for the baby- Have you heard “Happy mom, happy child”? Yes, it starts from the womb.
Keep moving- walking, climbing stairs, nature walks. These are all great ways to stay fit and keep it easy and simple. Please consult with your medical care provider first and take the rest you need as well.
Yoga- in-person
I first tried yoga in my first pregnancy and fell in love immediately. Two types of yoga classes were offered at my OB clinic (read more about medical care at maternity clinics in Japan)– one gentle slow-pace class, led by two midwives, and the other a little harder, led by a yoga trainer. I loved them both and found them really helpful to stay fit. I had never been continuously training sports, I felt more comfortable with the slow-paced class. And I loved the challenges the other class offered because I always felt strong and confident after being able to do the more difficult poses. Both classes thought me a lot and I gained more confidence in myself and my body.
Another reason to join yoga classes is because of the opportunities to connect and build trust and new relationships with the trainers, with other moms, with your baby and yourself. If they are at your clinic, like mine were, they also help you get used to the clinic environment and to get to know your providers. Check what is available locally and give it a try.
Yoga online
My favorite series of ten-minute yoga: great to do even if you are on a busy schedule or home with kids. The short and easy-to-follow videos were very helpful during my second and third pregnancies. Ten minutes is short enough to add to your busy day and long enough to energize you.
Also, if you have your kids around, you can easily combine it with kids’ yoga to keep everyone happy. Not only you benefit- getting more relaxed and taking care of yourself and your baby, but also, you model self-care in front of your kids. Yoga could be a great way to bond with your kids. Get them their own yoga mat to make it even more special. It is probably a good idea to keep in mind that it may take you a few tries before it works well for everyone.
Sometimes kids are just not in the mood and they may decide to climb on you, for example, rather than copy the poses. If yoga with kids feels more stressful, then be kind to yourself, let go and try at a different time.
Prenatal workout
During my third pregnancy, I tried many great videos on Pregnancy and postpartum TV and I still do some even now. I love the variety of shorter and longer workouts or yoga videos. Quite a few videos address specific areas like back pain or inducing labor, diastasis recti etc. Worth checking out!
Here is a stretch flow that I loved.
I also enjoyed this workout by BodyFit by Amy.
Third Trimester Prenatal Cardio Workout—But Good for ANY Trimester of Pregnancy!
Prenatal Pilates
This prenatal Pilates by BodyFit by Amy is a good one.
Massage- Receiving and giving a massage, even if it is for a few brief minutes, boosts your energy, helps with relaxation, connection, comfort, support, trust.
Massage, acupressure, moxibustion
Many great resources out there for massages and acupressure (videos, printables) to help you feel more comfortable during pregnancy and extremely helpful during labor. If you can get professional in-person support, I would do that. Acupressure may be helpful to naturally induce labor and is effective also in combination with moxibustion. I have tried moxibustion in the last weeks of my second and third pregnancies and I found it pleasant and useful.
Mental work, emotional awareness
Apart from staying physically active, I also invested a lot of time and energy in mental preparation for pregnancy and labor. Not so much so during my first pregnancy, but throughout my second and third pregnancies I was devoted to my mission: Keep my body, mind and soul in good shape!
For my first birth, I made the mistake to concentrate on the practical stuff, on the physical and material preparations. I was not emotionally or mentally prepared, not to the extent I wish I had been.
Fears- identify and clear your fears
I found Alexia Leachman (Fear Free Childbirth) shortly before my second birth and started using the tools she was teaching. I used the free resources she offers, also her guided meditations, and her book (mentioned below). The Fear Free Childbirth Facebook group is super supportive and I was pleasantly surprised by the interesting opinions a.0
Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing did not catch my attention during my first pregnancy. Once I read more on it, it suddenly made so much sense. During my second and third pregnancies, I listened to a few tracks that resonated best with me. They did help me stay focused, relaxed, and connected. I also used a CD track and a variation of hypnobirthing that is popular here in Japan. You have probably heard different opinions- hypnobirthing doesn’t seem to work for everyone, so give it a try and see how it feels for you.
Affirmations
Pregnancy and birthing affirmations are great for taking a short break from the daily bustle and hustle to get reminded of what matters most. For me listening to affirmations was like entering a large warm bubble, filled with positive feelings. Precious moments to connect with yourself and your baby. Train your brain. Find more about Pregnancy and Birth Affirmations here.
These helped me stay calm and focused:
Christian Hypnobirthing is an app that I found almost at the end of my third pregnancy. I loved the tracks and they put me to sleep every night for the last weeks. This is what I listened to throughout my labor. Read my third birth story here.
Do things you like that are non-baby related
This one was tough for me. I had to constantly remind myself that it is ok to do little, or big, things that make me happy and not feel guilty about it.
Carefully choose what you read
What we read affects us- our feelings, our brain, our whole being. Make sure you are not adding to your stress but strengthening your inner power.
Practice breathing techniques
This is an important one. Do practice, teach yourself, train yourself and you will be confident even if others question your abilities. Deep breathing is your best friend for years to come. I didn’t practice enough for my first birth and it did affect me. Not being able to control my breathing when it could have been helpful is something I wish I could change. After my first birth, I felt like I had failed and that I had caused stress to my baby in the womb by feeling hopeless at times. I was left with fears of labor. You can read more about my first birth experience here.
Many different places and ways to practice breathing techniques, find what you like best. Practice in groups, with your birth partner, and alone.
Prenatal classes
highly recommend. Keep an open mind- some classes may be very informative and may serve as a platform to get more support. Classes at your hospital or clinic may give you insights about practices, provided care, environment, and help you not only get a better understanding but also clarify your own expectations.
Birth preferences or birth plan
I see it as a multilayer process. See the three steps below:
- Find out what matters to you, your wishes and desires, clarify your priorities, describe it in details
- Open clear communication with your partners (a birth partner, a life partner, people close by) and edit your draft from step one, if needed
- Communicate with your care providers and take into consideration their feedback
- Write a finalized copy
Writing your birth preferences does mean now you have your scenario and you can lean back and wait till the big day comes. Some people do get birth stories somehow similar to their wishes, some find themselves acting in a completely different movie. Have a clear idea of your preferences guarantees only that you have listened to your heart, trusted your judgment, and given an outlet to your best wishes. You have prepared and done your best.
Spending time on my birth preferences was really important to me because it helped me put my mind at ease: I was being proactive, I had to have some challenging uncomfortable discussions with my partner and my care providers; it was a learning curve.
Hospital bag or what you need
again, being prepared helped me feel more relaxed. You can find a lot of advice about what to pack for the hospital or prepare at home. Check in advance what is provided, if anything Your list and mine might greatly differ. Here was my very short list: headband or hair ties, water bottle, birthing clothes, postpartum clothes, nursing tank tops, camera, phone, recharger, essential oils, socks; clothes for the baby to go home.
List of techniques to use during labor
You can watch a lot of videos online on different techniques. Spinning Babies website has a lot of great resources that I used. Here is a list I made- download here.
Partners
consider, discuss and plan in advance how to involve your partner in the whole process of preparation and birth. You may give birth with one or more partners, ideally not alone- unfortunately, 2020 has brought a lot more restrictions regarding people accompanying a birthing person. Find ways to get some kind of gentle positive support and openly discuss plans, worries, etc – feeling heard and safe is crucial throughout pregnancy and birth.
Birthing positions
I was fascinated to read about how birthing positions affect the whole process. Here is a good resource from Spinning Babies. Read more on Evidence on: Birthing Positions.
Books, podcasts, websites
Podcasts
My favourite podcast that I learned so much from is Fear Free Childbirth Podcast with Alexia Leachman. I also liked Evidence Based Birth. I am sure there are many more interesting podcasts to listen to. Share your favourites in the comments.
Books
Jump to this post to read more about a few books that I love.
Websites
Read positive birth stories: The Positive Birth Company
Intl Integrative Maternity Health Care Org
Patti Good- empowerment expert for powerful women