Are you doing any birth preparation???

[Alisonp]

Just wondering what (if anything at all) you are planning to do about preparing yourself for the birth??

Last time I did some reading (real books and lots of online reading) but when the time came I wasn't prepared at all for the magnitude of the pain :eek: (I was induced with the drip which overstimulated my uterus, however, so the pain I experienced was most probably worse than natural labour pain)

This time I am really hoping for a natural, drug free birth so I am thinking of all the things I can do to prepare myself mentally and physically.

So far this is what I am doing/planning to do...

1. Lots of reading on natural strategies for coping with pain. Planning to actually practise some of these techniques before the labour.
2. Going to classes that are more focussed on natural childbirth. The hospital ones I went to last time were in hindsight a complete waste of time. They devoted very little time to discussing anything other than options for medicated pain relief.
3. Practising some relaxation techniques (ie hypnobirthing). I'm not completely sold on this option but it can't hurt to give it a try.
4. Planning to do perineal passage closer to the birth to help me to hopefully avoid tearing.
5. I've started doing some stretching/squatting exercises to help my flexibility in the inner thigh area and if I feel like I need to squat for the pushing stage.

Is there anything you are doing or planning to do??

Do you think preparation is a waste of time and want to "wing it" once it happens?? (I actully think this is a perfectly valid option for some people...just not for me)

[Hayden&Ryan&Joel]

I am trying to find good books and stuff on breathing techniques and similar stuff to the hypnobirthing too.. (also not completely sold, but it can't hurt!)

other than that... nothing.

I am planning on going without my TENS machine this time, so will see if that makes a positive or negetive difference. I felt last time it actually made me more tense with my body during contractions, so am going to try other stuff this time, and the bath is one of my biggest plans!

[only1mica]

umm...i guess i was more a wing it type of gal lol...

i didnt go to any birth prep courses....

what i did do was:-

BELIEVE that I could birth my baby naturally...women have been doing it from the start of time
read as much as possible, keep upright!!
yoga...I did know how to breath through pain before that...but i found that it helped me keep centred at times (but not all the time)
expect pain...loland I guess I did ok...only had 3 puffs of the gas....I couldnt concentrate while using the stuff...and my bub was prosterior right up until just before I pushed her out.

[OopsieDaisy]

I will be trying to relax and get as much sleep as possible when I hit the last few weeks. That't bout it for me!:)

[Little Gorilla]

Other than reading a few books - last time I didn't do any preperation.

I would recommend everyone get some practise on breathing techniques (very very very important) - also, I looked at it this way - birthing children has been done for so long - I trusted in my body to do what it had to do - I believed I could do it - also, I just let the pain turn into power....that sounds silly - but by embracing the pain I think I accepted it and used it to my advantage.

[happytobehere]

How do we get info on breathing techniques?

the only prenatal class I had access to was at a comm health centre. The main teachings there were about pain relief options, importance of breastfeeding, watching a birth video, how breech babies are caeser babies (they made an example out of me when I asked how they'd support a women to deliver breech - They don't - apparently its just not safe and although some babies manage to slip out prior to intervention being able to be made - its highly dangerous and babies feet get stuck, blah, blah).

So umm.. I have had some strong BH's in which i've had to breath through in order to manage the pain.

Is it possible to learn about breath through reading? If so what advise do Mum's have?

[Aysha'sMummy]

I just plan on taking it as it comes i don't really know what to expect since it's my first... but i know for sure i don't want an epidural or a cesarean unless i desperately have too.

I want to have an open mind about labor etc i don't want it clouded by all the bad stuff that could go wrong but it can still be in the back of my mind in case it happens to me.

[Melmc]

I plan to wing it too. The hospital I'm booked into doesn't do epidurals, so they're a no go. I'd love to go natural, but, being a first timer, I'll have to see about that too.

Yoga has been good for breathing techniques, and I'm hoping the birthing classes that are coming up wilol give me some good advice too.