Whether you’re pregnant with your first baby or are bringing a new child into your life to join the rest of your family, it’s perfectly normal and natural to feel nervous about the prospect of giving birth.
Not only can this experience be long, stressful, and painful, but it can also be dangerous if things don’t progress the way they should or if something goes wrong. But luckily, there are some things you can do to help yourself be ready to give birth when the time comes before you begin to worry about lack of sleep and what to call you child.
To give you some ideas for ways you can mentally and physically get ready for the arrival of your little one, here are three tips to prepare your body for giving birth.
Use Water To Help You Relax
Both when you’re pregnant and when you’re getting ready to give birth, water can be a very helpful element when it comes to relieving pain and relaxing.
According to Gayle Sato and Jennifer Cody Epstein, contributors to Parents.com, many women choose to labor in a warm bathtub to help bring relief to their back pain and ease up some of the pressure on their bodies. But even before you’re actively in labor, taking a warm bath or shower can help you feel more relaxed.
Especially as you get closer to your due date, you might want to spend some quality time relaxing in the bath or shower, since your little one likely won’t give you a lot of time to indulge in deep conditioning or using soothing shaving soap once he or she arrives.
Consider Perineal Massage
Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. However, what can be most stressful and trying for your body is the actual process of giving birth to your child. Your body has to stretch and move and contract in ways that it doesn’t normally do, which can make recovering from these changes difficult over the next few weeks.
One thing you can try that may make this stretching a little easier to do and recover from, according to Jennifer Elliott, a contributor to Today’s Parent, is a perineal massage. By gently stretching this tissue before your baby arrives, you might have an easier time getting your baby out without as much trauma to your body.
Practice Breathing Techniques
To help your body and mind be ready for the pain that so often comes with labor and delivery, Maura M. Shirey, a contributor to Mother.ly, recommends that you spend some time practicing breathing techniques as you prepare for your baby’s birth.
There are both passive and active breathing techniques that you can familiarize yourself with prior to delivery, and both can be very helpful for maintaining your focus and keeping yourself from tensing up too much.
If you’re going to be having a baby soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare your body for all it will go through.
