When behind the main period of bearing a child, it is time to prepare for the most crucial moment - the long-awaited meeting of mother and child. Of course, you need to be well prepared for childbirth. This applies to both the physical component and the emotional side. The favorable course of childbirth is more dependent on the woman herself. You will learn about what you need to know and how to prepare yourself for an important moment in the life of a mother and a child by reading this article.
Three components
Many women are confident that childbirth will take place naturally and the body needs to know how to deal with it. But there is another category of expectant mothers who are firmly convinced that you need to be ready for childbirth both mentally and physically! And they are right. When the moment of labor occurs, different nuances may arise. So it is better to know about them and be ready for them.
In general, it is better to start preparing for the birth of a baby from the very beginning, back in the first trimester of pregnancy. But we will talk about how to spend the last weeks of pregnancy and be as prepared as possible for a meeting with the baby. In general, two components of preparation are distinguished: the emotional and physical aspects. But there is one more - educational, thanks to which you can properly configure your spirit and body.
Physical training
Our body needs care. If we deal with him correctly, it responds to us with reciprocity and good health. A pregnant woman is not a diagnosis. She does not get sick, she bears a new life in herself. So, the future mother should be responsible, especially when the last weeks of pregnancy come, because she already has a fully-formed baby, gaining strength to go out. A pregnant woman should lead an active and healthy lifestyle. No need to fall on the bed and be afraid to once again move, the muscles should work.
Strengthening the muscles requires moderate physical activity. This will not allow overweight to accumulate and will help to facilitate the birth process. Of course, we are not talking about the pathology of pregnant women, when there is a threat of premature birth. Remember, you should always consult a doctor! Even if before pregnancy, the woman was a professional athlete. Only in the absence of contraindications can you exercise, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy, when there is a noticeable pressure on the lower part of the pelvis.
What is good and what is not?
For future mothers it is useful to take a walk in the fresh air, perform elementary yoga asanas, swim in the pool. Thanks to these simple actions, you can develop flexibility, endurance, and relieve stress from the back. Aqua aerobics, designed specifically for pregnant women, is very beneficial for all muscle groups.
If a woman went to the gym before pregnancy, then you can attend training, but significantly reduce the load and review the set of exercises. You can’t lift heavy weight, do abdominal exercises and generally intensively train.
We strengthen the most important part of the body of expectant mothers
To strengthen the pelvic muscles in the last weeks of pregnancy, and throughout the entire period of gestation, it is useful to perform Kegel exercises. This will help improve blood circulation, the prevention of ruptures during labor and the occurrence of hemorrhoids. If the pelvic floor muscles are strong, then the birth will be easier and faster.
The exercise “cat” is very popular. It really alleviates pain in the last weeks of pregnancy that occur in the back. It is easy to accomplish : you need to stand on all fours, straighten your arms, knees and palms rest on the floor. Then, in turn, you need to round and arch the back, lingering in each position, counting to eight. All you need to do ten approaches.
Another well-known and well-proven exercise that relieves back pain in the last weeks of pregnancy is the “butterfly”. It helps to open the pelvis, relieve tension and prepare the joints for childbirth. To perform the exercise, you need to sit on the floor, straighten your back, part your knees, join your feet together. Feeling the tension on the inside of the thigh, press on the hips in places on the inside near the knees. Feet should fall down and stay a bit in this position. You can complicate the exercise further if you reach forward with your hands. Sometimes a “butterfly” is performed while lying on its back.
Food
The question often arises, what to do if in the last weeks of pregnancy a woman has swelling? The first is to change the diet. Before giving birth, the body needs unloading. Heavy, fatty, fried, canned food will not bring any benefits. This also applies to flour products. Such foods are best excluded from the diet. Mom and baby need nutrients, vitamins, but they don’t need heaviness! The meat should be lean, boiled or baked. The same goes for fish. In principle, meat products and eggs should not be abused. 2-3 times a week is enough. It is better to eat more baked vegetables and fruits. Fermented milk products will also benefit, however, you should always monitor their freshness!
To prevent constipation and increase tissue elasticity in food, it is recommended to add a little vegetable oil, preferably olive. Understanding what to do in the last weeks of pregnancy and focusing on proper nutrition, a woman will be able to prepare well for the most crucial moment in her life. Then the birth will be as painless as possible, without negative consequences for the health of the mother and baby. Light and wholesome food will help a woman maintain normal weight in the last weeks of pregnancy, cleanse the body of toxins and go to childbirth without too much burden.
Psychology
In order to be prepared emotionally, you must first of all have enough rest. A pregnant woman must have a healthy sleep! In addition, she mentally establishes a connection with her baby, talks to him, strokes her tummy and imagines how she will cherish it in her hands. A future mother should understand and accept her position, establish a relationship with an unborn baby, and arrange a comfortable regimen for herself.
Do not be afraid of the upcoming event, childbirth will pass and be forgotten. So the woman’s body is arranged that, holding a newborn in her arms, she forgets about all the unpleasant sensations.
To cope with fears, you can visit a psychologist. The main thing is awareness, watch movies, find out how everything happens, read the literature. Understanding at what stages what needs to be done and how to behave, the woman is no longer afraid, but does everything to help herself, the baby and the doctors who are giving birth.
Learning to relax
Your baby is preparing for the meeting in the last weeks of pregnancy. Its head falls below, the pelvic bones are prepared and slightly apart. The child feels everything - both fear and confidence. The connection with the mother is so strong that literally everything that a pregnant woman feels is felt by the baby.
The expectant mother must learn the technique of relaxation. The fact is that the pain threshold during childbirth is directly related to the psychological state of the woman in childbirth. The stronger the fear of pain, the more intense it is.
The signal for the onset of labor is the discharge of water. At this moment you can’t hesitate - you need to go to the hospital! The main harbinger of childbirth is the passage of the mucous plug. She can leave immediately before birth and two weeks before. Therefore, after the cork has come out, you need to carefully monitor when the water leaves.
Many mothers prefer to go to the hospital in advance and be monitored so that everything goes without any special surprises. In recent weeks, the mammary glands swell, and colostrum may appear from them.
What happens to the body and why is it especially difficult for women in the last weeks of pregnancy?
From the 37th to the 40th week, the load on expectant mothers increases very much. The woman’s heart lies almost horizontally, her pulse quickens. This is due to the fact that blood is driven through an additional (placental) circle of blood circulation. The cardiovascular system works in an enhanced mode. Metabolism is changing, the thyroid gland is also very active.
The placenta has almost exhausted its resource. She is no longer able to fully provide the baby with all the nutrients and oxygen. Then the baby begins to prepare to go outside in order to begin to function as an independent organism.
Back pain is caused by changes in the pelvic ring. This is necessary so that the child grows normally and then passes through the birth canal. The ligaments of the pregnant woman along with the joint bags gradually relax, and the muscles experience an additional load, the center of gravity also shifts.
Why does gait change?
The pregnant uterus is pulled forward. A woman is forced to maintain balance when walking and lean back more.
She walks more carefully, and her movements are smooth and unhurried. All these changes occur instinctively. In total, she has to wear at least 6.5 kg of extra weight: 3-4 kg of a child, 1.5 liters of amniotic fluid, 2 kg of placenta with a uterus.
Pregnant bones become less calcium. This causes pain in the calf muscles. The stomach grows especially fast in the last weeks of pregnancy, it can become truly huge, because the child is gaining weight intensively. That is why it is worth monitoring the diet during gestation. Neither the child nor the mother needs extra weight. Moreover, with a sharp increase in the weight of a pregnant woman and intensive growth of the abdomen, stretch marks may appear in her.
It happens that the navel turns out in a pregnant woman. Do not be scared. This usually occurs with a large child. To calm down, consult a doctor, he will clarify the situation.
Breast Filling
The chest must be supported by a dense cotton bra. She is heavier, and you need to help her not to lose shape. Milk in a woman’s breast appears 3-4 days after birth. Prior to this, colostrum is produced in the chest. The abundance of milk depends on many factors. Genetics plays an important role here. Although if you correctly attach the newborn to the breast, observe the necessary nutrition and, above all, do not be nervous, then the likelihood that everything will be in order with milk is very high.
Some very important points
- If a pregnant woman has edema in the last weeks of pregnancy, you must definitely inform your doctor. He will find out the reason and give appropriate recommendations.
- Childbirth can begin at any time starting from the 37th week. At this time, you need to be especially careful and ready to go to the hospital at any time.
- In the last stages of bearing a child, you should not go on especially difficult and long trips. Especially one. It is necessary that someone from the family is always in the zone of accessibility and in a state of readiness to help the woman in labor.
Intimate relationship
Regarding sex in the last weeks of pregnancy, there are different reviews. There are adherents that sex is generally unacceptable during the entire period of gestation and lactation. A pregnant woman is a shrine.
There is another opinion when they believe that sexual pleasures are permissible and even useful for mothers before childbirth, supposedly even doctors recommend. But still, women themselves, for the most part, go to such relationships during pregnancy solely for the sake of the husband. That is, she herself does not need sex, she is all concentrated on carrying, giving birth and feeding the baby. Therefore, many religions prohibit touching a pregnant and lactating mother. She must keep clean.