The fear of childbirth is experienced by absolutely all women, regardless of age and experience. Primiparous are usually tormented by a lack of information, afraid of pain and afraid of the stories of more experienced friends and relatives. Women who have already given birth before are no less afraid of the birth process. Most likely, they have a psychological trauma, and unpleasant impressions and negative experience do not give the opportunity to tune in a positive way. Experts say that fears prevent a woman from trusting doctors and relaxing during labor, which significantly slows down the birth process and makes it more painful. Therefore, every pregnant woman should know everything about childbirth and preparation for childbirth. This can be done by reading specialized literature and attending courses. Today we will try to clearly and simply tell women about how to prepare for childbirth correctly, so that this process is as easy as possible and without negative consequences.
Aspects of preparing for the birth process
Anxiety in the last months of pregnancy is a completely natural feeling, which is often accompanied by panic and all kinds of fears for your life and the health of the unborn child. But it is these feelings that become that kind of castle that does not allow a woman to fully understand how to behave before childbirth and at each stage of the birth process.
However, even the listed knowledge cannot guarantee a woman peace of mind, which, however, is quite natural. After all, childbirth is still a responsible process on which the future of the newborn baby depends. If you do not know how to properly prepare for childbirth, then you literally risk your life and cannot help your baby to be born. Therefore, back in the second trimester, it is necessary to tackle this issue and gradually move on to the study of all aspects of labor activity and readiness for them. Specialists highlight the following nuances:
- Psychological preparation for childbirth.
- Physical preparation for childbirth.
- Courses for pregnant women.
- Self preparation.
- Preparing things for a trip to the hospital.
As you can see, this process is not only quite long, but also extremely complex. Therefore, it is not worth neglecting information on how to prepare for childbirth. Moreover, experienced mothers are advised to use all possible sources to the maximum, since already in the maternity hospital for most women in labor, many useful recommendations and tips fly out of my head. But still, some skills acquired over several months are preserved, and the woman begins to use them automatically. It is especially good when a pregnant woman is expected to have a partner birth and a loved one will help her remember the information she has learned. In this case, it will be useful to attend courses for pregnant women, where partners will be able to master not only theory, but also practice. We will talk about all these nuances a little later.
Psychological readiness for the birth process
How to morally prepare for childbirth? Many people think that this is impossible. However, it is psychological maturity that is an indispensable condition for successful and painless delivery.
As practice shows, a woman mentally prepared for the birth of a child is more likely to give birth to a healthy baby and not harm herself. But do not forget that any pregnant woman experiences some discomfort in the last trimester. It can be characterized as follows:
- Emotional instability. In the last months of pregnancy, the expectant mother again changes the hormonal background. This is the reason for the frequent tearfulness, depression, close to depression, and mood swings. Also, a physical condition contributes to a similar state of fatigue, accumulated during the gestation of the child.
- Prioritization For nine months, a woman manages to conduct a serious reappraisal of values; more often, the pregnant women are encouraged by physical changes in her body. But here are the psychological moments of the impending motherhood with women, few stipulate. As a result, they experience uncertainty in their abilities, are afraid of becoming bad mothers and experience a lot of negative emotions, which they supposedly should not feel.
- The appearance of phobias. A large percentage of pregnant women, even knowing everything about childbirth and preparation for childbirth, acquire a lot of phobias in the last trimester. Some totally do not trust doctors, others are afraid of impending pain, still others are afraid of possible injuries and so on.
Of course, many fears and anxieties are well founded, but nevertheless it is not worth focusing on them. After all, a positive psychological attitude is very important for the mother and her future baby. Today it is proved that a child born into the world experiences much more pain than his mother. So, her mood may be decisive for him. How to morally prepare for childbirth? First of all, you need to find out at what level of readiness you are.
Levels of readiness for childbirth
Even on her own, with the help of our information, a woman can determine at what level she is now and what additional actions she needs. Psychologists distinguish three stages, indicating a particular psychological preparation for childbirth:
- Low level
At this stage, a pregnant woman experiences mostly negative emotions. She is constantly in a state of excitement and fear for herself and the future baby. The pregnant woman is very afraid of the impending pain and can not come to terms with her in any way. This is what gives rise to her aggressive behavior towards the baby's father, sometimes with a low level of psychological readiness after childbirth, a woman rejects her baby, considering him the culprit of the suffering. Initially, a pregnant woman is not ready to listen to doctors and follow their recommendations, confident that they want to harm her.
If you notice such symptoms in yourself, then immediately consult a professional psychologist. He will explain how to prepare for childbirth, and will provide moral support for the future mother in childbirth. A few exercises will help stabilize her condition.
2. The average level
Usually women at this stage fluctuate between optimism and fear. They are quite positively tuned to the upcoming process, but still doubt their abilities and experience great uncertainty that they will successfully cope with the birth of the baby. In addition, they are very worried about all the stories about being in the hospital, heard from their friends and relatives. Of course, most often these impressions are negative in color and have a serious impact on the psyche of a future woman in labor.
In such situations, it’s not enough for a psychologist to tell how to prepare for childbirth, and to speak out the woman’s fears. Relatives should be brought to her aid. They are able to surround the future woman in labor with love and care, thanks to which fears will gradually recede.
3. High level
Psychologists and obstetricians believe that every woman should be knowledgeable about how to prepare for childbirth. Pregnancy allows you to perfectly prepare for the upcoming process and positively tune in to it.
If the expectant mother is at the stage of high psychological preparation, then initially she has a positive attitude for all nine months of pregnancy and childbirth. She tries to maintain a good mood and perfectly understands that a lot depends on her behavior. Such a woman is active, she knows how to prepare for childbirth independently and as part of a group. She is interested in various breathing techniques and techniques, she is happy to attend classes for pregnant women and is ready to work in a group. A trained woman at all levels collaborates with medical staff and is committed to breastfeeding.
In this case, the help of a psychologist is not needed. The pregnant woman herself is able to regulate her condition, and if necessary, can turn to relatives for support.
How to solve psychological problems before childbirth?
It is especially important to understand how to prepare for the first birth. In this case, the woman has absolutely no idea about the upcoming process and therefore experiences many fears and has a lot of misconceptions about what awaits her in the hospital. Courses for pregnant women will help to prepare psychologically. They are conducted in each city, and in many localities women have the opportunity to choose between different programs. In some, the emphasis is on labor, and in others, on the care of the baby. There are also affiliate courses and activities for women only. In the process, the pregnant woman will receive quite extensive knowledge not only of the stages of childbirth, but will also be familiar with the methods of pain relief and master the breathing technique. All this will give her confidence in her abilities and will help to act correctly in a critical situation.
If you do not have free time to attend courses or do not like group classes, then engage in self-education. Today you can find a lot of information on childbirth on the Internet and on the shelves of bookstores. Women have the opportunity to learn different techniques that allow you to go through this process as quickly and painlessly as possible.
It will be useful during childbirth and the visualization technique. If you learn to relax in any environment and imagine yourself somewhere on the ocean or on a green lawn, then the pain of childbirth will not seem so strong. Autotraining also works great. Even before the onset of labor, it is necessary to work out a certain phrase that you will pronounce in childbirth. It should be quite brief, have an affirmative characterization in the present. In this case, a similar technique will be very effective.
If you feel that you are in a panic and the positive mood is beginning to disappear, then do your favorite thing - listen to music, take a walk, go shopping and so on. Do not allow the negativity to penetrate into you and upset the created psychological mood.
Features of physical fitness
It’s no secret that pregnancy is a serious burden on a woman’s body. And the well-being of the future mother and her clan activities depend on how prepared he is for this. If you were actively involved in sports before the conception of the baby, then you should not stop during pregnancy. Of course, you should slightly reduce the load, especially in the first trimester. But in general, physical activity should correspond to the well-being of a woman. Those who have never played sports during pregnancy should be very careful about the exercises, but they must be present in life. Indeed, feasible physical activity makes it possible to perfectly prepare the body for childbirth.
The most common types of exercises for pregnant women are primarily special exercises. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels, allows you to recover faster after childbirth, reduces the risks of complications and contributes to the proper development of crumbs.
It is also worth paying attention to the complex for preparing for childbirth. In such exercises, those muscles are involved that will directly participate in labor.
A very useful load on the body of a pregnant woman is swimming. It strengthens the muscles of the back, allows the body to relax and at the same time to master certain breathing techniques.
Many experts attribute physical activity and massage. Despite the common opinion, massage procedures are very useful for pregnant women at any time. They are carried out in a special technique that eliminates pressure and active grinding. Massage improves blood circulation, relieves swelling, pain and uplifting. Such a load is very beneficial for the pregnant woman and positively sets her up for childbirth.
Breathing exercises
In the question “how to prepare for natural childbirth” breathing techniques play a very important role. Many women underestimate their capabilities, but in fact, proper breathing can significantly anesthetize the period of labor and help push the child out at the effort stage.
You can learn these techniques on your own or in the course of attending courses. Among a large number of different techniques, we can distinguish those that are applied directly to contractions and during the period of attempts. If we are talking about contractions, then here you may be offered options with holding your breath. They are based on several deep breaths (there may be two or three), a delay of several seconds and expiration by mouth. It is important that the pregnant woman breathe with a diaphragm or stomach. This is what helps the baby get the oxygen needed during the birth process.
During attempts, many are advised to breathe like a dog. This technique consists in frequent and rhythmic inhalations and exhalations with the mouth. They allow you to restrain the effort for a while until the doctor has allowed to push. In the future, it is necessary to draw air into the lungs and begin to push down. There should be at least three such breaths. Then you can relax and breathe normally.
Getting ready for childbirth yourself
We have already mentioned that not all women are ready to engage in groups. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with preparing for childbirth on your own. But in this case it is worth considering that all your actions should be coordinated with the doctor. It is he who approves the level of physical activity and can advise a psychologist in case of a low level of moral readiness for the upcoming process.
Collecting things at the hospital
In the case of a successful birth, a woman spends about three days in a hospital. Therefore, she must provide for a lot of little things that will make her life more comfortable. Experienced women are advised to collect the bag in advance in order to already feel calm and confident in anticipation of fights. Usually, by the beginning of the third trimester, the pregnant woman and her family are already determined with the hospital, and therefore have all the information on the list of necessary things.
Most often, they are recommended to be placed in different packages that are worth signing, so that, if necessary, the husband can figure out your things himself and not mix them up. First of all, assemble the kit for the birth itself. It includes:
- comfortable nightdresses;
- bathrobe;
- washable slippers;
- clean socks;
- drinking water without gas;
- bananas, cookies, or dry biscuits for refreshments.
Do not forget the documents:
- exchange card;
- generic certificate;
- contract for service in the hospital (if it is concluded);
- medical insurance policy;
- the passport;
- SNILS.
After giving birth you will need the following set of things:
- personal hygiene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, ordinary care products without a pungent odor);
- two towels;
- set of disposable underpants;
- postpartum pads;
- bra inserts;
- charging to the phone;
- camera (if necessary);
- creams that prevent the appearance of cracks in the nipples.
For your crumbs, you will also need a special bag in which they will lie:
- disposable diapers;
- a few hats;
- socks;
- a pair of body and sliders;
- dummies
- bottles (if you do not plan to breast-feed);
- baby cream;
- talc.
Depending on the rules of the hospital, this list may be adjusted.
Packing things for dad
If your plans include partner births, then take care of clothing for your husband. He will need washable slippers, clean trousers and a T-shirt. They also need to be put in a separate package.
In order for the newly made dad to not mix up some things in excitement, prepare a package of things for the newborn for discharge in advance. Do not hope that your man himself will choose the right suits, hat and other necessary accessories.
Also take care of your discharge kit. Fold the things in which you plan to leave the hospital in a separate bag and sign it. In this case, you will be sure that your husband will not mix anything up.
Childbirth after cesarean: how to prepare
This is a nuance we left in the end, but he cares about a considerable number of women. Many of them, who had previously passed through a cesarean, dream of giving birth to a baby in a natural way and try to find information on preparation for such births.
In fact, all the features of the upcoming process need to be discussed with doctors. First of all, a midwife leading pregnancy should give her recommendations. She knows all the features of a woman and has the necessary data in order to decide whether to prepare for a natural birth or again have to go through a cesarean.
Secondly, pregnant women who plan to give birth on their own must first choose a maternity hospital. After consulting with his specialists and on the basis of the analysis provided, a conclusion is drawn about the possible course of labor. If you do not have any contraindications, then the second caesarean will be canceled. Otherwise, do not insist on your own, as this can harm you and the baby.