How to prepare for childbirth

Childbirth is an important stage before the arrival of a new little person. You cannot predict how they will go, but you can prepare for the process and make it as easy as possible. In this article we will talk about how you can prepare for childbirth so that it is as successful as possible. 

How to prepare for childbirth without tearing

Isn’t it wonderful to take care of your baby from the first days after his birth? This can be prevented by various unpleasant consequences, for example, poor health, weakness, perineal ruptures. Here's some advice on how to go faster recover after having a baby and avoid painful stitches:

• Learn the basics of proper breathing while pushing. There are a large number of video tutorials on this topic, and you can also take advantage of training courses for pregnant women. By the way, antenatal clinics periodically hold free seminars where they talk about breathing, behavior during labor, breastfeeding and other important points.
• Take vitamin E, it increases tissue elasticity, preventing perineal tears. You can drink the vitamin in combination with other vitamins or consume a tablespoon of olive, sunflower or flaxseed oil daily.
• After the 36th week, it is useful to take a decoction of raspberry leaves, which helps the cervix open and prevents ruptures. With raspberry decoction, fragmin enters the body - a plant alkaloid that can cause training contractions. This strengthens the walls of the uterus, increasing the elasticity of the perineum and preventing tearing during childbirth.
• Kegel exercises develop the muscles of the perineum, which also leads to positive results and rapid restoration of the vaginal muscles.
• Sex also serves to prevent ruptures (if there are no contraindications from a doctor): firstly, the lubricant smoothes the walls of the uterus, and secondly, the prostaglandins contained in the sperm prepare it for opening.
• A special perineal massage brings enormous benefits.

How to prepare for childbirth without pain

The saying applies here: “forewarned is forearmed.” Of course, anything can happen during childbirth, but in general the process consists of certain stages, which it is advisable to know about in advance.

There are special breathing techniques during contractions that help you concentrate and manage pain. If you have chosen a partner birth, together with your assistant, study joint methods of pain relief, this could be a massage of the back, lower back, abdomen, or light gymnastics.

It is very important how you endure the fight - standing, lying down, walking. According to doctors, lying down positions slow down the dilation of the cervix, which means the process will take longer. Explore possible positions to relieve pain during contractions: many women are helped by a fitball; if you plan to use it during the birth process, you should check if the ball is available in the birth unit of the selected maternity hospital.

Psychological preparation for childbirth

Study the issue of childbirth thoroughly. This topic requires a lot of thought and a serious approach. There are many types of childbirth: natural birth, partner birth, vertical birth, in water, with anesthesia or by caesarean section(according to indications).

Try to choose an acceptable birth strategy for yourself: imagine how you would like to feel during the birth of your baby. Make a list of categories that will help make the birth process as comfortable as possible. For example, you are in favor of natural childbirth and plan to have labor with your husband or other close relative. Then you need to choose a maternity hospital where partner births are allowed, and also choose a doctor who will support such a line of development. When you meet with your doctor, discuss your preferences in advance; in this case, medications and painkillers will be used only in extreme cases.

If you plan to use available anesthesia methods, this should also be discussed with your gynecologist. Currently, in Russian maternity hospitals, preference is given to natural childbirth, so if you suddenly want to use epidural anesthesia without special agreement, be prepared for refusal.

Since childbirth is a long process, the general physical preparation of a woman is important: during pregnancy, try to walk more, swim, and do special gymnastics.