There is an endless amount of information to take in before a birth. Perhaps, like so many others, you feel it's overwhelming or difficult to navigate - where do you even start? Do you really need to know all this? How do you know what needs to be prioritized? After supporting 1000s of parents in preparing for childbirth, we have compiled a checklist below of what you need to keep an eye on:
Strategies for managing the contractions
Writing a birth letter
Create your birth team
1. How you can meet and manage the contractions together
Contractions are the only thing you know for sure that you will experience, if you give birth vaginally, which approx. 83% (National Board of Health and Welfare, 2019) of everyone do, therefore this comes at the top of the list. If there are two of you, you both need to have knowledge about pain management, you do this together. Educate yourselves - and take of a childbirth preparation course with practical elements. Hypnobirthing, Give birth without fear or Din Gravidcoach's practical prophylaxis course are some examples of the above.
2. Birth letter
Write a letter that makes it easier for the staff who will support you to understand your needs. Focus on how you are as people, what can stress you, how you like to be communicated with, how you want the staff to be and if you have specific requests (the absolute hardest thing for a maternity staff is to find good ways to respond to you on and you can facilitate that through this letter). See our guide to birth certificates here.
3. Extra support person
Make sure you have a person you can call who can calm you down if any situation arises that creates stress or anxiety. This can be especially important for the partner of the person giving birth. (You rarely call, but having a person who is available in case of, can be reassuring in itself - and it is an easier step to take if it is already agreed upon).
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