5 positive ways to prepare for labour

Manage your anxieties about giving birth, with some helpful advice from mums who’ve been there.

1. Empower yourself

No two births are the same. Our babies are different, our bodies are different and there are so many different ways to labour and give birth.

That’s why it’s useful to do some background research. Understanding your options, the risks and the pros and cons of all the methods of pain relief and labouring can help you feel more in control and less frightened of the unknown.

2. Prepare your mind

You’ve heard the horror stories. But for every bad experience, there is a mum out there with a positive story to tell. So focus on these (and wear ‘ear muffs’ for the others).

Although it seems hard to imagine, particularly if you’ve had a bad experience yourself, birth can be empowering and joyful. Lots of mums tell us it really helps to have a positive mindset. If you believe it’s possible, it can be.

3. Prepare your body

Labour often requires strength and stamina – so it’s important to prepare your body for it. Gentle exercise during pregnancy can also be a great way to de-stress.

Find out about antenatal classes near you. A class like active birth yoga ticks all the boxes: It’ll help you get your baby in a good position for birth; teach you positions to help you through labour; and provide some relaxation and breathing techniques to help you stay calm.

4. Practise relaxation techniques

Breathing can help calm your nerves (before and after labour) and control the pain. Start practicing all the way through pregnancy to ensure you’re a pro when the time comes.

Meditation and visualization can help you relax through pregnancy and during labour.

Complementary therapies, such as reflexology, shiatsu and acupuncture, can help you reach a relaxed state.

5. Put thought into your birth plan

A birth plan can be a useful way of communicating all your wishes, concerns and choices quickly and effectively, particularly when you move to active labour and may not want to (or be able to) have long discussions with your midwife, or if there’s a staff change.

Second time mums

Are you panicking at the thought of giving birth again? It might help to talk about what happened first time round.

Debriefing service

Most hospitals have a service for mums who would like to talk through their experience. It might be known as a birth reflections or birth afterthoughts service. Going over your birth experience with a midwife – however long after you gave birth – can help you make sense of what happened and perhaps help you cope with anxieties around doing it again.

Go over your labour notes

Talk through your labour notes in detail with a medical professional, like your midwife. This will help you fill in any gaps in your memory, ask questions about why things happened the way they did and give you a chance to think about what you’d like to do differently.