Preparing for birth

[2much2luv]

I know it's early still, but how are you/do you plan to prepare for the birth?

Are you taking a class? Which one?

Which books will you read?

What physical activities will you do with labor and delivery in mind?

What supplements will you take and when?

How else will you prepare your mind and body?

[acordio]

Originally Posted by 2much2luv

I know it's early still, but how are you/do you plan to prepare for the birth?

Are you taking a class? Which one?

Which books will you read?

What physical activities will you do with labor and delivery in mind?

What supplements will you take and when?

How else will you prepare your mind and body?

I am trying to find out all the info I can on VBAC

We are going to take a refresher class from my cousing who teaches Baby Body Birth.

I will read "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth," "Your Pregnancy week by week," not sure what else will be recomended to me "Birthing From Within" sounds good.

I am trying to do a work-out video at least 3 times per week and am gonna get a treadmil so I can walk in the winter months inside.

[amnda527]

We might take a couple classes as things get closer. I was looking at my hospital's website the other day and it seems like they have some pretty good classes that are not too expensive. Hubby does not really have any experience with babies, so we might take their "baby basics" class or something. They also offer an intro to breastfeeding class, so I might check that out.

Right now I'm reading Ina May's Guide to Natural Childbirth. I have a little managing morning sickness book I've been looking at, and I plan on getting a few Dr. Sears books.

I'm not really into exercising right now, but I want to start walking around the neighborhood to get more in shape. And if I can find one, maybe taking a prenatal yoga class or something. On top of the physical benefits of it, I am looking forward to meeting new mamas-to-be there too.

I'm taking a prenatal vitamin and a folic acid supplement.

I'm going to order the hypnobabies home study course to better prepare myself also.

[twentyalmonds]

So far, I'm just really trying to focus on being as healthy as possible. I've upped my veggie intake and i'm being better about drinking water. I was low on iron my last pregnancy, so I'm taking chlorophyll in my water to help with iron absorption.

Originally Posted by amnda527

I'm going to order the hypnobabies home study course to better prepare myself also.

That's reminds me that I want to look into hypnobirthing as well...

[ChelseaG]

I have a background in yoga - so I plan on getting off my butt and doing a lot of prenatal yoga to keep my body strong and flexible, and to help with backpain, lack of energy, and relaxation.
Oh - and I have the hypnobabies course that I bought last time, but didn't really use and I would be willing to sell it for cheap!
PM me if interested!

[2much2luv]

I'll be doing prenatal yoga. I did really well during the first week after the BFP but then I got sick and i haven't done a bit since. It's making me nervous and I can't wait until I feel up to starting it up again.
I'll work through Birthing From Within. It's a great book.
I think I'll read Ina May's book. I've never read it.
I'm taking a regular old prenatal vitamin now. I'll start RRL tea in my second tri probably. I can't remember what other supplements I took near the end with my others, but I'll research it a bit and I'm sure there will be something.
I used birth affirmations during my last pregnancy and spent a lot of time communicating with baby in utero during the last month, so I'll be doing that again I'm sure.

[Shelsi]

I'm an assistant manager at Curves so I'll keep up with my strength training I do there minus a few of the machines I'm not supposed to use while prego. I walk my dog almost every night and chase my 2.5 yr old around all the time so I plan on getting plenty of exercise.

I've already ordered the hypnobabies course that I found for a great deal brand new from someone who didn't get to use it. My boss is currently being a surrogate and due in January and she's been using it and LOVES it. She's been having lots of contractions and still gets nauseous sometimes but she says the hypnobabies has helped to make them go away. I'm also going to be ordering the morning sickness hypnobabies CD. Last time I had ms at night but I work at night so I'm going to try everything under the sun to avoid it or at least make it not as bad.

After my first birth which was a horrible medicalized birth I started to do a lot of reading. My favorite is "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" by Henci Goer.

I'm taking a prenatal plus vitex. I'll keep taking the vitex until the end of the 1st trimester. I was on it to help increase my luteal phase. Towards the end I will take RRL tea and EPO to help my body to get ready.

[Shelsi]

Originally Posted by mamazales

That's reminds me that I want to look into hypnobirthing as well...

Make sure you look up the difference between hypnobirthing and hypnobabies. They are different and everything I've ever read says that the hypnobabies is a better course. I haven't used either one yet though so I can't say first hand obviously.

[jee'smom]

I haven't read all of the threads yet, but I do plan on getting my squatting muscles in good shape. We don't squat enough in the developed nations, so childbirth can be a little difficult if you want to birth squatting (it increases pelvic outlet by up to 30%) b/c our muscles tire easily. With both births, I was flat-on-my-back, and am still pi***d about it! So, I'm somehow going to get my squatting muscles strong!, just in case I want to use them during the birth.

[twentyalmonds]

Originally Posted by Shelsi

Make sure you look up the difference between hypnobirthing and hypnobabies.

Thanks for the heads up, I didn't do any research into this during my first preg., so I'm really looking forward to finding out more about it.

And I'll definitely be working on my squatting muscles like the pp

[2much2luv]

And Kegels! I'm Kegeling like crazy and I'm going to get some benwa balls.

[jee'smom]

I HATE doing kegels!!! but I'm ging to have to do them. After the birth of ds, I had NO control of my sphincter muscles, I used to just stand over the toilet and it'd come out, I couldn't stop it at all. How many should you do for max. benefit?

[bbrandonsmom]

I don't think it's ever too early, especially if considering natural birth.
Here's what I'm doing-
I might take a Bradley class-not sure though. We took a class with ds and had a wonderful doula as a teacher but it was lamaze and did not focus on natural childbirth.
I'm reading "inya maya's guide to childbirth", "the pregnancy book and birth book" by Dr Sears, "hypnosis for a joyful pregnancy and birth"
I'm doing pregnant pilates, pregnancy yoga, I chase my toddler around, walk the dogs 15-20 2x daily and housework.
I'm taking prenatal, b6, and in general eat as healthy as I can.

[2much2luv]

Originally Posted by jee'smom

I HATE doing kegels!!! but I'm ging to have to do them. After the birth of ds, I had NO control of my sphincter muscles, I used to just stand over the toilet and it'd come out, I couldn't stop it at all. How many should you do for max. benefit?

I'm not sure but I usually read 200 a day I think. My Kegels are in rough shape too. I've never been strong on Kegels and I'm honostly not even sure I do them right. I hate them as well.

[BellyBear]

We took a class that was mostly based on the book "Birthing from Within". It has several excersises for pain management and discovering your inner fears through art making. I highly recommend it.
Besides pre-natal vitamins I took Alfalfa, and a tincture called L6W (last six weeks) that had raspberry leaf, cohosh, and other uterine toning agents. I also drank Raspberry leaf tea.
--Hope

[bbrandonsmom]

jees mom-I'm doing more squatting too. Soon as I read about the increase in pelvic size I was all about wanting to use that as a birth position. Of course I'm also using a tub, so I'll prob have to do a semi recline when the time comes.

[imgr8ful]

yoga, daily hikes, swimming 3-5 times a week, uber-healthy eating, red raspberry leaf tea, tons of water, meditating...

and knitting itty bitty soakers!