Pregnancy Care

7 Helpful Tips to Make Labour Easier

With all the preparations and checklists to accomplish during your pregnancy, preparing for childbirth can feel overwhelming. This is especially so if it is your first child and you don’t know what to expect. You are probably anxious about many things such as the pain of labour, how to get through the day, or whether this experience will change you forever. While no one can prepare you for the exact moment of delivery or guarantee that everything will go well even with ample planning, counselling and preparation, there are some things you can do to make the process a little easier and smoother.  

All women have unique experiences with childbirth and no 2 births are the same.  Every woman handles labour differently depending on her choices, the attitudes and values she holds, the support system in place for her and the environment in which she is in. However, it is important to remain open to new ideas and perspectives that can take some stress out of an already stressful situation.

The following are 7 tips that can help you go through labour much more easily:

1. Keep a Well-Balanced Diet

Nutrition during pregnancy is extremely important. Eating right not only safeguards your health and the health of the baby, but also helps make labour less painful and more bearable for both mother and child. It can help you get through childbirth much easier when you are physically, mentally and emotionally well.

Put aside all junk food that is fattening, high in sugar or sodium, and unhealthy. If you’re craving something sweet, have an apple instead of a pastry or other sugar-rich processed foods. Be sure to eat enough calories every day, especially from carbohydrates (whole bread, cereals) as well as protein (eggs, chicken breast). Carbohydrates help to keep your energy levels up. Eating right is not just about what you put into your body, but also about what you can benefit from it: milk and dairy products are full of calcium, which is vital for your bone health, and for the healthy growth of your baby.

2. Exercise During Pregnancy

Exercising during pregnancy helps prepare your body for labour, which is physically demanding and strenuous. Exercising can help you to get in shape before your baby’s arrival. In addition, it reduces anxiety and stress levels as well as depression. If you haven’t been exercising regularly, start slowly by walking around the block with a friend or family member. Slowly progress to brisk walking around the block and then increase your pace. Make sure you warm up properly before exercising. Drink lots of water before, during and after exercise as dehydration can hinder your efforts at exercising.

It is recommended that you consult your O&G specialist about appropriate exercises that will help you get fit for childbirth. A good way to start is by walking, which can be done without any special equipment. Walking 5-6 km a day will help you get into shape for childbirth and also allow you to bond with your partner as well. Swimming is another good form of exercise that helps relieve stress, and it is also easy on the joints.

3. Get a Massage

Prenatal massages can help ease labour pains and reduce anxiety by helping to release natural endorphins in the body. It also helps keep you calm and relaxed, improving your overall well-being.

Getting a prenatal massage at least once every week keeps you in shape and reduces the stress on your body. 

4. Think Your Birth Plan Through

It’s always good to be mentally prepared for labour. Think through all the various phases of labour, including what kind of pain relief you want and where you would like to be during labour. 

Giving birth can be a very painful and exhausting experience. Therefore, when you have some knowledge of what’s going to happen at every stage of labour, you can make plans for the best possible outcomes. This way, you won’t have to worry about the usual pains and complications that happen during delivery, instead, you are focused on what your body tells you to do.

Just remember that labour doesn’t always go to plan on the day, so you may have to be a little flexible.

5. Attend Prenatal Classes

Attending prenatal classes is a good idea, as they will teach you everything that you need to know about pregnancy, labour and childbirth. These sessions are given by trained instructors at a hospital or birthing centre, who can help first-time parents learn what happens during pregnancy and how their baby develops inside of them. Such classes also provide an opportunity to talk about your own concerns and fears regarding childbirth, as well as how you can cope with possible complications that may arise. 

6. Visit a Chiropractor

Routine chiropractic care can help manage the pain in your back, hips and joints that you may experience during pregnancy, especially in the later stages.

During your first trimester of pregnancy, it is recommended to visit the chiropractor early to make sure that there are no complications with your spine. Your chiropractor keeps an eye on the alignment of your backbone and all the other things that are important for you to stay healthy during pregnancy.

7. Stay Open to Changes

Labour is a natural process, but it can be unpredictable as well. Hence, if anything happens during delivery, don’t panic and try not to get stressed out. Be open to the changes that may occur during labour and the team of nurses and your doctor will guide you through. 

Conclusion

Pregnancy can be a very stressful time in your life, especially when you have to deal with the physical and mental implications of it as well. Over the course of these last few months, it is important that you take care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Remember, this is one of the most important phases in your life, so stay positive and keep a cheerful disposition throughout to make it an enjoyable journey. Regardless of your situation, these tips will come in handy and help you deal with labour in a much better way.