The day is finally drawing near! Yes, it’s D-Day…Delivery Day! This day (or days for some) will be the culmination of all you and your body’s hard work over the past nine months. It may feel overwhelmingly scary. The task may feel all too daunting. The anxious rush may be sending you just about over the edge. But you can do this! Your body is strong, your body is powerful, your body will perform.
So how do we prepare ourselves for this ultimate endeavor when it comes to pregnancy?
First things first, have a plan. No, this does not mean schedule out ever minute of your delivery or every detail because let’s be real, its not going to go exactly as expected. Rather than a specific step-by-step plan, have goals. For example, I’m going to try to avoid an epidural or I’m going to go as long as possible without medication or I’m going to try to have a vaginal birth or I’m going to try to push in a certain position. By giving yourself goals, you can now take action to physically and mentally prepare and work toward reaching these goals before the big day arrives. Knowing your options is critical toward physical and mental preparation for labor and delivery. While a child birthing class is great for teaching you about the different stages of labor, types of delivery, pain medication options, and even medical tools you may see during your stint in the hospital, but a Doctor of Physical Therapy can help you to prepare for the physical task of labor and delivery. We can discuss positions to help with progression of labor, pain relief positions and techniques, breathing and relaxation techniques to help endure labor and help with pushing for vaginal deliveries, and even ways to begin to prepare your body for this journey ahead of time.
No elite athlete, musician, speaker, etc would go into their big day without spending the necessary time preparing themselves for such a performance so why should child birth be any different? Labor and delivery requires physical and mental strength and endurance. It requires you to understand the signs of your body to to know when and where to relax as well as when as where to engage. Just like a coach or mentor, physical therapists are here to help you prepare for your big performance. We can give you the education and tools you need to go into labor and delivery feeling confident in your body, your strength, and your abilities.
No amount of physical or mental preparation will make your child’s birth go exactly as planned and remember the ultimate goal of every birth should be to do what’s necessary to keep mom and baby safe. Trust your body, trust your instincts, trust your birth team, and when the time comes, PUSH!
If you want to feel more prepared and confident for your child’s birth (whether it be your first or fifteenth), reach out to Life Changes Physical Therapy today. We offer in-home or telehealth services for mommas-to-be to help your feel your best while protecting you and your precious babe.