4 ways I ACTUALLY prepared my body for labour
no chapters for this one!
Simply me sharing, from one girl to the next, the:
4 WAYS I prepared for labour!
but FIRST, here’s my personal Pinterest moodboard for how I romanticised spending my days running up to my DUE DATE (outside of my labour prep):
disclaimer to say that this IS NOT:
the “right” way to prepare your body for labour - ONLY YOU know and decide what way or ways that is for you
ways to avoid tearing during labour (scroll to the end for an extra something on this one!)
ways to reduce time during labour
ways to reduce pain giving birth
This is just the way I CHOSE to do for myself.
If you are pregnant, then you must be well DEEP INTO the spiral of social media videos on tips and tricks to prepare your body for labour and try “SLIP” the baby out as smoothly as physically possible.
You may have come across the raspberry leaf tea, the dates, the okra water, perineal massages, long walks, eating pineapple, curb walking, and so on.
I had a list of IT ALL; all the ways to try help my body not tear (as a first-time mum) during childbirth.
I made a blog post, earlier in my pregnancy, for the 10 tips for an easier labour, as a first-time mum.
But I ACTUALLY only ended up doing 4 of these, since I very quickly realised in my third trimester, that I would not have the energy to execute this whole 10-step routine…
Given the exhaustion that the final stages of pregnancy brought on me!
IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
Therefore, I condensed it down to the 4 that I felt would be the most useful for me…
Now, let’s get into it…
the 4 ways
Number 1. DATES!!!
Now, there is no certainty that dates will make your labour process easier, but it has been studied and associated with a softened cervix, which consequently can help with dilation (basically helping your body open up for baby to come out).
THAT would help a lot with labour, in terms of both length of time AND pain, since the more easily your body dilates, the faster and less time you are in pain for.
I eat about 4 dates each day, every day, from about 37 weeks onwards! (because if you didn’t know already, pregnancy is actually 40 weeks - MORE LIKE 10 months really!!!).
Of course, I missed a few days here and there, but that was my original intention at least.
This one was an easy one for me to adopt since I love dates, and easily slipped this into my morning routine by always having it alongside my daily breakfast.
Here are some inspo ideas for yummy recipes I have tried, and would recommend, that I found online, if you don’t like the taste of dates on its own!
recipe links attached for the recipe to each photo, that I found on Pinterest!!
*1 - peanut chocolate dates
*2 - creamy date and almond smoothie
*3 - date caramel dip
Back to the original plot, we continue…
So, it didn’t require much brainpower or effort, which is PERFECT for heavily pregnant women such as myself!
Apart from that, I knew a woman or two, in my life, who SWORE by the dates, so I felt like I trusted it a bit better due to that personal factor.
After having gone through my childbirth experience, I still can’t SWEAR by the dates since it could be down to a BUNCH of reasons, but I would say my childbirth experience was not too bad and it could be a factor that helped!
Number 2. LONG SLOW WALKS.
This one was a refreshing ESSENTIAL to my daily routine, in that last month before childbirth!
Refreshing to my mind, as much as to my body.
Leaving the house, and going for a slow and long walk with my partner kept me calm, cool and collected, on days where my labour nerves were wanting to get the better of me (more on that HERE!).
I have to say OUT OF ALL 4 WAYS, this one has to be one of the TOP 2 ways that had my body feeling like something was happening.
By that I mean, it felt like my hips were OPENING or some type of inducing was happening, like SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY IN THE WORKS.
(The second of the TOP 2 WAYS coming later in this post)!
By “long”, I would try go for a walk for at least 45-minutes and take those walks to nice, scenic areas of London, like riverside, parks, or quieter local areas.
Trust me, after EACH one of those walks, I would get back feeling so physically tired BUT ALSO, very close to my due date, I would start feeling stinging sensations down there which made me feel like that walk was working my body up to really gear it for labour.
I only felt that with long slow walks, AND…
Number 3. Mobility Stretches!
I mostly did this one to hopefully prevent tearing during labour, and to be honest, I only got a few stitches (which I don’t consider to be too rough compared to how rough certain other labour experiences can be!).
I have to say, I only started doing this about 1-week before my due date AND WOW.
After each time I stretched, I felt certain pinch-like feelings down there…
It REALLY DID feel like something was happening!
Now, I wasn’t going to stick to this unless it was quick and efficient, so I wouldn’t be put-off or too tired to commit with my heavily pregnant self.
So I literally found a random video on Facebook on “mobility stretches to prepare for labour”, with about 5-to-6 different stretches to do for about 1-minute each. (Overall less than 10-minutes each day, which for me was perfect!).
These stretches were mostly targeting flexibility and opening of the hips (think like side lunges, rocking forward and back on all four’s; that sort of thing!).
If there is ONLY ONE WAY you decide to, physically, prepare your body for labour, I most definitely recommend this one as your ultimate way to get your body geared up.
Because the way labour strains your body, it really is the one I most wholeheartedly believe has great effects for most or all women, since it works with your physical, which labour is all about!
And last, but not least…
Number 4. REST AND SLEEP as much as possible!
I mean, most us girlies will FEEL IT in our bodies, that we NEED all the rest and sleep we can get.
But some of us, like myself, might also feel the need to do A LOT before baby comes.
And by “a lot”, I don’t even mean that in a productive sense, but I mean that more in a “let me have as much solo fun as possible before baby comes”, like arranging solo dates for yourself, café visits, wanting to see friends.
I know, for myself, I ended up going on one solo date, and making all these mental plans to see friends, and I very rapidly realised that I did not have the energy.
The physical energy, the mental energy, the SOCIAL energy.
I’m NOT saying to completely shut-off from people in your life, but simply show yourself GRACE if you see that you cannot do all the things before baby arrives… You are literally carrying a whole human that is relying on your for their full source of energy, whilst operating your own body and self, on a daily.
It is a HUGE STRAIN on you, your energy and your mind.
Also, to not mention the obvious, which is the lack of sleep you WILL be experiencing after baby arrives…AND I KNOW, I KNOW!
I used to really dislike hearing people saying that all the time, like …
“oh just wait until baby’s out, you won’t get any sleep for years”
…”enjoy whilst you can”…
and so on and on.
Well honestly, I’d say from my experience 2 MONTHS postpartum:
“yeah it was rough initially, specially with the not-knowing how to do the parenting things, and experiencing the sleep deprivation to THAT level for the first time in my life, BUT you do get used to it and your body adapts to functioning around the same with less sleep”.
Like, you will actually be fine.
Don’t worry, it won’t be the end of your life.
You’ll just learn to do life with less sleep, for the time being.
At least, this is what I would say from MY personal experience, but I know everyone’s experience is very unique and different.
Taking this into consideration, it’s very wise to really just soak-in all the nights you do get, before baby comes, to really enjoy your deep sleep if you can and just take-in all the slowness of it all.
Once again, YOUR LIFE WILL NOT END when you have your baby, but you will just be resting and sleeping less (which don’t worry, IT IS NOT the pinnacle of life, no matter how much I do love my sleep).
It’s just good to prioritise rest before a new phase that will be quite demanding such as motherhood, specially as a first-time mum, that’s all!
will these ways prevent me from tearing during labour?
Well, it is not guaranteed so I honestly cannot say it will.
BUT, it does something, and I like to think (even if psychological) that you are better-off going into labour with a few daily stretches in you, than being still for all those days leading up to childbirth!
Not to say you should be active, and do the most everyday, but I do think these little ways do have significant impact on you.
Even if only a positive impact on you mentally, for your endurance and mindset throughout labour, I feel like it always helps to select a few ways which you feel is best for you, and can help you prepare for labour.
If you haven’t already, or are not sure which ways you can prepare your body for labour, check out my previous blog post here:
10 tips for an easier labour, as a first-time mum
…where I list 10 ways that you can prepare your body for labour.
And that’s it from me on this one girls!
As you can see, you might plan to do 101 things to set yourself up for success during pregnancy, for labour, but you also need to STAY ADAPTABLE to listen to your body and energy levels throughout.
And don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t stick to what you idealised, in preparation for labour, since even if you don’t do these things DON’T WORRY. Trust me…
Your body was made for this, it technically doesn’t need “preparation” for something it was designed for.
These are just ways that might FACILITATE a smoother labour experience, more than anything else.
But rest assured, even if you don’t actively DO anything, you will be fine!
As always, I’m here to be your big sister and guide you throughout your own pregnancy through my own unplanned pregnancy and motherhood journey.
Own Your Womanhood. Own your Time.
♡
I’ll be logging updates throughout this whole journey as a mother-to-be, working to be an entrepreneur, but to also still preserve the girlhood within, to try and be her best self, and live her happiest life, so keep-up with me through the blog!
I release a new blog post every Friday at 1pm! (UK-time)
Let me know if you’re in a similar headspace (pregnant or not), being in our 20s is confusing, and taking control of our story is the only way we can take ownership of our happiness and live out our dream life.
I document my unwanted pregnancy journey at 25, taking control of my narrative, figuring out being a girl in my 20s, chasing my dream life, and conquering my boss babe dream of becoming a self-employed, entrepreneur / Blogger!
