Preparing for labour....

[greenlizard]

What can I do? I am 29+3 and am starting to think about the actual giving birth part (after convincing myself the pregnancy wouldn't work out having had 2 miscarriages last year and lost a twin at 9 weeks in this pregnancy).

I fully confess to being a big girls blouse so advice to help prepare me would be great. Anyone recommend hypno-birthing? Class or CD?

Do you have an actual birth plan?

[Bondy83]

Try not to think to much about a birth plan as generally things never go the way you expect them too. Consider who you want in the room with you (generally you can have 2 people with you) what pain relief you'd like to try? Who you want to cut the cord? If you want to breast or bottle feed? Just bear in mind the labour could go the complete opposite way you "planned"

[LillyEvans]

Early days but you could pack a hospital bag.

I didn't write a birth plan but I had thought through what I wanted and made sure my dp knew so he could speak on my behalf if necessary. IMO a birth plan should be pretty flexible, more of what you'd like in the ideal situation.

I got a tens machine to use in early labour. I believe you can rent these if you don't want to buy. I haven't got experience of hypno birthing myself but I know two women who've tried it. One thought it was amazing, the other was not as impressed.

Congratulations on your pregnancy op and good luck!

[bubalou]

I did hypnobirthing with baby no1 and I loved it. I know classes can cost more but the peace of mind and confidence it gave me really helped.

I agree with flexibility. I had that I wanted to be in a pool for some of mine, I wanted gas & air and pethidine if necessary for pain relief - my labour happened very quickly and after being initially thought of to be 'overreacting' by midwives they realised babies head was coming out so no pool, no gas & air, no pethidine - not even a fucking paracetamol!

But what happened - happened and baby DS was born safe and well and I look back on it as a positive experience.

Think about the things that are important to you that you should be able to control such as some music you want played to help you relax etc.

Hope that helps.

[sleepybee]

I'm doing antenatal yoga & hypno birth classes. At first I was all for epidural but gradually changing my mind. Hypno birth is really just about staying as relaxed as possible. I hope to be at home as much as possible before going to hospital. I'll get a birth ball soon.

The classes teach me breathing techniques, positions & movements to assist labour & massage that I can show my husband to do during labour

[Seasidedolly]

I'm two weeks behind you but would also like to get a bit more prepared, although with first time labour I don't think it's truly possible to be fully prepared, but I am a firm believer that knowledge is power so I've ordered Juju Sundin's book about childbirth and am also going to get a natal hypnotherapy book and CD.

I'm going in totally accepting that I will probably need pain relief although I'd like to try a water birth, but I'm hoping that having a better understanding of what your body is doing during labour will take the fear and anxiety away to some extend. Worried I sound like a very naive first timer now!

[TheBooMonster]

I've bought the Natal Hypnotherapy by Maggie Howell book and the hospital cd set (plus the breastfeeding cd) I've been reading through the book and it's really helped, just need to get DH a bit more on board for assisting with the whole hypnotherapy thing...

I've also been packing my hospital bag way in advance to help me feel a bit more under control for the situation, and I've been looking into the different types of intervention available so I know what I'm happy with and what I'd like to avoid (but obviously no amount of planing can dictate what happens at the birth.)

My birth plan last time wasn't even looked at by dh or the midwives, so this time it's just a set of bullet points (that will be printed and laminated, not scribbled at the back of my hand held notes) with reminders about the complications of my crappy medical conditions (and any that DH has that could effect the baby - NF1) and things that have been agreed with the consultant / midwife that they mustn't try and encourage me to change i.e. active third stage of labour rather than physiological, or if they do they better be bloody prepared to sit and stare at my vagina for several to make sure I'm not haemorrhaging!